Kassandra was built for Società Partenopea di Navigazione (SPAN) in 1956 as the TRAGARA (IMO. 5367099), at Navalmeccanica Cantiere Navale, in Castellamare di Stabbia (#611). She was the 3rd out of 4 sister ships. The other 3 were the ISOLA DI PROCIDA (#609) (IMO. 5165104) , ISOLA DI PONZA (#610) (IMO. 5165099) & the PARTENOPE (#612) (IMO. 6270956). These white little ships, were used on the routes from Napoli to Procida, Ischia, Ventotene & Ponza.
Tragara, was a twin screw vessel, with length over all (LOA): 59.20m, LPB 53.30 width 8.90m., and draught 2.80m.. Her GRT was 497, NWT: 280 and DW: 133. She had 2 2stroke engines FIAT-SGM 328M, 1800 total BHP. Her max speed was 17kts, and service around 14kts. She could accomodate 681 passengers, and 24 crew.
At around 1967, the 4 sisters, after a visit to Pellegrino yard, in Napoli, received a stern ramp for loading 8 cars. In 1976, the SPAN routes and fleet, were taken over by Campania Regionale Marittima SpA (Caremar).
Tragara was sold to the Spanish Company Alisur, which had ships on the Canary Islands. The ship was renamed ALISUR ROJO, and later ALISUR BLANCO. She was used for a short time on a route connecting Cyprus-Lebanon. During that time, on 29-6-1984, the ship was ordered by the Israeli Navy to stay in the international waters, outside Lebanon. Men from the navy got on board, and took some of the 63 for further questions ashore.
Around 1987, Tragara was sold to Kassandros Naftiki Etaireia (Kassandros Ship. Co.), and was renamed KASSANDRA. She was registered in Thessaloniki, and could accommodate around 400 passengers. She was used on daily cruises to Athos, but this didn't last long.
In late 1989, was inspected by Evangelos Hatzigiannakis and Konstantinos Hollandezos, and was bought after a while. She had a major overhaul, and started transporting tourists from Pythagorio (Samos) to Patmos (Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday), and sometimes Kusadasi (Tuesday or Thursday). The ship would depart at 7.30 from Pythagorio, and would arrive at Patmos at 9.45. She traveled until the end of the 1998 season, and was laid up at Pythagorio later on.
Due to the fact that she was laid up/ abandoned, the Samos Port Authority took over the vessel, and auctioned it on 14-5-02. The new buyer, was responsible for transporting the ship. The new owner intended to sell it further to another buyer, who wanted to convert the ship back to cruise ship for one day cruises from Thessaloniki. It was towed to Nea Michaniona (a place near Thessaloniki), and work started on board, which had to be done after so many years of lay up. Unfortunately, the new owner couldn't get all the certificates needed, as there was a problem with the previous owners and the State Marine Insurance. According to a law, the new owner of a shipwreck/ abandoned vessel, is not obliged to pay any amount of money, for what has happened with the previous owners. If you do not have this paper, you cannot sell or pass the ownership to anybody else. The new owner went to court, but this was a long way, and the expenses were running. The ship was laid up for about 2 1/2 years. During this period, the ship broke free, and ran aground. After all that, the owner's only choice was to sell it for scrap. After the final inspection by Dido Shipping Co., the ship left under tow for Aliaga, on 8-4-05.
Out of the 4 sisters, only Partenope is still alive, under the name MINERVA. She has been converted to a research ship. ISOLA DI PROCIDA, was renamed ISOLA DEL SOLE in the 1980s, and was used as an excursion ship from Patti, in Sicily to Lipari Islands. ISOLA DI PONZA was sold and was renamed BUTTERFLY. She was used somewhere in Tanzania, laid up for some years, and was scrapped in 2001.
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Τελευταία επεξεργασία από το χρήστη Finnpartner_1966 : 20-08-2008 στις 23:58
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=4]FINNPARTNER (1966) OY Wartsila AB, Helsinki #380[/SIZE][/FONT]