The story
Founded by Irineos Galanakis in 1967, in Chania.1
Private company
ANEK Lines
Logo: anek.gr3
Greek shipping company
ANEK Lines (Ανώνυμη Ναυτιλιακή Εταιρεία Κρήτης, Anonymi Naftiliaki Eteria Kritis, Anonymous Shipping Company of Crete) is one of the largest passenger shipping companies in Greece. It was founded in 1967 as a community-based company by residents of Crete. It operates passenger ferries, mainly on the Piraeus–Crete and Adriatic Sea routes.2 It was founded by Irineos Galanakis.1 It is part of Attica Group.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0
Last updated Oct 21, 2026.
Overview
1967Founded1
- Industrywater transport1
- HeadquartersChania1
- Founded inChania1
- Websitewww.anek.gr
- Legal formAnonymi Naftiliaki Etaireia1
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ANEK Lines (Ανώνυμη Ναυτιλιακή Εταιρεία Κρήτης, Anonymi Naftiliaki Eteria Kritis, Anonymous Shipping Company of Crete) is one of the largest passenger shipping companies in Greece. It was founded in 1967 as a community-based company by residents of Crete. It operates passenger ferries, mainly on the Piraeus–Crete and Adriatic Sea routes.2
Corporate structure
ANEK Lines is part of a group headed by Attica Group. 3 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.
- Attica Group Athens
- ANEK Lines Chania
- Hellenic Seaways Subsidiary · Athens
Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.
Leadership
Who has led ANEK Lines, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.
- FounderIrineos Galanakis1
Products and brands
Fleet
The ANEK Lines fleet is composed of six motor Ro-Ro/passenger ferries, of which three are in use, two on long-term charter, and one is laid up.
Former fleet
Kydon 1968–1989 (scrapped)
Candia 1973–2000 (scrapped in 2011 as Jabal Ali 1)
Rethymnon 1973–2000 (scrapped in 2009 as Jabal Ali 2)
Read the full text
Zakros 1977–1985 (scrapped)
Kriti 1978–1996 (scrapped in 2004 as Express)
Aptera 1985–2005 (scrapped in 2011 as Morning Sun)
Lato 1987–2015 (scrapped in 2018 as Talaton)
Lissos 1987–2011 (scrapped in 2011 at Alang, India)
Talos 1995–1999 as Ierapetra L 2008–2015 (as Aqua Blue for Seajets since 2016)
Kriti I 1996–2025 (sold for scrap in 2025)
Kriti II 1996–2025 (sold for scrap in 2025)
Arkadi 1999–2002 (sank as Pella for Arab Bridge Maritime Company in the Red Sea in 2011)
Olympic Champion 2000–2023 (as Superfast III for Superfast Ferries since 2024)
Hellenic Spirit 2001–2024 (as Superfast IV for Superfast Ferries since 2025)
Coraggio 2012–2013 (as Athena Seaways for DFDS Seaways since 2013)
Forza 2012–2016 (as Forza for Acciona Transmediterranea since 2016)
Audacia 2013–2014 (as Rizhao Orient for a Chinese company since 2014)
Norman Atlantic 2014–2014 (caught fire on 28 December 2014 near Corfu. Laid up for 4 years in Bari; scrapped in Aliaga in 2019)
Asterion 2016–2018 (as Connemara for Brittany Ferries since 2018)
Lefka Ori 2023–2024 then transferred to Superfast Ferries
From Wikipedia’s article on ANEK Lines, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4
Subsidiaries and ownership
Parent company
From Wikidata.1
Controversies and legal
Accidents and incidents
On 28 August 2018, at 23:45 (UTC+03:00), El. Venizelos, a ferry in ANEK's fleet, caught fire soon after leaving Piraeus for Chania, with 875 passengers and 140 crew members on board. The ferry was able to return to Piraeus with no injuries.
From Wikipedia’s article on ANEK Lines, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4
Timeline
- 1967Founded Founded in Chania1
Links
- Websitewww.anek.gr1
- X (Twitter)x.com/anek_lines1
- Facebookwww.facebook.com/aneklines1
- Instagramwww.instagram.com/anek_lines1
- WikipediaANEK Lines
- More imagesWikimedia Commons
- WikidataQ295671
Sources
The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.
- 1WikidataANEK Lines on Wikidata
- 2WikipediaANEK Lines on Wikipedia
- 3Company websiteANEK Lines logo
- 4