HS NAFTILOS (Α-478)

Crest

Ο θυρεός του πλοίου, απεικονίζει στο κέντρο του μία άγκυρα σε μπλε φόντο, που περιβάλλεται από το λογότυπο της Υδρογραφικής Υπηρεσίας. Περιμετρικά της απεικονίζεται κίτρινο σχοινί που στην κάτω του πλευρά σχηματίζει θηλιά. Από αυτήν ξεκινούν και εκτείνονται προς τα πάνω δύο πράσινες δάφνες ενώ από κάτω της απεικονίζεται μία σκούρα μπλε λεζάντα στην οποία αναγράφεται στα αρχαία ελληνικά η φράση «ΘΑΛΑΤΤΑΝ ΓΝΩΝΑΙ» (Γνώρισε τη θάλασσα). Περιμετρικά ο θυρεός περιβάλλεται από κίτρινο σχοινί σε κόκκινο φόντο και στην κορυφή του αναγράφεται το όνομα του πλοίου.

Technical Characteristics

History

The keel of HS NAFTILOS was laid at the Shipyards of D. Anastasiadis – H. Tsortanidis General Partnership Shipbuilding Company, 88 Kolokotroni Street, Piraeus, with construction number 82, on September 14, 1974.
She was launched on November 19, 1975. The first sea trials took place on January 20, 1976. She was delivered to Hellenic Navy on March 3, 1976.
The Mission of the vessel is:

The execution of hydrographic and oceanographic field operations in the areas of Aegean and Ionian Seas or in other areas of interest.
The provision of environmental data for the planning of national and allied exercises and operations (Environmental Support).
Participation in military operations or exercises during the search phase for the detection of objects on the seabed.

HS NAFTILOS is the third ship in the history of Hellenic Navy to bear this name.

(1) The first was a Greek-built light vessel that joined Hellenic Fleet in 1834. She had a displacement of 170 tons, was equipped with 6 guns, and had a crew of 37 men. She was decommissioned in 1846, reactivated in 1847, and converted into a schooner. In 1872 she was struck from the fleet register and subsequently used as a prison.

(2) The second ship named NAFTILOS was a steel steam gunboat that joined Hellenic Fleet in 1885, initially under the name “ALFEIOS”. “ALFEIOS” saw active service during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 (under the Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Pavlos Kountouriotis HN) and the First Balkan War of 1912–1913. In 1919, she was assigned to the newly established Hydrographic Service for use in charting operations. In 1925, she was converted into an oceanographic vessel and renamed “NAFTILOS”. The vessel remained in active service with Hellenic Navy until 1936, when she was decommissioned.