Fior di Levante
Fior di Levante is a ferry belonging to the Greek shipping company Levante Ferries, flagship of the company since 2012[1]. Launched on 21 July 1997 at the Daewoo shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, the ferry was delivered to Dong Yang Shipping Company on 17 February 1998. Named Treasure Island, it entered service later that year on the Busan–Jeju route.
Service
The ferry, launched on July 21, 1997, at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Eng Co. shipyard in Geoje with the name Treasure Island and delivered on February 17, 1998, to the Korean Dong Yang Shipping Company[2], entered service in the same year on the routes between Busan and Jeju.[3] In November 2000, it was renamed Hyundai Seolbong.[4]
On 7 September 2011, shortly before arriving in Busan, a fire broke out on board the ferry, which, partially damaged in the accident, was put up for sale by the Korean company.
In May 2012 it was purchased by the newly founded Greek company Levante Ferries and, renamed Fior di Levante, the ferry was transferred to China and repaired. Once the works were completed, it sailed to Perama, where it underwent extensive renovation works, during which its appearance was completely changed. In fact, the internal spaces were completely renovated and the external ones were modified with the addition of sun decks. Furthermore, the entire engine system was replaced with a more modern and powerful one. Once this second cycle of works was also completed, at the end of 2014 the ferry began service on the connections between Killini and Zakynthos.
In 2016 it was awarded the title of "Best Ferry in the World" by the specialized magazine Shippax.[5]
From 2015 to 2019, as part of a joint venture between Levante Ferries and Zante Ferries, the ferry also operated on the connections between Killini and Kefalonia and, from 2016 to 2017, between the two previous ports mentioned and Ithaca.
In January 2025, with the entry into service of the newly acquired Smyrna di Levante, it was transferred to the connections between Killini and Poros , where it still operates today.
Accidents and Incidents
2011 Fire
On 6 September 2011, while operating under its former name Hyundai Seolbong, the vessel suffered a major fire in its cargo hold while transit in the East China Sea off Yeosu, South Korea. The ferry was on its regular route from Busan to Jeju Island with 128 passengers and crew on board when a crew member noticed smoke emerging from the lower decks.[6]
The master issued an orderly evacuation order as the fire quickly intensified and spread throughout the structure, forcing a few individuals to leap overboard to escape the advancing flames and heavy smoke. A large-scale rescue operation involving dozens of Republic of Korea Navy and Coast Guard patrol vessels successfully rescued all 128 people from the burning ship. Seven individuals sustained minor injuries or smoke inhalation and were hospitalized, while the ship itself suffered severe fire damage.
2023 collision with Kefalonia
On 1 April 2023, during the morning hours, the vessel Kefalonia—operated by the same company, Levante Ferries—made minor contact with the bow of the Fior Di Levante while performing docking maneuvers at the port of Kyllini.[7]Kefalonia had arrived from the port of Poros on Cephalonia with 130 passengers, 19 cars, and 14 trucks, while the Fior Di Levante was safely moored at the dock and carried no passengers or cargo.[8]
All passengers and vehicles from the incoming vessel disembarked safely, and no injuries, water ingress, or marine pollution were reported. The Kyllini Port Authority launched a preliminary investigation and initially issued a detention order for both vessels pending inspection. Following an extraordinary survey by the Local Ship Inspection Team and the presentation of a seaworthiness certificate from its classification society, the detention order for the Fior Di Levante was lifted, allowing it to resume its scheduled itinerary to the port of Zakynthos.
References
- ↑ "Zante: Il Levante Fioro | Ferryscanner". www.ferryscanner.com (in italiano). Retrieved 2026-07-06.
- ↑ "M/S TREASURE ISLAND (1998)". www.faktaomfartyg.se. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
- ↑ "Fior Di Levante". greekpassengerships. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
- ↑ "M/F Fior Di Levante — The Ferry Site". www.ferry-site.dk. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
- ↑ "Shippax Award 2015 - LevanteFerries". LevanteFerries. Archived from the original on 2025-08-09. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
- ↑ "Home - Shipwreck Log". 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
- ↑ kefalos (2023-04-01). "ΚΥΛΛΗΝΗ – ΤΩΡΑ-Απίστευτο συμβάν: Το "Κεφαλλονιά" έπεσε πάνω… στη Ζάκυνθο (Fior di Levante) – ΦΩΤΟ | Kefalonia Magazine" (in Ελληνικά). Retrieved 2026-07-06.
- ↑ ""Ακούμπησε" το ΚΕΦΑΛΟΝΙΑ το FIORO στο λιμάνι της Κυλλήνης. Καθυστέρηση στα δρομολόγια". kefaloniapress.gr (in Ελληνικά). 2023-04-01. Retrieved 2026-07-06.
External Links
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