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sandra

Nov 04
Love4

Brexit impacts on Dublin Port clear to be seen after nine months

By 2021 Newsletter week 44
  • Port of Dublin says in its Q3 report that core freight and container volumes from Britain declined by 21.2% to 537,680 units between January and September this year (Holyhead, Liverpool and Heysham).
  • In contrast, volumes on continental European, direct routes increased by 36% to 522,765 units. (Mainly Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Antwerp and Cherbourg).
  • Containers and trailers in the RoRo and LoLo modes – the largest part of Dublin Port’s business – declined by just -0.5% to 1,060,445 units but with very different trends between the two modes:

RoRo -6.6% (707,212 units)

LoLo +14.4% (353,233 units)

  • Behind the different trends in Ro-Ro and Lo-Lo, there has also been a large and consistent change in the geographical mix of Dublin Port’s trade since the introduction of Brexit border controls in January 2021.
  • As a result, unitised volumes on routes to Great Britain now account for just over one half (51%) of all unitised trade where, before Brexit, they accounted for approaching two-thirds (64%).
  • Allied to this, the proportion of RoRo units which are driver accompanied (181,605 after nine months) has fallen from 32% to 26%.
  • Dublin currently has two shipping lines looking to commence services. They cannot be accommodated. Dublin has a short-term and a long-term plan.
Nov 04
Love4

Smyril Line closes salmon route and adds a new direct shipping route to Rotterdam

By 2021 Newsletter week 44

After a year operating the “salmon route”, Smyril Line Cargo is putting sailings on hold.

It was roro vessel AKRANES that operated the route from Central Norway to the Netherlands since summer 2020.

AKRANES will now be servicing a new route between Thorlakshøfn, in Iceland´s West coast, Tórshavn, and Rotterdam.

The new route gives Icelandic and Faroese exporters new options with departures Wednesday evenings from Iceland and Thursday evenings from Tórshavn direct to Europe.

Nov 04
Love4

SEEN’s Michalis Sakelis about the Greek ferry scene

By 2021 Newsletter week 44

Michalis Sakelis has been interviewed by the Athens News Agency, for the 100 years of the Business Association Passenger Shipping (SEEN).

Most notable points of the interview:

For the recovery of tourism

  • Despite the fact that until 13 May 2021 the conditions were not clear, tourism recovered significantly, proving the dynamics of Greece as a tourist destination and creating a climate of optimism and positive prospects for recovery in 2022.
  • Compared to 2020, passenger traffic in 2021 (period: first 10 months) increased by 30%, cars by 32% and trucks by 11%. However, compared to 2019, passenger traffic remains low and reduced by 40% in passengers (53% in 2020), by 15% in cars and 12% in trucks.
  • There is still a long way to go before ferry operators reach the 2019 traffic, which is a target for both tourist and ferry traffic, including Adriatic routes.
  • The increase in traffic —compared to 2020— is mainly due to the Cyclades.
  • The increase in revenues in 2021 is not enough to cover the increase in fuel costs (estimated average increase of 2021 by 35% compared to 2020), therefore ferry companies do not expect differences in the financial loss-making results in relation to 2020.

About the increases in the Public Service Contracts

  • The increased funding of the Public Service routes was positive and necessary. However, the Ministry of Shipping should clarify that the funds available for Public Service routes are compensations and not state aid or subsidies.
  • That increased funding does not aim at the strengthening of Ferry Companies but at the increase of the sailings and the improvement of the coastal services —mainly to small islands— during the period of the pandemic.

About a possible increase in ferry tickets

  • Compared to 2020, fuel prices are almost doubled and expected to increase by an average of 35% in 2021.
  • The increase in fuel costs, which is the most important factor in the ship’s operating costs (50%), creates pressure to increase fares. However, that is not always a solution because traffic is reduced.

About the Port Infrastructure

  • The Ports Infrastructure problems are already pointed out with detailed reports by the Masters’ Union.
  • The Minister of Shipping has already announced the funding of 44 planned projects at a cost of EUR 195,21 million, as well as studies and interventions of EUR 200 million.

