Gotlandsbolaget has been sold HSC Gotlandia II to Greek owners.
So far, the owners remain unknown. (we presume either Golden Star Ferries or SeaJets, but this will be confirmed soon – follow us on LinkedIn for updates).
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“Today will be a historic day, both for Norled and for Norway as a leading shipping nation. Today we are witnessing the world’s first ship sailing on liquid hydrogen, says Heidi Wolden, CEO of Norled.
Since the turn of the year, Norled has been carrying out system tests at the quay in Hjelmeland. In recent weeks, they have been running sea trials and received the final approvals from the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA).
“HYDRA confirms Norway’s world-leading position in the development of new green maritime solutions. By putting the world’s first hydrogen ferry into operation on a Norwegian ferry connection, we are once again showing how purchasing power and good public-private partnerships can be used to develop new and groundbreaking technology. This is important if we are to achieve Norwegian and international targets for substantial emission cuts towards 2030 and 2050. When Norled once again dares to go first, it will be much easier for others to follow in the wake of the HYDRA,” says Ada Jakobsen, CEO of Maritime CleanTech.
See previous summary on Ferry Shipping News.
Click on cover to access results (in Norwegian)
Attica Holdings S.A. acquired roro CLEMENTINE from CldN Ferries NV.
Price: EUR 13.4 million
Built: 1997
Capacity: 2,307 lane meters or 160 trailers + 458 cars
Delivery: summer 2023
| The 6 “Kawasaki’s” | built | Owned by |
| CELESTINE | 1996 | CLdN |
| CLEMENTINE | 1997 | CLdN > Attica |
| MELUSINE | 1999 | CLdN |
| VALENTINE | 1999 | CLdN > KiwiRail 2022 |
| VICTORINE | 2000 | CLdN |
| CELANDINE | 2000 | CLdN |
Torghatten AS announced the appointment of Jan Volsdal (48) as its new CEO.
Volsdal is currently CEO of Nobina Norway, the largest public transport company in the Nordics. He will start no later than 1 October.
Torghatten Group includes three ferry and speedboat companies, operating a critical infrastructure for people along the Norwegian coastline: Torghatten Nord, Torghatten Midt and Bastø-Fosen. (58 ferry routes, with a fleet of 84 vessels)
Jan Volsdal has a successful track record as a manager for Ruter, in the Norwegian bus market. There are many similarities between the bus market and the ferry and express boat market, such as growing demand for green technology and long-term contracts with regional transport companies and other public sector entities.
- Based in Québec, Canada since 1825, Davie is Canada’s largest and highest capacity shipbuilder as well as a partner in the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy under which it will build a fleet of advanced, fuel-efficient polar icebreakers and hybrid ferries.
- Exercising the option to purchase Helsinki Shipyard Oy does not mean an acquisition is completed. It is subject to financial, regulatory and legal considerations etc.
- Helsinki Shipyard recently delivered a few expedition cruise vessels and before it was the builder of ropax ships for Viking Line, Brittany Ferries and Tallink.
- Davie website
- Helsinki Shipyard Oy press release
In 2024, Gotlandsbolaget, together with subsidiary Destination Gotland, will start to offer cruises, as a complement to existing Gotland ferry traffic.
The Swedish company purchased the passenger-only BIRKA STOCKHOLM from Rederiaktiebolaget Eckerö for approximately EUR 38 million.
The vessel will be used in traffic between Stockholm, Mariehamn and Visby (Gotland).
Because of the special status of Mariehamn (Åland), tax free sales will be possible.
A first wave of State aid, worth EUR 161 million, was assigned to several Italian shipowners for building or retrofitting mainly roro and ferry units deployed on the local cabotage market.
Now a second procedure is taking shape with the remaining financial resources (EUR 314 million).
A dedicated division of the Transport Ministry informed the local shipowners’ associations Confitarma and Assarmatory of the imminent possibility to submit offers.
The projects are also valid for vessels calling regularly at least one EURpean port (not necessarily Italian).
The competent ministry is also considering the opportunity to include non-EU builders such as shipyards based in Turkey or in the Mediterranean region.
Overview of the first procedure closed at the end of 2022
A project for a new shipyard based in Italy and active in the field of building small ferries, double-ended ferries and high-speed ships up to 150 metres length is taking shape.
All the units will be hybrid electric but in the long term the idea is to use hydrogen.
