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sandra

Dec 15
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BC Ferries gets green light to order more ferries

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

After the major capital expenditure approval by the BC Ferries Commissioner, BC Ferries is able to take the next step towards the purchase of four new hybrid electric Island Class vessels that will increase capacity for passengers across the ferry system.

By 2027, the four new vessels will enter service on the routes connecting Nanaimo Harbour and Gabriola Island (two vessels) and Campbell River and Quadra Island (two vessels), with corresponding electrical upgrades for shore-based rapid charging made to the four terminals on these routes.

BC Ferries now continues through the procurement process, with negotiations to begin imminently.

Dec 15
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Finnlines welcomes FINNCANOPUS

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

Finnlines took delivery of FINNCANOPUS, which is the second of two Superstar-series Ro-Pax ferries, at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai, China, on 12 December 2023.

The vessel will enter Finnlines’ line between Finland and Sweden (Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär) in February 2024.

Dec 15
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Stena RoRo presents more “Flexers”

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

In a recent website update, StenaRoRo presents three designs of Ro-Pax and Ro-Ro vessels, showcasing their usual high flexibility, which includes multifuel options, and more.

Three models:

E-FLEXER 300-500

C-FLEXER

NEW MAX

In May, Stena Line announced two NewMax hybrid vessels to be built for the Irish Sea.

The two all-new hybrid propulsion vessels, designed to run on methanol and adding 80% capacity on the Belfast-Heysham route, will be ready in 2025.

Dec 15
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Unity Line and Port of Trelleborg sign a new five-year agreement

By 2023 Newsletter week 50
  • Unity Line has operated the Trelleborg—Swinoujscie route since February 2007.
  • Positive, steady growth in traffic on the route with over 10% annual volume increase.
  • Unity Line currently operates 4 vessels on the Trelleborg—Swinoujscie route.
  • Ro-Pax EPSILON (chartered by Irish Ferries since 2014) will replace GALILEUSZ as from January 2024. Both vessels are owned by companies within the Polish company Euroafrica.
  • Lanemetre increase from 1,830 to 2,860.
  • Two additional vessels under construction in Poland will join the route in 2025 and 2026.
  • Agreement is effective from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2028.
Dec 15
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New Mersey ferry to be built by Cammell Laird

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

Cammell Laird, part of the APCL group, signed a deal with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to construct the first new Mersey ferry in 60 years.

The Birkenhead facility will design and build the state-of-the-art vessel on-site, featuring green technology such as an Azi-pull propeller system for reduced fuel usage and a diesel-electric hybrid-ready propulsion system.

Scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, the project signifies a major vote of confidence in Cammell Laird and follows a process initiated in 2016.

David McGinley, Chief Executive of Cammell Laird, with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Katherine Fairclough, CEO of Liverpool Region Combined Authority.

Dec 15
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Brittany Ferries welcomes move to allow French school groups to travel to UK on ID cards, rather than passports

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

James Cleverly UK home office minister announced the changes in a statement to the House on 7th December 2023. Passports will no longer be a requirement for travel: French students under 18 years of age will be able to come to the UK on an ID card.

In 2023 Brittany Ferries carried just 41,061 French children on school trips – a fall of 55 per cent following the introduction of new post-Brexit border controls in 2021 (in 2019 91,764 were carried).

Dec 15
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Scandlines orders new onshore charging solution from NES

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

Scandlines has contracted Norwegian Electric Systems AS (NES) to deliver an onshore charging system to the ferry operator’s berth in Puttgarden, Germany. In April 2022, NES already signed a contract to deliver the shore power solution in Rødby on the Danish side of the route.

“With a battery pack of ten megawatt-hours, equivalent to the combined capacity of about 150 electric cars, the ferry’s battery capacity will be among the world’s largest on a ship. Rapid charging is essential for the ferry while it is unloading vehicles and should take about 12 minutes. Imagine charging 150 electric vehicles with one charger in 12 minutes only. While fast charging a car is one thing, handling this amount of energy is quite another matter,” says Jan Klokk, VP Sales at NES.

Dec 15
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Tallink Grupp signs syndicate loan agreement, resulting in the repayment of the 100 million euro loans from KredEx and Nordic Investment Bank received in 2020

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

Tallink Grupp signed the refinancing agreement of the company’s syndicated loan, as a result of which the company will repay several significant loans taken in recent years.

Tallink Grupp has consistently reduced the company’s debts in recent years, repaying various loans in the amount of 110 million euros in 2022 and in the amount of 175 million euros in 2023.

Dec 15
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AF MIA officially welcomed in the Adria Ferries’ fleet

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

The Ancona-based ferry company Adria Ferries, a part of the Frittelli Maritime Group controlled by Alberto Rossi, officially welcomed AF MIA into the fleet. The 1997-built ex-CRUISE SMERALDA, recently purchased from the Grimaldi Group, is now operating on the Italy – Albania maritime route connecting the ports of Ancona and Durres.

Ferry Shipping News was the first to reveal this acquisition in September when the vessel, boasting a capacity of 1,500 passengers and 2,200 lane meters, was still in service with Finnlines, a part of the Grimaldi Group, on the Malmö – Travemünde route.

Alberto Rossi, while presenting the new ship, stated that “AF MIA was the best choice for the company because it can guarantee a perfect balance between passenger and ro-ro cargo capacity for the Italy – Albania line.”

Dec 15
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Sefine launched PIETRO MONDELLO, second of five units for Caronte&Tourist

By 2023 Newsletter week 50

Sefine Shipyard and naval architects LMG Marin AS officially announced that the new dual-ended ferry PIETRO MONDELLO, ordered by Italy’s Caronte & Tourist, has been successfully launched. This newbuilding will be the near sistership to the 2018-built ferry ELIO.

The double-ender is a fine-tuned version of ELIO with many changes that are not visible. Most notably, there is the use of a large 2 MWh battery pack to peak-shave ferry operations and reduce fuel consumption.

PIETRO MONDELLO will be the second of five new units as part of a EUR 250 Million fleet renewal plan launched by Caronte & Tourist in 2021.

At the christening ceremony of the newly built ro-pax ferry named Nerea in Palermo, just delivered by the same Turkish shipyard, the CEO of Caronte & Tourist, Vincenzo Franza, stated that further three newbuildings are to be built in the next two years for the maritime links to/from the small islands surrounding Sicily and for the Strait of Messina.

However, Franza emphasized the need for a long-lasting public contract for maritime continuity during the winter season, highlighting that 4-5 year plans are not sufficient to make these investments sustainable.