Santorini News

Offshore drilling contractor Stena Drilling has taken delivery of its 7th generation Stena Evolution ultra-deepwater drillship from Samsung Heavy Industries.After a decade in the making, Stena Evolution drillship has finally been completed and is ready for its first job.The technologically advanced drillship is capable of operating at water depths of up to 12,000ft (around 3,500 meters) and drilling depths up to 40,000ft (over 12,000 meters).The drilling unit utilizes riser storage in hull to offer extensive deck space with a 24…

John F. Kennedy’s famous locution, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but you can do for your country” remains the rallying call for civic action and public leadership. The message remains foundational to the success of the United States, particularly as we head into an election year that once again appears to be filled with divisiveness and vitriol. That said, before we flip the calendar, it is important to set JFK’s message aside for a moment and reflect upon what our political leadership in Washington…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced on Tuesday that nine ships have been enrolled in the Tanker Security Program (TSP), a newly created public-private partnership program that makes U.S.-flag commercial product tankers available to support U.S. armed forces and national economic security.“Today we are announcing the first ships to join the Tanker Security Program, which will help strengthen both our supply chains and our national security…

U.S. based shipping company Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) said crews aboard two of its vessels rescued a total of six individuals in two separate incidents occurring within 18 hours of each other.On the evening of May 30, 2023, the crew of the Overseas Santorini, as well as two other vessels, were notified by U.S. Coast Guard Norfolk of a sailing vessel in distress in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The closest point of land was the Azores approximately 800 miles to the East.

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has approved the first vessels for participation in its Tanker Security Program (TSP), a newly created public-private partnership program that makes U.S.-flag commercial product tankers available to support U.S. armed forces.Modeled from MARAD's Maritime Security Program (MSP), the TSP assures the Department of Defense has access to U.S.-registered product tankers that may be used to supply the armed forces with fuel during times of armed conflict or national emergency.

Offshore drilling rig reactivations have begun as utilization and dayrates continue their rapid recovery, Esgian's Teresa Wilkie writes.We expected it to happen just not necessarily this soon. But now it’s official, several cold-stacked rigs are about to be reactivated for new jobs in the Golden Triangle, and Valaris is taking the lead. Just last week, the driller confirmed that it will reactivate 6th generation, ultra-deepwater drillship Valaris DS-4 for a minimum 580-day deal with Petrobras Brazil.

Cruise shipping company Norwegian Cruise Line on Sunday officially marked return to business, with its Norwegian Jade ship the first of its 17-ship fleet to welcome guests after 500 days. It was also another first for the Norwegian Jade, as it became Norwegian Cruise Line's first vessel to homeport in Athens (Piraeus)."Until November 2021, guests sailing aboard Norwegian Jade's immersive Greek Isles itinerary will wake up in a new destination every day, able to spend eight-to-nine hours exploring some of Greece's most picturesque islands including luxurious Crete…

Italian oilfield services giant Saipem has chartered a newbuild drillship directly from South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard.Saipem expects the drillship - named Samsung Santorini - to be delivered in November 2021, when the Italian firm will take the 7th generation rig on a two-year charter. No dayrate details have been shared. Recent fixtures for 6th/7gen rigs saw dayrates in the $190.000-$210.000 per day range, according to Bassoe data.While Saipem did not explicitly say it…

American/British-owned German cruise line AIDA Cruises announced that model and TV host Franziska Knuppe christened  AIDAmira in Palma de Mallorca.AIDAmira is the fourth ship in the AIDA Selection program, sailing longer itineraries to exotic locales, similar to her function for Costa.After a debut cruise in the Mediterranean until December 4, 2019,  the cruise line will take the new Selection ship to Sète in the south of France, the Catalan metropolis of Barcelona, and back to Palma de Mallorca.From May to September 2020 the AIDAmira will be sailing from Corfu on cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean.The itinerary takes in Athens, Santorini, Crete and Brindisi in Apulia. A separate itinerary calls in Malta, Sicily, Crotone in Calabria, Olympia and Cephalonia.

