Nel Lines

NEL LINES

Nel Lines is a publicly-owned passenger shipping company based in Mytilene, Lesbos. Nel Lines was founded in 1970 with the objective of linking Lesvos, Chios and Limnos with the Greek mainland. Nel stands for Naftiliaki Eteria Lesvou (Shipping Company of Lesvos). Services started in 1973 with F/B Sappho. The ship originally operated the route Pireas-Chios-Mitylene thrice weekly.

The following year, the route Mitilini-Limnos-Thessaloniki was inaugurated. A few years later a second ship was added, "Homerus". Homerus inaugurated the Mitilini-Limnos-Kavala route in 1978.

During the 1980s, Nel purchased more ships.These were:"Alkeos", which has operated the Pireas-Mitilini direct route, the Lavrio-Agios Efstratios-Limnos-Kavala route, the Mitilini-Limnos-Alexandroupoli route, among others. The "Arion", which served the Pireas-Cyprus-Israel route and was torpedoed in Haifa. The "Odysseas Elitis" became the first and last ship owned by Nel to link Greece with Italy. The "Agios Rafael" was a primarily vehicle-carrying ship. Due to its low ceilings and steep staircases through the years it gained a dreadful reputation, along with the Alkeos.