Working Conditions Aboard the Iolkos

On December 18, the Captain of the ferry Iolkos alerted the Port Authority of Skopelos regarding the loss of the starboard anchor shortly after departing for Skiathos. Despite this setback, the Iolkos successfully reached its intended destination, carrying 84 passengers, 18 vehicles, and four trucks. Initially, the Skopelos Port Department of the Skiathos Port Authority prohibited the ferry from continuing its journey. However, after the Captain provided a certificate of class maintenance from the monitoring classification society, the vessel was cleared to resume operations. The Iolkos then headed towards the port of Volos, transporting a total of 264 passengers, 50 vehicles, 14 trucks, and three motorcycles.

On August 4 at midday, the Volos Port Authority received an urgent notification from the captain of the ferry 'Iolkos'. A 64-year-old passenger, identified as Albanian, needed prompt medical assistance. In response to the emergency, the ferry promptly changed course back to Volos. Upon arrival, the distressed passenger was carefully disembarked and swiftly transported by ambulance to Volos General Hospital for necessary medical care. Following the incident, the Volos Central Port Authority initiated a preliminary investigation to assess the situation.

On the evening of August 2, 2025, the Alonissos Port Station received notification of a stern cable failure on the starboard side of the ferry 'Iolkos' during its mooring operation at Alonissos port. The vessel was en route, operating the Alonissos-Northern Sporades-Volos service. Action was promptly taken as the broken cable was replaced swiftly, allowing the 'Iolkos' to continue its journey to Alonissos. Upon arrival, the ferry disembarked passengers and vehicles without incident. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries or damage to the vessel or the vehicles onboard, ensuring a safe conclusion to the situation.

On September 30, 2023, the ferry 'Express Skiathos', while navigating its route from Bolos to the ports of Glossa, Skopelos, and Alonissos, encountered an allision with the quay upon its entry into Skiathos port. The vessel made contact with the quay using its starboard side stern but managed to safely disembark all 107 passengers on board. Following the incident, the Coast Guard imposed a sailing prohibition on the 'Express Skiathos' until the classification society responsible for the vessel verified its seaworthiness and class maintenance. In the wake of the temporary suspension of the 'Express Skiathos', an adjustment to the ferry schedule was made for the 'Super Star'. The modified timetable now includes departures from Alonnisos at 1:15 p.m., from Skopelos at 2:15 p.m., and from Skiathos at 3:45 p.m., arriving at Volos by 6 p.m.

On the morning of November 26, 2021, the Port Authority of Skiathos received notification regarding an issue with the 'Skiathos Express' ferry, which encountered a malfunction in the control system for its port side propeller while operating off the coast of Glossa, Skopelos. This prevented the vessel from approaching the port as it followed its scheduled route connecting Volos, Skiathos, Glossa Skopelos, and Alonissos, with a total of 63 passengers on board. Despite the engine trouble, the ferry navigated independently to the port of Skopelos, successfully disembarking all passengers without incident. Upon inspection, a fault was identified in the port side main engine. To ensure passenger safety, the Port Authority initially issued a prohibition against the ferry's departure. However, following verification through a certificate of seaworthiness from the designated classification society, permission was granted for the ferry to undertake a single voyage.

On January 11, 2021, authorities at the Port of Skopelos responded to a medical emergency aboard the 'Skiathos Express', involving a 39-year-old crew member who collapsed at the ship’s reception area. Immediate first aid was administered by his fellow crew members. Upon docking at Skopelos, the crew member was swiftly transferred to an ambulance and taken to the Skopelos Health Center before being referred to the General Hospital of Volos for comprehensive medical assessments. Meanwhile, the 'Skiathos Express' resumed its scheduled voyage as the 1st Skopelos Port Department of the Skiathos Port Authority commenced a preliminary investigation into the incident.