Norway-based shipping company Ocean Yield ASA announced that it has taken delivery of the VLCC "Nissos Santorini".The vessel was delivered from the yard Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea and is the third in a series of four VLCCs that will be delivered to the Company in 2019, it said."Upon delivery, the vessel commenced a 15 years' bare-boat charter to Okeanis Eco Tankers Corp  with a 5 years' sub-charter to Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd," it said in a press release.Okeanis Eco Tankers was established in 2018 by the Alafouzos family to take over its fleet of modern tanker vessels and tanker new-buildings. With seven tankers built 2015 to 2018 and eight VLCCs for delivery in 2019, the company will focus on eco-designed vessels fitted with scrubbers.

The biennial Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum will be held from May 28-29, 2019, at the Domotel Kastri Conference Center, in Athens’ northern suburbs. Here there will be more than 30 senior cruise executives responsible for ports and destinations from the world’s biggest cruise lines, including MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Holland America Group, Disney Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Celestyal Cruises among others.Elisabetta De Nardo, VP Port Development…

Greek ferry owners are stressing the importance of high quality, reliable ship repair partners in the Western Med in the first half of 2016, according to ship repair yard Gibdock  who says it has received two first time ship visits emphasizing the Gibraltar yard’s ability to meet contrasting ship renewal needs. The Hellas Seaways ro-pax vessel Nissos Chios and the Portucalence Shipping Company ferry Express Santorini were both in the Gibdock yard for the first time recently, the former undergoing a broad spectrum of scheduled repairs and the latter in for emergency structural renewal.

A passenger vessel (Flying Cat) with a total of 253 persons on board was safely evacuated on Sunday after running aground off Tinos island in the Aegean Sea, Xinhua reported quoting the Greek Coast Guard.   No injuries or severe damage have been reported while an evacuation operation is underway.   Shipping boats and speedboats have reached the area to help evacuate the ship, while a tug boat was on the way, local officials said.   The Flying Cat 4 with 239 passengers and 14 crew members, which had departed from the port of Rafina heading toward its final destination in Santorini, ran aground just outside the port of Tinos due to fog, according to preliminary information.

As a result of the recent successful completion of sea trials on-board the high speed car and passenger ferry, Blue Star Delos, Eco Marine Power (EMP) has now cleared the Aquarius MAS + Solar and Aquarius Marine Solar Power solutions for commercial release. During two days of testing and evaluation on the 17th and 19th May, 2015, the performance of the Aquarius MAS + Solar trial system on-board Delos was assessed by both EMP and Blue Star Ferries technical personnel as part of the Blue Star Delos Renewable Energy Innovation Project. Aquarius MAS + Solar is an innovative renewable energy solution for ships and the trial system includes a 2.3 kWp marine solar panel array, a 5.4 kWhr battery pack, MPPT charge controllers, a marine computer plus associated communications and interface devices.

Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) the world’s leading maritime services provider, has launched an innovative series of travel apps for the cruise industry in Greece, covering the major ports and islands of Mykonos, Santorini, Kefalonia, Corfu and Syros. Further apps will also follow to cover the entire region. Originated by ISS Greece, one of the leading cruise specialists, the free new travel apps will provide a complete digital guide through the islands and ports of Greece, from attractions and activities, dining, and shopping to transport information and a currency convertor, all with images and contact information. With a click of button, immediate local medical information can also be found, if users need to find a doctor or hospital shoreside.

Multiple news sources have reported that Greek court has convicted nine officers and shipping company officials of negligence in the sinking of a cruise ship off the resort island of Santorini more than six years ago. Sea Diamond, a Louis Hellenic cruise vessel, was carrying roughly 1,600 people when it hit rocks off Santorini’s cliffs and sank in April 2007. Two French passengers were never found and are presumed drowned. The Piraeus court imposed suspended sentences Wednesday ranging from six months to just over 12 years, and acquitted another four defendants, the Associated Press reported.

