Statistics from the Swedish Maritime Administration for the first half of 2023:
The ten largest ports in Sweden for passenger traffic are reported below:
In a move to improve its environmental performance, part of the Corsica Linea fleet will now be powered by certified sustainable biofuel as from the 2023 summer season.
The biomolecule chosen – EMAG type, made from a blend of recycled cooking oils – achieves an 85% reduction in pollutant emissions compared with its fossil equivalent.
This step has been achieved without any regulatory constraints, with Petroineos as partner.
Corsica Linea’s ambition is to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030.
2023 has started well for the long-distance bus company Kombardo Expressen, a collaboration between Molslinjen and Herning Turist.
From January to June, 376,116 travellers have taken the Kombardo Express buses (=+20% H1 2022)
The Kombardo Expressen runs across the country and passengers travel with Molslinjen’s fast ferries across the Kattegat or across the Baltic Sea to Rønne on Bornholm.
With the ferry trip, Kombardo Expressen differs from the other long-distance bus companies in Denmark.
With “a commitment and focus on Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples”, Marine Atlantic announced that its new vessel —an E-Flexer—will be named the ALA’SUINU, a name that means “Traveller” in Mi’kmaq.
Ferry – freight
Total volumes in June 2023 were 7.5% below 2022.
Volumes were 3.0% below 2022 adjusted for Channel.
North Sea volumes were higher than last year as fresh produce volumes to the UK normalised and automotive volumes remained robust. Mediterranean’s volumes were below last year due to lower exports following an early slowdown in European demand ahead of the summer.
The decrease in Channel volumes was in June still partly caused by market changes in June 2022 following a P&O’s suspension of sailings in the previous months in 2022. Baltic Sea volumes remained below last year as trade sanctions did not fully impact volumes until late in the summer of 2022.
For the last twelve months 2023-22, the total transported freight lane metres decreased 10.9% to 39.0m from 43.8m in 2022-21. The decrease was 4.3% adjusted for Channel.
Ferry – passenger
The number of passengers increased 18.9% driven by continued recovery and more coach passengers on the Channel. The number of passengers equalled 88% of volumes in June 2019, the latest comparable month pre-Covid-19. The number of cars equalled 88% of volumes in 2019.
For the last twelve months 2023-22, the total number of passengers was 4.3m compared to 1.9m in 2022-21 and 5.1m in 2019.
Highlights of Fjord Line’s annual report:
DFDS has acquired 100% of the share capital of the Estron Group, a Dutch provider of road transport and warehousing based in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Estron Group transports dry goods in trailers by road and ferry between mainly the UK and Germany, Benelux, and Poland. Both full- and part-load transports are provided based on a leased fleet of 300 trailers. Haulage is subcontracted.
Warehousing, cross-docking, and logistics services are provided from a 58,000m2 leased warehouse located in the Port of Rotterdam.
The company has 130 employees and the annual revenue in 2022 was EUR 50m.
Estron Group expands DFDS’ transport network by adding road transport capacity to the existing full-load operation to and from the UK that combines road and ferry transport. In addition, Estron Group’s part-load and warehousing operations complements the existing similar operations based in Wijchen, Netherlands. The acquisition thus strengthens customer offerings and is expected to generate both commercial and operational synergies.
FINNSIRIUS, the first of the series of 2 Ropax ferries, was delivered at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai, China, on 18 July 2023. The vessel will enter Finnlines’ Finland–Sweden (Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär) line. Traffic is scheduled to start in September 2023.
Stena Line has previously reported a substantial increase in Danes booking travel to Sweden as a result of the weak Swedish krona.
Recent figures show that it is not only Danes who book their summer holidays with Stena Line. Now the ferry company is also experiencing an increase in bookings made by Swedes on the Gothenburg-Fredrikshamn route. Bookings have increased by 29% compared to the same period last year and many of the summer’s departures are now fully booked – something not seen since 2019.
The STENA EUROPE of Stena Line completed over 21 years of service on the Fishguard – Rosslare route. She is replaced by the totally rebuilt STENA NORDICA.
Since going into service on the Rosslare to Fishguard route, STENA EUROPE has completed 27,456 trips, clocking up 207,560 nautical miles. It has transported 726,671 freight vehicles, 1,876,496 cars and almost seven million people.
The refurbished STENA NORDICA has been upgraded with a range of new and improved passenger facilities to enhance the customer experience, including comfortable and stylish spaces, a new-look Stena Plus Lounge, Hygge Recline Lounge, two movie lounges, a Social Café & Bar and a Freight Drivers lounge.
The vessel has a capacity for 650 passengers with 58 cabins.
During the crossing, which takes approximately three hours and thirty minutes, passengers can also shop Duty Free.
Stena Line has revealed that after a dry-dock a Falmouth, the STENA EUROPE will start a charter on the Gibraltar Straits between Spain and Morocco.
Stena already has one ship in that region, the STENA VINGA is currently operating for Intershipping.
