ECO MALTA delivered

By 2022 Newsletter week 9

The delivery of the Grimaldi Green 5th Generation class roro vessels is now halfway. Grimaldi Group took delivery of the ECO MALTA, the sixth of twelve state-of-the-art units ordered from the Chinese Jinling shipyard located in Nanjing.

Roro FINO sold to a Greek Shipping Company

By 2022 Newsletter week 9

UECC’s roro FINO (former AUTOPRIDE) was recently sold to a Greek interest shipping company: Star Skippers SA (care of United Sails SA , 17A, Kondyli Street, Glyfada, 166 75 Athens).

The ship has already departed from the port of Avonmouth in UK and is currently sailing to Piraeus.

FINO was built in 1997 in the Netherlands (Frisian Shipyard Welgelegen B.V.). She has a GT of 11,591. She has six car decks with a carrying capacity for 1,220 cars.

Photo: sister vessel AUTOPRESTIGE

Finnlines’ RoPax FINNCLIPPER changes name and flag

By 2022 Newsletter week 9

Finnlines’ FINNCLIPPER is the ship that replaces the EUROFERRY OLYMPIA on the Igoumenitsa – Brindisi line.

She left Malmö on February 19 and arrived in Piombino, Italy, a week later for the necessary changes. Initially, she was transferred to the Grimaldi-Euromed fleet and then she will be renamed IGOUMENITSA and raise the flag of Cyprus.

She is already advertised on the official Grimaldi website.

Grandi Navi Veloci confirmed purchase of GNV SPIRIT

By 2022 Newsletter week 8

Grandi Navi Veloci has officially announced the purchase of the ropax ship CAP FINISTÈRE from Brittany Ferries which is currently en route to the port of Naples where will be renamed GNV SPIRIT.

The Nuova Meccanica Navale shipyard will take care of it with some refitting works and repainting the vessel with the company’s distinctive livery.

Once she enters service before next summer season, GNV SPIRIT will take GNV’s fleet to 25 ferries.

Vincenzo Onorato calls Rome for action to rescue Moby and CIN

By 2022 Newsletter week 8

Vincenzo Onorato’s holding company Onorato Armatori made public a statement in which he calls the Italian economic development Ministry to act as fast as possible in order to accept the debt restructuring plan proposed under the ‘concordato preventivo’ procedure.

Tirrenia in Amministrazione Straordinaria, the State-owned bad company born when the former public shipping company Tirrenia was sold to Moby in 2012, has a credit valued roughly EUR 180 million and its vote on the plan is particularly important for the positive (or negative) ending of this long-lasting story regarding Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione (Moby’s subsidiary controlling and operating Titrenia’s brand, ships and routes).

The Court of Milan postponed the meeting of creditors on 20th and 27th June 2022 respectively for Moby and CIN setting the date for 31 March 2022 as a deadline for filing, inter alia, the agreement with Tirrenia di Navigazione in Amministrazione Straordinaria which represents the main CIN creditor.

Tallink Grupp stays in profit in H2 2021 and halves net loss for the year compared to first pandemic year

By 2022 Newsletter week 8

Tallink Grupp reported a net loss of EUR 56.6 million for 2021 (net loss of 108.3 million reported for the full year 2020) with a strong second half of the year resulting in a marginal net profit for H2.

The group’s unaudited results for 2021 (in EUR)

  • Revenue 476.9 million (442.9 million)
  • EBITDA 58.3 million (8.0 million)

The strong result considering the ongoing pandemic challenges was achieved despite the company’s passenger numbers decreasing by 21% compared to 2020 and amounting to a total of 2,961,975 passengers.

The company’s cargo transportation continued on a steady path with the number of cargo units carried in 2021 increasing by 2.6%.

Tallink Grupp managed to secure a net profit in H2. The result can partly be attributed to the re-opening of the Tallinn-Stockholm route in July 2021 after a 15-month suspension and the Helsinki-Stockholm route in August after a 16-month suspension. Both routes immediately attracted passengers especially at the time when the vaccination drive in Baltic sea countries had had an initial positive impact on reducing the spread of the virus during summer 2021 and the temporary easing of travel restrictions during Q3 2021.

Other positive contributors to the marginal net profit in H2 were the various charters.

The company’s key project into the future continues to be the build of the company’s new shuttle vessel MYSTAR, which is now due for completion and delivery in 2022.

Part of the efforts to ensure liquidity in 2021 also included omitting dividend distribution and the Management Board will propose not paying a dividend in 2022 as well.

“We have faith in 2022 being a year of change for the positive from the COVID pandemic point of view and we are gearing our business up for it. Our customers tell us that they are ready to and want to return to the Baltic sea with us and we have made all the preparations to make this return to cruising on the Baltic sea as memorable and enjoyable for everyone who joins us on board. We have every intention to keep the Baltic sea cruising tradition alive with our colleagues and customers in 2022 and beyond.”

Tallink Grupp’s CEO Paavo Nõgene

Better results for Viking Line in 2021

By 2022 Newsletter week 8

January– December 2021 (compared to January–December 2020)

  • Sales amounted to EUR 258.2 million (EUR 188.8 million)
  • Other operating revenue was EUR 46.8 million (EUR 26.9 million)
  • Operating income totalled EUR 32.1 million (EUR -49.3 million)
  • Net financial items were EUR -3.8 million (EUR -3.6 million)
  • Income before taxes amounted to EUR 28.3 million (EUR -52.9 million)
  • Income after taxes totalled EUR 24.4 million (EUR -42.3 million)

Outlook for the financial year 2022

  • The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on Viking Line’s results. Uncertainty about regulatory requirements, aid, the effects of vaccination programmes and thus related limitations for passenger traffic, and market demand will affect Viking Line’s operations, results and financial position in 2022 as well.
  • In 2021, a number of fixed assets were sold, which led to a strengthening of the company’s liquidity and had a positive effect on income. Viking Line does not foresee similar asset sales in 2022.
  • Taking into account the non-recurring nature of the items mentioned above, the uncertainty about the course of the pandemic – which so far has had a significant negative impact on the first quarter – and more stringent regulatory requirements and the current geopolitical situation, it is still too soon to quantify the impact on results so no earnings forecast for 2022 has been provided.

BC Ferries Q3: ferry traffic continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic

By 2022 Newsletter week 8

Q3 2021

2 million vehicles = +26% (compared to Q3 2020) = -2% (compared to Q3 2019)

4.1 million pax = +43% (compared to Q3 2020) = -14% (compared to Q3 2019)

Year-to-date

6.7 million vehicles = +26%

14.2 million passengers = 34%

Q3 ending December 31, 2021 in CAD

Net loss -1.6 million (98.5 million) primarily as a result of the timing of recognition of ‘Safe Restart Funding’

Revenue 222.2 million (311.9 million)

Without the recognition of ‘Safe Restart Funding’ in both periods, revenues would have been 203.0 million, an increase of $45.9 million compared to the same period in the prior year.

Operating expenses were 209.5 million (199.0 million). This increase is due mainly to providing more round trips and higher fuel prices.

Year-to-date since April 1, 2021, net earnings were $83.0 million compared to $74.3 million in the same period in the prior year primarily as a result of higher traffic volumes and net retail sales, partially offset by lower ‘Safe Restart Funding’ applied to the current year and higher operating expenses.