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MV Talos (Ex Spheroid) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 7043843

MV Talos

Ex  Mykonos, Myconos, Spheroid, Niekerk, RoRo Trader, Starmark

© Capt Jan Melchers

© Capt Jan Melchers

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1971 by Langvik Sarpsborg M/V, Sarpsborg, Norway (Hull)(Yard No 44), Anchor loop Verft A/S, Floro. Norway (Completion)(Yard No 85) as a RoRo Cargo/Ferry

Technical Data

  • Length: 109.50 – 124.20 m (overall) 100.3m (between perpendiculars)
    Breadth: 19.21 m
    Depth: 13.21 m
    Draught: 4.95 m
    Tonnage: 1584 – 7171 gross/ – 3737 net/2750 – 2838t deadweight
    Engines: 2 x 4 stroke 8-cylinder Pielstick 8PC2L-400 diesels
    Power: 5884 kW/8004 bHP
    Speed: 19 knots
    Capacity: 12 – 30 passengers/ 636 – 728 lane meters/60 trucks
    Call Sign: DEEK, OIET, SV6442, 5BEC, PGGQ, MGUZH, SWST
    MMSI Number:
     239786000
  • IMO Number: 7043843
    Port of Registry: Bremen/Germany 🇩🇪, Helsinki/Finland 🇫🇮, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷, Limassol/Cyprus 🇨🇾, Rotterdam/The Netherlands 🇳🇱, Douglas/Isle of Man 🇮🇲, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷

Current AIS Location


Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.


History

March 5th 1970: Keel struck.

November 7th 1970: Launched.

July 31st 1971: Delivered to Edwin Heyer GmbH, Bremen, Germany. Avomeri’s services.

© Robert J Smith © Robert J Smith 

© Robert J Smith (Tilbury)

1971: Chartered to Svenska Lloyd for services Gothenburg – Tilbury.

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Rozenburg, 01/06/1973)

August 11th 1974: Sold to Starmark Reederi Oy (Rolf Alander), Helsinki, Finland. (Avomeri).

August 19th 1974: Ran aground near Helsinki.

January 20th 1975: Owners changed name to Starmark-Shipping Oy, Helsinki,

November 24th 1976: Sold to Avomeri Oy (Rolf Alander)

1976: Chartered to DFDS A/S, Copenhagen

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Immingham, 03/09/1978)

1981: Sold to Manta Line, Greece. Registered to Monvillea Shipping Co, Piraeus, Greece and renamed RORO TRADER.

1985: Laid up in Kenya.

1985: Sold to Oceanwide Shipping, Limassol, Cyprus and registered to Goldenlight Shipping Co. Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus. Renamed NIEKERK.

1985: Sold to J.H. Templaars Scheepvaartsbedrifjf & Handel B.V., Rotterdam, Holland.

© Cees De Bijl © Cees De Bijl 

© Cees De Bijl (Rotterdam, 24/08/1985)

© Cees De Bijl © Cees De Bijl 

 © Cees De Bijl (New Waterway, 28/08/1985)

1986: Chartered to Belfast Freight Ferries, Belfast for services Belfast – Heysham.

© John Jones © Simonwp

© John Jones (Tilbury, 15/03/1986) (Left) 🆕 © Simonwp (Hetsham, May 1986) (Right)

1987: Sold to Belfast Freight Ferries, Douglas, Isle Of Man and renamed SPHEROID. Services Belfast – Heysham.

1990: Lengthened.

© Peter J Fitzpatrick

© Peter J Fitzpatrick

© James Wire © James Wire 

© James Wire (Heysham, 1990’s)

© Aubrey Dale © Aubrey Dale © Aubrey Dale © Aubrey Dale

© Aubrey Dale (Belfast 1991)(All)

© Robbie Cox

© Robbie Cox (Dublin, 04/05/1997)

January 3rd 2000: Laid up in Birkenhead.

March 2001: Sold to Mykonos Anonymos Naftiki Eteria, Piraeus, Greece and renamed MYCONOS.

© Aleksi Lindström

© Aleksi Lindström (Piraeus, 13/04/2004)

2005: Name changed to MYKONOS.

© Dennis Mortimer

© Dennis Mortimer (Piraeus, 30/03/2009)

© Peter J Fitzpatrick

© Peter J Fitzpatrick (Piraeus Roads, August 2009)

2010: Chartered to Nel Lines.

June 2010: Completion of charter to Nel Lines.

June 2010: Laid up in Drapetsona.

August 8th 2010: Services Piraeus – Syros – Tinos – Mykonos – Paros – Naxos – Ikaria.

May 2013: Laid up in Drapetsona.

December 2013: Sold to Creta Cargo Lines Shipping Co, Piraeus, Greece.

March 2014: Converted and renamed TALOS.

April 4th 2014: Services between Piraeus – Kithira – Rethimnon.

© Peter J Fitzpatrick

© Peter J Fitzpatrick (Piraeus, 07/06/2017)

© Dimitris Mentakis © Dimitris Mentakis  

© Dimitris Mentakis (Drapetsona, 01/04/2020)

March 18th 2020: Drapetsona for refit

April 1st 2020: Services Services Piraeus – Syros – Tinos – Mykonos – Paros – Naxos – Ikaria.

June 12th 2020: Services Piraeus – Chania

July 2020: Services Mykonos – Astypalaia – Kos – Rhodes.

August 17th 2020: Services Santorini- Kos – Rhodes,

August 19th 2020: July 2020: Services Mykonos – Astypalaia – Kos – Rhodes.

September 23rd 2020: To Spanopoulos shipyard in Salamina for refit/lay-up. 

March 29th 2021: Trials.

April 21st 2021: Services Piraeus to Mykonos – Evdilo – Karlovasi.

October 8th 2021: Service extended to include Santorini to Heraklion

October 31st 2021: Lay up at Spanopoulos shipyard.

January 20th 2022: Trials.

January 21st 2022: Services Piraeus – Chania.

February 8th 2022: Services for Syros – Paros – Naxos – Kos and Rhodes.

October 28th 2022: Lay up at N.M. Drapetsonas

February 13th 2023: Services Syros – Tinos – Mykonos (Evdilo – Karlovasi)   – Mesta – Mytilini – Lemnos.

© Strike 7

© Strike 7 (Piraeus, 03/07/2023)

October 2nd 2023: N.M. Drapetsonas for lay up.

© Dimitris Mentakis

© Dimitris Mentakis (Drapetsona Bay. 06/01/2024)

January 8th 2024: Trials.

January 9th 2024: Services Syros – Tinos – Mykonos – Mesta – Mytilini – Lemnos.

May 23rd 2024: To dry dock at the Vassiliadis.

June 22nd 2024: Trial followed by services Piraeus – Syros – Tinos – Mykonos – Paros – Naxos – Ikaria.

September 21st 2024: The Port Authority of Naxos was informed by the Master that it was deemed unsafe to approach the port due to adverse weather conditions that prevailed in the area and continued its route to the port of Paros. On the ship, 16 people who were waiting to disembark were disembarked at the port of Naxos.

October 4th 2024: Relief services Santorini – Heraklion.

October 2024: Still in service Piraeus – Paros – Naxos – Mykonos – Tinos – Syros.


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Robbie Cox, Aubrey Dale, Cees De Bijl, Peter J Fitzpatrick, John Jones, Aleksi Lindström, Capt Jan Melchers, Dimitris Mentakis, Dennis Mortimer, Simonwp, Robert J Smith, Strike7, James Wire and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

Special thanks go to Trevor Kidd

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

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