MS Jean Nicoli (1997)

MS Jean Nicoli is a French RO/PAX ferry, now owned and operated by Corsica Linea. The ship built in 1998 at Fosen Mek Verksteder A/S, Norway for Minoan Lines. Her first name was Pasiphae and then renamed Pasiphae Palace. She has a sister ship Cruise Smeralda, previously named Ikarus Palace.

History
France
Name	1998-2002: Pasiphae 2002-2009: Pasiphae Palace 2009-present: Jean Nicoli
Owner	1998-2009: Minoan Lines 2009-2017: SNCM 2017-onwards: Corsica Linea
Operator	1998-2009: Minoan Lines 2009-2017: SNCM 2017-present: Corsica Linea
Port of registry	1997-2009: Heraklion, Greece 2009-present: Ajaccio, France
Route	Marseille-Ajaccio-Porto Torres
Builder	Fosen Mek Verksteder A/S, Norway
Laid down	1998
Launched	20 December 1997
Maiden voyage	4 July 1998
Identification	IMO: 9161948 MMSI: 226280000
Status	In active service
General characteristics
Type	Ro-pax ferry
Tonnage	29968 gt Summer DWT: 5150 t
Length	200.65 m (658 ft)
Beam	25 m (82 ft)
Draught	6.8 m (22 ft)
Ramps	two for vehicles one for passengers
Speed	26,4 knots
Capacity	1.500 passengers 1000 cars

Minoan Lines

The ship departed from Rissa, Norway on 13 June 1998 and arrived in Piraeus, Greece on 15 June 1998. The first christening became in Piraeus, Greece and after she departed from Piraeus and arrived in Heraklion, Crete which became the second christening. Her maiden voyage did it on 4 July 1998 on Patras-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Venice route. During her maiden voyage, Pasiphae grounded on rocks near Corfu. The ship after the grounding went in Elefsina Shipyards for constructions. The ship entered in service again on 30 July. In 2001 renamed Pasiphae Palace and did the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Venice route with her sister ship Ikarus Palace. The ship also did sometimes the Piraeus-Heraklion route.

SNCM and Corsica Linea

Pasiphae Palace was sold to Société nationale maritime Corse-Méditerranée (SNCM) on 19 January 2009 and her name changed to Jean Nicoli. She was delivered at the Elefsis shipyards, Greece in March 2009, sailing from Greece for Marseille on 24 April. For SNCM the ship sailed on the Ajaccio-Porto Torres route.

Jean Nicoli was sold in 2017 to Corsica Linea following SNCM's closure and although repainted, she remained Jean Nicoli. In March 2020 Corsica Linea installed a scrubber system in Jean Nicoli at Palumbo Shipyards, Malta.

Accidents

• On 5 July 1998 during her maiden voyage Pasiphae grounded on the rocks a few nautical miles away from Corfu
• On 6 February 2008 Pasiphae Palace hit at the port of Heraklion, Crete
• On 11 December 2008 Pasiphae Palace hit at the port of Patras, Greece
• On 8 March 2017 Jean Nicoli hit by 15m wave at the Cape Leone with big damages at the bridge and windows of the ship. Nobody from the passengers was injured.

Route

Jean Nicoli is doing every day the Ajaccio-Marseille route.