The El.venizelos: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

Algérie Ferries is on the verge of a significant fleet expansion with the permanent addition of the ferry 'El Venizelos', as a result of a recent lease-purchase agreement. This deal, secured between Algérie Ferries and the Greek maritime group Attica, outlines a five-year period after which the ownership of the vessel will be officially transferred. 'El Venizelos', one of the older ships in the Attica fleet, has been serving routes between Algeria, France, and Spain for Algérie Ferries since June 2025. By welcoming 'El Venizelos' into its fleet, the Algerian company will increase its roster to five ferries, joining the ranks of 'Badji Mokhtar III', 'Tassili II', 'Djazaïr II', and 'Tariq Ibn Ziad'. Notably, 'Tariq Ibn Ziad' is anticipated to resume operations in August 2025 after undergoing repairs for a two-year period.

On July 9, the Entreprise nationale de transport maritime de voyageurs (ENTMV) announced the successful resumption of operations for the chartered ferry 'El Venizelos.' The vessel had been docked at Alicante since July 4, undergoing necessary technical inspections. Following the completion of all required checks, the ferry set sail again on July 10 at 8 p.m. ENTMV emphasized that all standards were met, ensuring the journey would provide optimal safety, comfort, and high-quality service. 'El Venizelos' arrived safely in Algiers on July 11, marking the end of a brief period of inactivity for the ferry.

The 'El Venizelos' ferry has been detained once again at the port of Alicante as of July 4, following scrutiny by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Port State Control (PSC). This recent detention follows a previous one in Marseille, where the vessel was held for six days from June 23 to July 2 due to potential technical issues identified by the French Maritime Security Center (Dirm Med). After sailing from Marseille on July 1, 'El Venizelos' docked in Alicante on July 2, just in time for an anticipated summer season filled with a planned schedule of 320 crossings. The Algerian shipping company operating the ferry had chartered it from a Greek firm to accommodate this busy itinerary. However, reports from the French maritime news outlet Le Marin, referencing data from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Thétis base, indicate the ferry remains under detention in Spain since July 4, highlighting ongoing challenges for the vessel in European waters.

Following a brief period of detention in Marseille, the ferry 'El Venizelos', operated by Algérie Ferries, is scheduled to make its return to Algiers on June 30 at 4 p.m. The situation arose after the vessel was held for inspection, resulting in the cancellation of the Marseille-Algiers route by Corsica Linea. In response, Corsica Linea has proactively reassigned its customers to the 'El Venizelos' for their journey to Algiers. Affected passengers are seeking compensation or alternative travel arrangements to offset the inconvenience caused by the ferry's extended stay in port, which disrupted their original travel plans.

The ferry 'El Venizelos' has been detained at the Port of Marseille for a three-day period following an inspection by Port Autonome de Marseille upon its arrival on June 23, 2025. The inspection pointed out the need for upgrades to certain technical equipment onboard to enhance the vessel's performance and readiness, as confirmed by Algérie Ferries, though specific details were not disclosed. Currently, the detention of 'El Venizelos' means that Algérie Ferries has temporarily lost a quarter of its fleet, which consists of four ships. Despite this setback, the company has reassured its passengers that the inspection will not disrupt the scheduled voyages in the summer season of 2025, nor will it affect the overall readiness of their fleet. The 'El Venizelos' had previously arrived in the port of Algiers on June 19, set sail for Marseille on June 22, and was subsequently detained by the Ship Safety Center of the Interregional Maritime Directorate (Dirm Med) due to undisclosed inefficiencies identified in accordance with Port State Control regulations under the Paris Memorandum.

On December 21, 2024, the Port Authority of Chania received a notification from the Captain of the ferry 'El Venizelos', reporting a broken window on deck 9 during its transit from Piraeus. In response to the situation, the crew promptly conducted a temporary repair to ensure the safety of the vessel. The 'El Venizelos' proceeded to Chania, successfully disembarking 279 passengers along with 46 trucks, 45 cars, and four motorcycles upon arrival. Initially prohibited from departing due to the incident, the Central Port Authority of Chania later lifted the ban after the crew presented a maintenance certificate from the relevant classification society, allowing the ship to continue its journey.