NISSOS AEGINA will be introduced on the Sporades run mid-June

By 2023 Newsletter week 24

Anes Ferries announced that its vessel NISSOS AEGINA (ex MIDSLAND) will be transferred to the Mandoudi (Evia) – Skiathos – Skopelos line from June 15, 2023.

The ship was chartered from Leve Ferries and since February 2023 she was introduced on the Piraeus – Aegina line replacing her fleet mate AGIOS NEKTARIOS that returned this week.

NISSOS AEGINA was built in Germany in 1974. Her carrying capacity is for 1,000 passengers and 65 cars.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Saos Ferries’ SAONISSOS enters service on the Evia-Sporades run

By 2023 Newsletter week 24

Saos Ferries announced that its ferry SAONISSOS will soon be introduced on the Mandoudi (Evia) – Skiathos – Skopelos line.

On June 12, 2023, the Japanese-built ship carried out her sea trials successfully and is expected to serve the line till the end of the month. According to Saos Ferries, SAONISSOS will shorten the distance to the islands of the line and consequently the travel time, as well as the cost will be reduced.

SAONISSOS was built in Japan in 1994. Her carrying capacity is for 400 passengers and 85 cars. Speed 17.5 knots.

Photo: Saos Ferries

A-ships Management GOLDEN BRIDGE left Greece for her Western Mediterranean service

By 2023 Newsletter week 24

On June 13, 2023, A-Ships Management’s GOLDEN BRIDGE departed from Greece with destination Spain.

The Ro-Pax is being chartered out to GNV since September 2021 and she will initially serve the Barcelona – Majorca – Ibiza line. Then she will be transferred on the Almeria – Nador long run for the rest of the summer period.

The ship arrived in Greece for repairs and dry docking in May.

Photo: A Ships Management

Seajets purchased Panellenic Lines’ HSC SANTA IRINI

By 2023 Newsletter week 24

Another one high-speed craft vessel has seemingly been purchased by Seajets, who dominates the world of High-speed Craft vessels in Greece and worldwide. The new addition to the Seajet’s fleet is the Panellenic Lines, HSC SANTA IRINI (exHSC ALMUDAINA DOS), which was purchased in April 2022 from Acciona and chartered to the Cretan Transportation Services (CTRS) for daily excursions on the Heraklion – Santorini line.

The unexpected news came on June 13, 2023 and it seems that the new established ferry operator couldn’t stand the fierce competition on the specific area and halted services.

Seajets has grown into a “giant” that operates mainly high-speed craft vessels and became one of the largest ferry operators in Greece. It covers more than 250 port connections from Piraeus, Rafina and Crete to the Cyclades islands, while HSC SANTA IRINI will be their 16th high-speed vessel.

Seajets also operates four conventional ferries (SUPER STAR, AQUA BLUE, AQUA JEWEL, SPORADES STAR) on Greece’s domestic lines.

Jadrolinija rejects all bids in tender to build three e-ships

By 2023 Newsletter week 24

Croatian media reported earlier this week that the state-owned ferry company Jadrolinija said it has rejected all seven bids submitted in a public procurement procedure for the construction of three electricity-driven passenger ships, with an estimated total value of EUR 45 million.

None of the submitted bids was eligible, according to a notice published by Jadrolinija in state gazette Narodne Novine.

According to documents, published in Narodne Novine, four foreign shipbuilders – Spanish Astilleros Armon, Estonian Baltic Workboats, Italy’s Cantiere Navale Vittoria and Dutch Holland Shipyards – submitted bids in the tender for the construction of the vessels.

The other bidders were three consortia led by local companies – a tie-up of the Brodotrogir Cruise shipyard and engineering company Tema Automatizacija; a consortium of local shipyard Dalmont and engineering companies TSI and Inmel; and a consortium of local shipyard Iskra Brodogradiliste 1 and engineering company Navis Concept, Turkish marine engineering company Gozuyılmaz and Tukish shipyard Ozata.

The tender was opened in January.

Passenger ports in Europe stress that more time is needed to set up the Entry Exit System (EES) without endangering smooth maritime passenger traffic

By 2023 Newsletter week 24

ESPO finds that many of the necessary conditions for the entry into operation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), are not yet met. The level of implementation in most countries is behind schedule, insufficient information is available regarding the deployment of physical infrastructure and new operational procedures, and not enough funding has been provided.

Read more on the ESPO Website.

Repsol’s second LNG bunker terminal in Santander opens to fuel Brittany Ferries’ SANTOÑA

By 2023 Newsletter week 24

Energy company Repsol has inaugurated its second LNG supply terminal. The inauguration took place in Santander Spain on 7th June and was attended by Repsol’s Executive Managing Director of Circular Economy and Industrial Transformation, Juan Abascal and Brittany Ferries’ CEO Christophe Mathieu.

The terminal comprises a cryogenic tank with a storage capacity of 1,000m3. It follows the opening of an LNG bunker facility in Bilbao last year. The two facilities are part of a collaboration agreement that Repsol signed with Brittany Ferries in 2019 for the supply of LNG for ships serving Spanish routes.

The new terminal is co-financed by the European Commission through the CEF-Connecting Europe Facilities Program.

By the end of the first year of operations, it is estimated its emissions of CO2 will have been cut by around 12,000 tons.