Company estabilished in 1982 by Mr
Marangopoulos, started its services with the F/B “Lady M”. Mainly based on Ancona
and Patras ports, in her first years linked also the italian port with
Heraklion, in Crete and the turkish ports of Kusadasi and Marmaris. In 1990 the
“Duchess M” entered the fleet, first substituting the Queen M, then launching
the new and successful Brindisi line together with “Baroness M”. In 1991 season
the “Crown M” arrives from Norway, plyed on a weekly service from Ancona to
Cyprus diverting via Igoumenitsa, Patras, Crete and Rhodes. In 1994 one of the
worst errors of Marlines, the ceasing of Brindisi services for calling at Bari,
leaving a market in which they could be competitive also nowadays, serving
Corfu, Igoumenitsa, Patras and Cesme. The following year the daily service to
Patras was discontinued serving only Corfu and Igoumenitsa, leaving the Patras
line to the “Charm M” only two days a-week. In 1996 this service also ceased in
favour of Greece - Cyprus - Israel line, abandoned in 1997. The Bari - Igoumenitsa line was served daily
in 1997 and 1998, but from 1999 reduced to four sailings per week, operated by
the “Duchess M”, renamed “Balbek” in 2000. The Ancona Line was served by Crown
M and Dame M in 1995 to Corfu, Igoumenitsa and Patras and by the “Countess M”
to Heraklion, served the following year by “Charm M”, then in 1997, the last
season, was plyed by “Crown M” and “Dame M”, with the slowest timetables ever
possible but announcing for 1998 a direct service to Patras in 18 hours. In
1998 Superfast Ferries launched a 19 hours direct timetable to Patras and
Minoan Lines a 20 hour one stopping at Igoumenitsa on the way to Patras, but
Marlines didn’t even put the “Dame M” on the announced line to Turkey from
Ancona. So, from the very interesting fleet of seven ships operated in 1994,
the “Grace M” didn’t ever served the for the company, waiting a refit in
Eleusis (it seems that she must wait also for a long time…), the fabulous “Dame
M” is on Greece - Cyprus - Israel line for Salamis Lines, the “Crown M” is laid
up at Eleusis without a bright future, the “Baroness M” is in Carribbean services
bearing the same name, the “Countess M” belongs to Five Stars Lines as the less
important ferry of the fleet (but, for my opinion, is far the best one…), the
“Charm M” still meet her sister ship in Brindisi connecting Italy and Turkey
for Access Ferries (although she seemed destined to scrap in 1997), the
“Duchess M” is the only one still in service for the company, although renamed
“Balbek” and for sale. On summer 2001 the “Duchess M” was again deployed on
Bari – Corfu – Igoumenitsa line, announcing from autumn her new deployment on
an Italy – Albania line calling at Durres. Another announcement from the
company’s website tells of the discussion to build four new high speed ferries
for the Italy – Greece lines: could it be the truth ir it will be like that
happened in 1998?
F/B Baroness M |
F/B Charm M (Viscountess M) |
F/B Countess M |
F/B Crown M |
F/B Dame M |
F/B Duchess M |
T/S Queen M |
|
F/B Princess M |