In Crete protests broke out after the Typaldos Lines car ferry SS Heraklion capsized due to a series of safety regulations violations.

The ship sank on her way from Chania to Piraeus on 8 December 1966, resulting in the death of more than 200 people.

[7] In the aftermath, a few hundred Cretans (traders, free-lancers, pensioners, farmers), following a proposal by the Association of Economists of the Chania Prefecture with the support of the Metropolitan of Kissamos and Selinos, and Irineos Galanakis, implemented their idea to found a multi-shareholder shipping company.

[8][failed verification] Therefore, on The ANEK Lines fleet is composed of seven motor Ro-Ro/passenger ferries, of which five are in use and two are laid up.

Venizelos, one of ANEK's fleet, caught fire soon after leaving Piraeus for Chania, with 875 passengers and 140 crew members on board.