HSC Santorini Palace

The HSC Olympic Champion Jet , built as Highspeed 5, later Highspeed 7, for Hellenic Seaways, is an 85m high speed catamaran owned by Minoan Lines. In January 2024 she was chartered to Seajets. It has been renamed Olympic Champion Jet.

Santorini Palace at Santorini.
History
Name	(2005–2015): Highspeed 5 (2016–2018): Highspeed 7 (2018–2024): Santorini Palace (2024-Presemt): Olympic Champion Jet
Owner	(2018–present) Minoan Lines
Operator	(2005–2018): Hellenic Seaways (2018–2024): Minoan Lines (2024–present): Seajets (chartered)
Port of registry	(2005–2018): Piraeus, Greece (2018–present): Heraklion, Greece
Builder	Austal Ships Pty. Ltd., Fremantle, Australia.
Yard number	285
Launched	20 March 2005
Completed	2005
Maiden voyage	2005
In service	2005
Identification	IMO number: 9329095 Call sign: SYDM MMSI number: 240348000
Status	in service
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Auto Express 85
Tonnage	4,913 gt
Length	85.0 m (278.9 ft)
Beam	21.2 m (69.6 ft)
Draft	3 m (9.8 ft)
Depth	6 m (19.7 ft)
Installed power	4 x Caterpillar 3618 diesel engines
Propulsion	4 x KaMeWa 112 s11 waterjets
Speed	39 knots (72 km/h; 45 mph)
Capacity	1,160 / 810 passengers (HS7 / HS5) 105 / 154 cars (HS7 / HS5)
Crew	26 / 24 (HS7 / HS5)

History

The vessel was launched on 20 March 2005 as Highspeed 5 by Austal at Henderson, Australia and completed later that year for the Greek ferry operator Hellenic Seaways. She entered service with Hellenic Seaways in July, initially sailing between Piraeus and the Cyclades, and subsequently between Heraklion and central Cyclades.

Fire incident

On 23 March 2015, while Highspeed 5 was docked at Drapetsona for modification works and inspections, a fire broke out on board that resulted in the death of the chief electrician and the destruction of her bridge and upper decks. In September 2015, the vessel was towed to Fincantieri shipyards in Trieste, where she underwent extensive repairs. During them, the upper car deck was substituted with a passenger lounge, increasing her capacity to 1160 passengers. After being repaired, she was renamed Highspeed 7 and resumed her Heraklion - Cyclades service in mid June 2016.

Continued service

In early summer 2018, Highspeed 7 was transferred to Minoan Lines as part of the arrangements in the sale of Minoan's stake in Hellenic Seaways to Attica Group. She was renamed Santorini Palace and painted in Minoan's colors on June 13. It was reported in January 2024 that the ferry has been taken on charter by Seajets on their Heraklion – Santorini – Naxos – Mykonos – Syros – Piraeus route.

External links

• Austal Ships - Auto Express 85 - Highspeed 5 specifications
• Santorini Palace at Minoan Lines Website Archived 14 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine

Gallery

• 
  Highspeed 5 during a docking maneuver at Paros.
• 
  Highspeed 5 at Paros in 2009.
• 
  Highspeed 5 in older colors at Ios.
• 
  Highspeed 5 at Piraeus.
• 
  Highspeed 7 at Heraklion.
• 
  Highspeed 7 at Santorini.
• 
  Highspeed 7