Known as the Nurse of the Mediterranean, Malta played an important role during both world wars and when something around the world is happening.
During the Libyan Uprising that started on Thursday 17th February, 2011 Malta opened widely her transportation hubs both sea and air and evacuees from Libya started to embark on ships and come to Malta to catch a plane back home and united with their families.
One of the Ships with Evacuees was the Japanese built, Greek owned ferry IONIAN KING that entered Grand Harbour on Tuesday 29th March at 1852 hrs with 151 evacuees including Bangladeshis, Peruvians and South Koreans.
Built in Japan by Ishikawajima-Harima (JMU) at Tokyo in 1991 as the FERRY LAVENDER trading until December 2004 where she was acquired by the Greek company Agoudimos Lines that was founded at Piraeus in 1991 and renamed IONIAN KING.
The ferry came from Misurata, Libya of which she transported humanitarian aid too.
On Another note with the same ship earlier in March, 2011 – at least 3 Bangladeshi evacuees from Libya died in Greek waters while jumping overboard and trying to swim to shore from the ship that was already moored in Souda port of Crete Island. 2 drowned while the third one died from hypothermia.
Assisted by local tugboat LIENI , she was secured at her berth – Pinto 1, part of Valletta Cruise Port.
After she was secured and all formalities were done by all authorities including Immigration Police, it was decided that the evacuation from the ship to Malta International Airport will happen on Wednesday 30th early morning.
Then it was the turn to clean the ferry to prepare her for next assignment.
And on Thursday 31st March, she left Valletta bound to offshore Malta for orders.
Her Fate was that she was sold during November 2011 and renamed as OCEAN ROSE until July 2013 and OCEAN GRAND with the Hong Kong based shipping company – Oceanic Group International till she was beached at Alang, India as OCEAN on 12th May 2017.
Agoudimos Lines stopped operating in July 2013 July 2013 due to financial difficulties.
During her short stay she was berthed at Valletta Cruise Port – www.vallettacruiseport.com which they are our SPONSORS too for a lifetime.
And Husbandry agent was Ocean & Sky of which nowadays are O&S Shipping Ltd who are our SPONSORS too for a lifetime – https://oands.com.mt/
