Kydon-Palace Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In a somber turn of events, the Corfu Port Authority received an urgent notification from the Captain of the 'Kydon Palace' regarding the death of a 54-year-old 1st Engineer early on the morning of December 17. At the time of the incident, the vessel was navigating approximately 50 nautical miles north of Corfu, on its scheduled journey from Igoumenitsa to Ancona. With a total of 92 crew members and 120 passengers aboard, the ship made an emergency detour to Corfu Port. Upon arrival, an ambulance was dispatched to retrieve the sailor’s body for transfer to the General Hospital of Corfu. The Central Port Authority of Corfu has initiated a preliminary investigation into the matter, including an ordered autopsy by the Forensic Medical Service of Corfu. Following protocol, the 'Kydon Palace' has continued its course to Ancona under the provisions of Article 89 of the K.D.N.D. concerning incomplete crew situations.

On July 8, the ferry 'Kydon Palace' set sail from Igoumenitsa for an important voyage to Eleusis. Upon arrival at the local shipyard, it was discovered that the vessel had sustained significant damage to its starboard side. This damage occurred due to an incident involving the 'Eco Catania', which accidentally tore open the accommodation block on the vehicle deck during its docking maneuver on July 26, creating a breach several meters long. Repair efforts were swiftly undertaken, and by July 10, the repairs were successfully completed. Following the work, 'Kydon Palace' departed the shipyard and resumed its journey back to Igoumenitsa. Remarkably, the 'Eco Catania' managed to continue its operations without interruption after the accident. For a visual reference of the incident, a photo can be found at the following link: https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3859642?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest.

On the morning of June 26, 2025, a maritime incident occurred in Igoumenitsa involving the ferry 'Catania' (IMO: 9261554). The vessel was navigating from Patras and had onboard 34 crew members, 11 passengers, as well as 15 vehicles and 377 trailers. During a mooring maneuver, 'Catania' unfortunately allided with the 'Kydon Palace', which was docked at pier 8 and preparing for departure to Brindisi with 95 crew members and 172 passengers, along with 67 vehicles and 80 trailers. The collision involved the bow of 'Catania' striking the starboard side of the 'Kydon Palace'. As of now, the reasons behind this allision remain uncertain, but thankfully, no injuries have been reported among the crew members or passengers of either vessel. The allision resulted in damage to both ships and the port facilities. Following the incident, the local port authorities promptly arrived to assess the situation and have launched an investigation to determine the specific causes behind the accident. A technical inspection of both vessels is currently underway, focusing on the safety of all individuals involved and the integrity of the port facilities. For the time being, the Port Authority has barred both ships from departing the port until repairs are completed and compliance with maritime safety regulations is confirmed by the relevant classification societies. The impacted passengers have been assisted in reaching their destinations under the care of the ferry operator. The Central Port Authority of Igoumenitsa is leading the preliminary investigation and has detained the 45-year-old captain of 'Catania' due to alleged violations, including negligence and unsafe navigation practices as stipulated in the national legal code. For further details, you can view the report with video here: https://www.chaniaships.com/post/%CE%BD%CE%B1%CF%85%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-%CF%80%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF-%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BC%CE%AC%CE%BD%CE%B9-%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82-%CE%B7%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%AF%CF%84%CF%83%CE%B1%CF%82-%CF%83%CE%B5-%CE%B5%CE%BE%CE%AD%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BE%CE%B7-%CE%BF%CE%B9-%CE%AD%CF%81%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%B5%CF%82-%CF%84%CF%89%CE%BD-%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8E%CE%BD-%CE%B1%CF%81%CF%87%CF%8E%CE%BD?fbclid=IwY2xjawLKE4lleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHmMd5wR8s4OGgboNzF_cpu_a9WNs2j71Qx-iEpsQVmaAgx5QhOsgQRucRgik_aem_vV1WHFc78X9bSXRaXyH5MQ

In the early hours of November 27, 2023, the Port Authority of Milos was alerted to an incident involving the ferry 'Kydon Palace'. The vessel, which was transporting 465 passengers on its regular route from Heraklion to Milos and then to Piraeus, collided with the pier during its berthing maneuver at Milos port. Fortunately, the ferry only sustained minor damage, with scrapes and scratches noted at its stern. Thankfully, there were no injuries among those on board, and the incident did not result in any marine pollution. After the allision, the 'Kydon Palace' successfully continued its journey to Piraeus, arriving safely without further complications. However, the 1st Tzelepi Port Department of the Central Port Authority of Piraeus has grounded the ferry from future departures until it can provide a certification of seaworthiness from the relevant monitoring classification society.

On November 21, the Port Authority of Milos received notification from the captain of the Kydon Palace, a passenger ferry on its regular route from Heraklion to Milos and Piraeus. The master reported that approaching Milos was deemed unsafe due to severe weather conditions. Consequently, the ferry continued its voyage directly to Piraeus. Meanwhile, 44 passengers, alongside four vehicles, a truck, and two two-wheelers, were ready to board at Milos, with one passenger preparing to disembark. The ferry operator promptly arranged alternative transportation for the affected passengers to ensure they reached their destinations safely.