 Cyclades Express in previous livery | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: |
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| Operator: | |
| Port of registry: |
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| Builder: | Incat, Tasmania, Australia |
| Yard number: | 028 |
| Launched: | 1991 |
| In service: | 1992 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 8919518 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Tonnage: | 3,003 GT |
| Length: | 74 m (243 ft) |
| Beam: | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Draught: | 2.4 m (7.9 ft) |
| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: | 36 knots (67 km/h) |
| Capacity: |
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Naxos Jet is a high speed catamaran operated by Seajets in the Aegean.
The Naxos Jet was built in 1992 as Seacat Scotland for Sea Containers. She was built to inaugurate a new fast ferry service between Stranraer and Belfast. Before commencing service on the North Channel she briefly operated on the Dover to Calais route for Hoverspeed.
During the winter of 1994/1995 she was chartered to middle eastern operator Q Ships for service across the Red Sea. for this role she was renamed Q Ship Express. During her charter the Stranraer – Belfast route was operated by Seacat Isle of Man. On completion of the charter she returned to the Stranraer – Belfast route, changing back to her original name.
Seacat Scotland was chartered again during the winter of 1997/1998. This time to Uruguayan ferry operator Navegacion Atlantida S.A. for service on the River Plate. She returned to the North Channel for the 1998 summer season. Sea Containers left Stranraer in 2000 in favour of Troon following heavy competition from Stena Line and P&O Irish Sea at Loch Ryan. Seacat Scotland operated the Belfast – Troon route until 2003 when she was replaced by the Rapide.
Seacat Scotland transferred to the Hoverspeed Dover – Calais route which she operated with Seacat Danmark and Seacat France. She remained on the English Channel until September 2005 when she was once again replaced by the Rapide.
She left Dover in September 2004 bound for the Pallion shipyard in Sunderland. She remained dry docked in Sunderland until she was sold to Fortune Maritime Enterprises . She left Sunderland in April 2007 [2] bound for Keratsini as the Shikra. Before entering service between Safaga and Dhuba she was renamed Al Huda I.
In July 2010 the Al Huda I arrived in Perama. During her refit she was repainted in NEL Lines livery and renamed Cyclades Express.
In early 2016, Cyclades Express was sold to the ferry company Seajets and is planned to be renamed Naxos Jet. Since 2016 in under the name of Naxos Jet and works every Summer from Piraeus to Aegean Islands
There are also two other 74m hulls built by Incat but show clear differences to the standard 74m design ships above. These are:-
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HSC Condor Rapide is a fast ferry operated by Condor Ferries. Launched in 1997, she was initially chartered out as a civilian ferry, then became the first large catamaran to enter military service when she was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy as HMAS Jervis Bay (AKR 45) from 1999 to 2001.
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HSC High Speed Jet is a 74 m (243 ft) ocean-going catamaran built in 1990 by International Catamarans (Incat) for the UK company Hoverspeed and currently owned by Seajets. In 1990, as Hoverspeed Great Britain, she took the Hales Trophy for the fastest eastbound transatlantic journey, making the run, without passengers, in three days, seven hours and fifty-four minutes, averaging 36.6 knots.
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HSC Caldera Vista is an Incat-built high speed catamaran owned by Seajets. The vessel was the first fast craft to bear a Manx name. She was also the sixth Isle of Man Steam Packet Company vessel to bear the name Snaefell.
HSC Hellenic Highspeed is a high-speed craft (HSC) owned by Hellenic Seaways, having previously being owned by Sea Containers.
HSC Jaume II is a high speed catamaran built in 1996 by Incat in Tasmania, Australia.
Daniya is a passenger / car ferry owned and operated by Baleària. She was built in 1984 by Chantiers Dubigeon S.A. in Prairie-au-Duc, Nantes, France for SNCF as Champs Elysees. From 1997 to 2009, she was owned by SeaFrance under the name SeaFrance Manet, until she was bought from SeaFrance in 2009. Stena Navigator was totally overhauled in October 2009 for the beginning of service with Stena Line.
HSC Almudaina Dos is one of four high speed monohull ferries built by Fincantieri for Sea Containers. She is currently owned and operated by Acciona Trasmediterránea.
The WorldChampion Jet is a fast passenger ferry built in 2000 by Austal Ships, Perth, Australia. Until 31 August 2018, it was in active service between Rønne and Ystad in Sweden. On 19 December 2017, HSC Villum Clausen was sold to the Greek based Ferry Company Seajets. Starting from the summer of 2019, it was renamed WorldChampion Jet and started sailing between Piraeus and Cyclades.
HSC Sea Speed Jet is a high speed catamaran ferry built by Incat for Sea Containers in 1990. It has been owned by Sea and Sun Maritime Co. since 2014. The vessel is currently operated by Seajets.
Seajets is a Greek/Cypriot ferry company operating passenger and freight ferry services in the Aegean Sea.
Mega Jet' is a high speed catamaran operated by Seajets.