The potential for sea tourism and its significance as a key factor in the development of the economies of Greece, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea region will be examined in depth during the Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, scheduled to take place 21-22 June 2011 at the prestigious Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens. The forum will focus on three key areas of sea tourism: cruise shipping, the yachting industry and inter-island and passenger shipping. The first Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum comes at a time when this form of tourism is showing rapid growth globally…

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. has taken delivery of the Santorini, a 4,600 dwt double-hull bunkering tanker newbuild from Fujian Southeast Shipyard in . The Company intends to employ this new vessel in Gibraltar, replacing the Aegean Rose, which will be redeployed to . Including the Santorini, currently boasts a total bunker delivery fleet of 29, composed of 27 bunkering tankers and two barges. The Company expects to take delivery of 23 remaining double-hull tanker newbuilds over the next two years, which will expand its total bunker delivery fleet to 52.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. announced that its new cruise ship, Olympia Explorer, was christened at the Port of Piraeus on Friday, June 7, 2002. Vangelis Papathanassiou, the internationally renowned composer and 1982 Oscar winner for his film score for "Chariots of Fire," was the vessel's godfather, assisted by Katerina Potamianos and Marisa Loizou, the daughters of Andreas Potamianos and Costakis Loizou, Royal Olympic's two main shareholders. After the christening ceremony, music from Vangelis' score for the film "1492" was played. Olympia Explorer, like her sister ship, Olympia Voyager, was built at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg and with cruising speeds of up to 30 knots, she is the fastest cruise ship, of her size, in the world.

The ultra competitive Greek ferry market has not only proven to be a fertile breeding ground for advanced marine technology, it has served as a role model for the direction of shipping services in both the region and the world. The Greek market has provided the collective builders and suppliers of advanced fast and conventional ferries a rich environment for business over the past few months, a trend that seems likely to continue. Specifically, Greek owners and operators have been at the forefront of an international buying binge for large, fast passenger, vehicle and cargo carrying craft. Driven by the need for speed, many owners are turning to advances in marine electronic and propulsion systems to ensure that the multi-million dollar investments are kept running safe and efficient.

Blohm+Voss GMBH delivered of the new fast cruise ship, Olympia Explorer, to Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. The vessel immediately sailed from the Blohm+Voss shipyard to the Port of Piraeus in Greece. The Olympia Explorer, together with her sister ship, Olympia Voyager, are the fastest cruise vessels of their size, performing unique cruises at speeds of up to 30 knots. "The new itineraries Royal Olympic Cruises will offer with this vessel have created considerable interest in the cruise market. The first cruises are already fully booked," added Pantazis. On her maiden voyage on May 3, the Olympia Explorer will start a series of weekly cruises calling at the ports of Piraeus, Corfu, Venice, Dubrovnik, Bari, Katakolon, Istanbul, Mykonos and Santorini.

The sun shined over a crowd of more than 1,500 travel agents, local officials and maiden voyage guests during the naming ceremony of Holland America Line's ms Westerdam in Venice, Italy on April 25. The 1,848-passenger Westerdam embarked its maiden voyage guests and sailed its inaugural 12-day cruise from Venice to Greece, Turkey and Croatia. The naming ceremony took place on the "Festa del Boccolo," or St. Mark's Day, the holiday celebrating the patron saint of Venice. As is tradition on this day…

The buoyant cruise industry now accounts for more than a quarter of a million jobs in Europe, over €10 billion direct expenditure and 15 million visits to European ports. The results were unveiled by the European Cruise Council (ECC) at the industry’s second annual “European Cruise Contribution”. “This is the first time we’ve been able to compare annual trends and the impact of the cruise industry on European job creation, wealth and tourism,” said David Dingle, chairman of the ECC and chief executive officer of Carnival UK.