AS Tallink Grupp passenger, cargo unit and passenger vehicles numbers for April 2024 were the following: see table.
The year-on-year change in the volume of passengers and vehicles transported should be evaluated taking into account the impact of Easter holidays, which in 2023 were in April.
First quarter of Rederi AB Eckerö in a nutshell:
Scandlines will have a new Executive Management Team.
ORTC (Corsica Transport Office) published the monthly traffic statistics.
| January | February | March | |
| Passengers Air | 158,010 (+7.4%) | 144,841 (+2.1%) | 173,123 (+9.6%) |
| Passengers Ferry | 86,610 (+4.4%) | 75,316 (-13.1%) | 107,809 (+23.1%) |
| Passenger Cars | 36,251 (+0.7%) | 32,310 (-10.7%) | 45,670 (+13.9%) |
| Freight (tons) | 147,392 (+4.8%) | 162,615 (+26.2%) | 161,402 (+0.1%) |
The monthly reports can be downloaded here (in French)
Photo: Mega Regina – © Jean-Pierre Fabre
New figures reveal the flagship Manxman is driving an increase in passengers travelling by ferry. Almost 70,000 passengers travelled in Q1, in comparison to almost 57,000 passengers that travelled over the same period last year.
That’s an increase of 21%, partially helped by Easter falling earlier in the year, but also driven by increased use of the Heysham route and the high-quality facilities and level of comfort provided by Manxman.
The transportation of essential freight to the island in Q1 also saw a 7% increase, with almost 104,000 meters of freight being carried versus over 96,000 last year.
As of 1 May 2024, Dennis Tetzlaff is Stena Line’s new Chief Operating Officer Fleet and part of the group management team.
Dennis Tetzlaff enters his new role with a wealth of experience, having worked in various professions within the shipping and cruise industry over the past two decades. Most recently, he comes from TUI Cruises, where he served as the Vice President Fleet Operations & Newbuild.
More info here.
The French Biodiversity Office, in partnership with ADEME and CORSICA Linea, is launching the call for projects “Crossings of Biodiversity and Climate”. The deadline for applications is set for June 16, 2024.
Intended for environmental protection associations in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corsica, the call for projects “Crossings of Biodiversity and Climate” aims to support animation projects that promote citizen engagement in ecological transition during crossings between Corsica and the mainland.
These animations should:
The winning associations of the call for projects will carry out animations aboard RoPax A Galeotta during 44 crossings in September 2024, October 2024, May 2025, June 2025, July 2025, and August 2025. Four animation sessions for both crews of the ship will take place dockside in 2025.
More official information here (in French)
Fratelli Onorato Armatori, a company originally controlled by Achille and Alessandro Onorato but now part of the Moby Group, informed FERRY SHIPPING NEWS that the RoRo Maria Grazia Onorato has been arrested by Siem in the port of Sète.
Siem is the owner of the ship, which was built and delivered in 2017 by the Flensburger Schiffbau shipyard and bareboat chartered out to Fratelli Onorato Armatori for 12 years with a purchase option. Today, the vessel, along with its sister ship Alf Pollak, is being operated in sub-charter by DFDS on regular lines linking Turkey with Greece, Italy, and France.
Siem arrested the Maria Grazia Onorato after winning an arbitration aimed at obtaining the redelivery of both ships, as the bareboat charter contract signed in 2017 contained a clause specifically referring to the possibility for the Onorato family to decrease its share in the company under certain conditions. When the MSC group rescued Moby (into which Fratelli Onorato Armatori was incorporated) by taking a 49% stake and approving the financial restructuring plan, Siem requested the redelivery of the RoRo ships and then launched legal action.
The Onorato-controlled company specified that all charter rates have been paid from the very beginning and that legal actions will be launched against Siem in Italy and abroad, also seeking refunds for any damages incurred.
Moby’s lines operated in Italy and in the Mediterranean will not be affected by the arrest of the Maria Grazia Onorato.
DFDS have used their option and extended the contracts for Lysvik and Lysbris with two more years, until 31 December 2026 (with options until end 2030).
During 2023-2024 Godby has made considerable environmental and energy efficiency investments in Lysvik and Lysbris: new propeller blades, a new engine control system, ballast water treatment systems and a shore power connection. Additionally, the underwater areas have been blasted down to bare steel and coated with ultra-low friction paint.
Fast ferry Max has been sold to unknown buyers, for use in the med.
The reason for the sale must be found in Danish and European CO2 taxes, and increasing labour costs.
Max is now in the harbor in Ebeltoft, where it is kept ready for deployment on the Kattegat in case of technical challenges on one of the other ferries.
Max will be taken over by the new owners at the end of 2024.
Source: Molslinjen
RoPax Superfast III (formerly Olympic Champion) is anticipated to resume her Adriatic service by the end of May. The ferry has been undergoing extensive internal and mechanical refurbishment since December 2023 at Perama Repair Zone. Additionally, she has adopted a new Superfast livery following the successful merger agreement between Anek Lines and Attica Group. The vessel will operate on the Patras – Igoumenitsa-Ancona route alongside her fleet mates, Superfast IX and Hellenic Spirit (which will undergo a similar refit later).
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
The flagship of Anek Lines, El. Venizelos, has resumed service on the traditional Piraeus – Chania (Crete) route as of May 1, 2024, following a series of repairs and enhancements. Alongside Elyros, she will navigate this route, while Kissamos, her fleet mate, will join Kriti II on the Piraeus-Heraklion route.
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
In 2023, Stena Line’s diversified business model once again proved resilient in a disruptive global world. Financial performance was strong and liquidity developed positively. The Stena Group is more stable than ever before. Excluding the profit from a ship sale, Stena AB still delivered by and large the same profit in 2023 as in 2022.
Stena Line
Stena RoRo
Stena Sphere
The Stena Sphere consists of the three parent companies, Stena AB, Stena Metall AB and Stena Sessan AB. A total of 22,000 people are employed in the Stena Sphere. Total income for 2023 was SEK 96 billion. Profit before tax amounted to SEK 4.3 billion.
Click on cover to access the annual report