Its name is Adriatic Green Shipyard, a dedicated vehicle company has just been created and Stefano Cuppone has been appointed as CEO.
The new shipyard is going to be based in the port of Brindisi, in an area called Capobianco.
The next months will be used to raise capital (up to EUR 170 million) from venture capital, public funds from the Italian EU Next Gen plan and banks.
Starting activities on the first newbuilding is planned not before 2026 and the business plan foresee 15 units delivered before 2032.
On 28 March 2023, Minoan Lines’ cruise ferry KYDON PALACE left the port of Piraeus for the Ionian Sea following her company’s official announcement of February 2023 for her temporary redirection to the Adriatic service due to increased needs.
The ship will serve the Igoumenitsa – Brindisi line from 3 April to 31 October 2023.
Photo: Minoan Lines
On 21 March 2023, passenger ferry STAR N (ex RED STAR 1, GABRIEL SCOTT, SAGAFJORD, SANDEFJORD, FENNO STAR, SCANDINAVIA, TERJE VIGEN, VIKING III) of the Ukrainian Sea Star Ferries, was arrived at Aliaga for recycling.
The 57-year-old ship served on the Brindisi-Valona/Brindisi-Igoumenitsa-Zakynthos route from 2007 to 2021 on behalf of Red Star Ferries, Sea Med and Star Lines as the RED STAR 1.
She was built in Germany in 1965 as the VIKING III and had a quite impressive career, serving on behalf of Townsend Thoresen Car Ferries, Da-No Linjen, KG Line, Jakob Line, Scandi Line, Color Line and Saga Line before coming in the Adriatic service. She was laid up in the port of Tripoli (Libya) since 26 December 2022.
Photo: Marine Traffic (Altay Alan)
Wärtsilä and Wasaline have made an agreement to allow Wärtsilä Field Service engineers to do the Wärtsilä NOx Spot Check on-job-training onboard AURORA BOTNIA. The Wärtsilä NOx Spot Check training consists of two parts: a theoretical course and the OJT. [press release]
With summer approaching, FerryGoGo has investigated the prices for ferry crossings in the high season.
FerryGoGo is a ferry travel, route comparison guide and booking engine.
Ferries are an excellent alternative to flying and increasingly expensive rental cars. This study examined the costs of a ferry crossing to various holiday destinations in the high season.
Since ferry crossings are difficult to compare and prices are often dynamic, this study explicitly looked at the price for a crossing with two people and a car during the high season (1 to 8 July) and calculated the cost per km/mile.
FerryGoGo selected all prices between 15 and 17 March 2023.
Based on the data, here are some conclusions:
- For longer international crossings with a cabin for two people and a car in high season (1 to 8 July), you pay an average of €1,061. That average is €0.97 per km.
- For shorter international crossings (<150 km), you will pay a lot more per km: €2.36 on average.
- The study’s most expensive international short crossing is from Helsingør to Helsingborg or vice versa at €11.60 per km. The alternative, the Öresundbridge between Copenhagen and Malmö, is even a bit more expensive.
- If you look at the long night crossings, the Trelleborg ferries from Rostock and the ferry from Liverpool to Dublin and vice versa are among the most expensive.
- The crossings from Cairnryan to Larne and Fishguard to Rosslare are also quite expensive, while Calais to Dover, Dunkirk-Dover, and Holyhead-Dublin ferries are a lot cheaper by cost per km.
Prices for a return ferry ticket to popular destinations in total & price per km in the peak season (long routes > 150 km)
Prices for a return ferry ticket, and price per km in the peak season (short routes < 150 km)
- Lisbon’s debut all-electric ferry, equipped with ABB’s power solution has been delivered by shipyard Astilleros Gondán to urban transport provider Transtejo.
- Environmentally-friendly operations along the Tagus river will transform metropolitan commuting in Portugal’s capital city.
- The new fleet will play an integral role in delivering Portugal’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050
- The 40-meter, 540-passenger vessels will also improve passenger comfort and reduce operational and maintenance costs.
“The Swedish investor Jakob Johansson has been Viking Line’s largest individual owner since 2019. Now he is proposed to take over the chairman’s baton from the Åland shipowner Ben Lundqvist,” writes Swedish business newspaper Dagens Industri (paywalled).
EXPRESS 5 is on its long trip from the Philippines to Rønne. The trip is going well, and therefore Bornholmlinjen is now putting the new fast ferry into the sailing schedule with the first trip from Rønne towards Ystad on 29 April 2023.
