Elyros - IMO 9178599

ELYROS – IMO 9178599

ELYROS is one of the best-known large conventional Ro-Pax ferries in Greek coastal shipping and has an exceptionally strong connection with Piraeus and Chania. Built in Japan in 1998 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at Shimonoseki, she began her career as SUN FLOWER TSUKUBA before being acquired by ANEK Lines in 2007. Following one of the most extensive passenger-ferry conversions ever undertaken in Greece, she entered service as ELYROS on the Piraeus–Chania route in September 2008.

The vessel is 192 metres long and 27 metres wide, with accommodation for approximately 1,880 passengers, 776 berths and around 1,940 lane metres of vehicle space according to Attica Group’s current fleet information. Her maximum speed is listed at approximately 24 knots.

Vessel Details

Name: ELYROS
Former Names: FERRY TSUKUBA, SUN FLOWER TSUKUBA
IMO: 9178599
MMSI: 240685000
Call Sign: SVOM
Type: Ro-Pax Passenger / Vehicle Ferry
Flag: Greece
Port of Registry: Chania
Built: 1998
Builder: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Shimonoseki, Japan
Yard Number: 1035
Major Conversion: 2007–2008, Perama, Greece
Current Registered Owner: Blue Star Ferries Single Member Maritime
Commercial Manager: Attica Ferries Single Member
Former Owner / Operator: ANEK Lines
Classification: RINA
Length Overall: 192.00 m
Beam: 27.00 m
Draught: approx. 6.70 m
Current Gross Tonnage: 33,635 GT
Passenger Capacity: 1,880
Berths: 776
Cabins: 236
Garage Capacity: 1,940 lane metres
Main Engines: 2 × NKK / Pielstick 12PC4-2
Historical Combined Power: approx. 26,180 kW
Maximum Speed: approx. 24 knots
Current Status: Active

From SUN FLOWER TSUKUBA to ELYROS

The vessel was delivered in January 1998 as SUN FLOWER TSUKUBA for Japan's Blue Highway Line and was employed on the long-distance domestic route between Ōarai and Tomakomai. She later came under MOL Ferry control and, during her final Japanese period, was renamed FERRY TSUKUBA.

Her name history is:

SUN FLOWER TSUKUBA → FERRY TSUKUBA → ELYROS

ANEK acquired the ship in July 2007, renamed her ELYROS and brought her to Greece for a radical reconstruction. The vessel arrived at Perama in August 2007, beginning a conversion that would completely transform her from a Japanese domestic ferry into a Mediterranean passenger Ro-Pax.

The Major Perama Conversion

The transformation of ELYROS is one of the most interesting aspects of the ship.

The conversion was carried out in the Perama ship-repair zone in 2007–2008. Naval architecture company KNUD E. HANSEN undertook the overall conversion design, including the new general arrangement, passenger accommodation, stability work and electrical calculations. The scale of the project was exceptional for a Greek conversion project.

The vessel was essentially redesigned to provide substantially increased passenger accommodation and completely new public spaces. Greek designers involved in the project described the ship as having been extensively stripped and redesigned internally.

The result was internationally recognised: ELYROS received a ShipPax Award for Best Ferry Conversion/Reconstruction, making the transformation at Perama an important example of Greek ship-repair and conversion capability.

Entry into Service from Piraeus

After completion of the conversion, ELYROS was officially inaugurated at Piraeus on 26 September 2008. Two days later, on 28 September 2008, she entered regular service on the Piraeus–Chania route. ANEK's own 2008 financial report describes the introduction of ELYROS as an important fleet-renewal investment intended to upgrade the connection between Crete and mainland Greece.

This route would become the defining service of her Greek career.

Later Career

During her ANEK career, ELYROS was occasionally employed away from her normal Greek domestic services. She was chartered for periods to Algérie Ferries, operating services linking Algeria with ports including Marseille and Alicante. Nevertheless, Piraeus and Chania remained the vessel's principal long-term association.

Following the integration of ANEK into Attica Group in 2023, the vessel remained in service. Current insurance and commercial databases identify Blue Star Ferries Single Member Maritime as owner and Attica Ferries Single Member as manager.

ELYROS in 2026

ELYROS remains fully active in 2026. She currently operates under the Blue Star Ferries/Attica network on the Piraeus–Milos–Chania service, together with KISSAMOS. Blue Star's current schedules show regular overnight departures between Piraeus and Chania, while Attica Group continues to list ELYROS in its active fleet.

Recent photographs also document her arriving at Piraeus in March and April 2026, still carrying IMO 9178599, MMSI 240685000 and call sign SVOM.

Piraeus Connection

Few ships in the PiraeuShips archive have a stronger Piraeus connection than ELYROS.

She was extensively rebuilt at Perama, inaugurated at Piraeus, and began her Greek commercial career from the port in 2008. For most of the years since then, the Piraeus–Chania route has been one of her principal services.

PiraeuShips already documents ELYROS through several videos, preserving the vessel during the ANEK period before the wider corporate transition to Attica Group.

PiraeuShips Record

ELYROS has been documented extensively at Piraeus by PiraeuShips during her long Greek career. Originally built in Japan as SUN FLOWER TSUKUBA, the ferry was transformed at Perama in 2007–2008 into one of the flagship vessels of ANEK Lines and entered service between Piraeus and Chania in September 2008. Today she remains active within the Attica Group fleet, making her one of the most enduring and recognisable large ferries associated with the Port of Piraeus.

Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.