Ceres Hellenic Shipping Enterprises[2] owned by the Livanos family, a hydrofoils company active in the Argo-Saronic Gulf and the Sporades islands was established in 1984.

[9] Within a few months, MFD grew rapidly through a barrage of vessel purchases from companies such as Agapitos, Agoudimos, Nomikos Lines, Ventouris Ferries, Goutos, etc.

[12] However, plans of taking the company public collapsed after the Greek stock market crash in the fall of 1999 and the sinking of MFD's MS Express Samina on 26 September 2000, in which 82 people perished.

[citation needed] Minoan Lines continued to own a large stake exceeding 30% in Hellenic Seaways until 2018, when it was sold to Attica Group.

In the summer season of 2010, Hellenic Seaways launched for the first time itineraries from Piraeus to Dodecanese islands, Kos and Rhodes, (through Paros) with the passenger ferry Nissos Rodos, but after an unsuccessful period they were cancelled.

Until early summer 2018, Hellenic Seaways sailed from Heraklion in Crete to Mykonos with calls at the ports of Santorini, Ios and Paros with Highspeed 7.