About the Hellenic Coastal fleet renewal

  • Coastal shipping has to face two major challenges in the coming years: environment and an ageing fleet.
  • Due to the seriousness of the issue, but also the island character of Greece, these issues are of particular importance and must be addressed seriously and carefully in steps at both National and European level.
  • Ferry Operators waiting for the completion of the studies of the Hellenic Naval Chamber, in which the Association participates as well, for the renewal of the coastal fleet.
  • Studies are also prepared by SEEN both on the effects of the new regulations on the tourist traffic and the development of the islands, as well as on technical and institutional issues related to the electrification of ships.

About the three (3) newbuilding state-of-the-art catamarans of Attica Group

  • In 2022, the introduction of the three new high-speed crafts will upgrade services in the Saronic Gulf with new modern and environmentally friendly ships.
  • This investment is the first step, considering the period that is taking place, for the renewal of the Greek Ferry Fleet.
Nov 04
Love4

Overview Godby Shipping charters

By 2021 Newsletter week 44
  • MISTRAL: Smyril Line has extended the charter contract until December 2022.Mistral is running on the route between Hirsthals, Torshavn and Thorlakshöfn (Iceland).
  • MISANA and MISIDA on charter to Sea-Cargo until 2026.
    MIDAS on charter until 2024 for CMA CGM
  • BALTIC BRIGHT on charter to UPM until December 2021 and thereafter starting to trade for Holmen.
Nov 04
Love4

The Swedish Energy Agency grants project support for the electrification of two Gotland ferries

By 2021 Newsletter week 44

Gotland Tech Development, a subsidiary of Rederi AB Gotland, has together with partners Helios Nordic Energy, METS Technology and ABB been granted support (SEK 1,238,750) by the Swedish Energy Agency to investigate how a partial electrification of Destination Gotland’s two LNG vessels can be carried out.

Challenges:

  • Electrifying large, fast ships
  • Heavily constrained grid on the island of Gotland
  • Use of solar energy
  • More electric cars will also require charging during transit. This requires additional battery capacity and will also be included in the study.
Nov 04
Love4

Grimaldi doubles roro cargo capacity on the Ravenna – Brindisi – Catania link

By 2021 Newsletter week 44

Grimaldi Euromed moved two of the most modern roro ships (GG5G class) from the Thyrrenian to the Adriatic Sea.

ECO CATANIA and ECO LIVORNO were recently delivered from Jinling shipyard and deployed up to now on the routes between Italy (Livorno and Savona) and Spain (Barcelona and Valencia).

As from this week (44) both units are active on the Ravenna – Brindisi – Catania link, thus doubling the capacity (500 trailers each). Previous vessels were EUROCARGO SICILIA and EUROCARGO CATANIA. The latter are now active on the Salerno – Catania route.

Nov 04
Love4

Mikko Juelich appointed head of Stena Line in Germany

By 2021 Newsletter week 44

On 1 November 2021, Mikko Juelich took over the position as Trade Director for Business Region Germany at the Swedish ferry company Stena Line.

For the last five years, he was Managing Director of Container CSG in Luebeck, Germany. Before his time in container shipping, he held various positions at the ferry company Finnlines.

Mikko Juelich succeeds Ron Gerlach, who has moved to Stena Teknik where he will become the company’s Technical Director.

Nov 04
Love4

Almost ready for another tender for the Greece-Cyprus service

By 2021 Newsletter week 44

By November 12, shipping companies are expected to submit their final proposals on the terms of the new tender for the Greek-Cyprus ferry connection.

The Ministry of Shipping of Cyprus has long entered a period of consultation and contacts with many operators, where opinions were submitted and therefore many things change compared to last year’s tender. Further contacts have been made with the European Commission’s Central Competition Directorate to improve conditions, always on the basis of EU rules.

The aim is to launch a tender that will reflect as much as possible and within the allowed framework the views of the interested parties, so that this time the efforts will have positive results.

Until today, there has been a contact with more than 15 companies that meet the relevant criteria in the European market and have the ships to perform the ferry service. The tender document is open to everyone on the public tenders’ page of the Republic of Cyprus.

Source: Economy Today, Sigma Live

Nov 04
Love4

Good news (3x) and extra time for Moby and CIN Tirrenia

By 2021 Newsletter week 44

Moby announced that the Court of Milan on October 27th “has issued the decrees for the deferral of the meetings of creditors in the context of the composition with creditors of Moby and its subsidiary CIN”.

Under the ‘concordato preventivo’ procedure, the Court postponed the creditor’s meetings:

  • Moby: from 13 December 2021 to 6 April 2022
  • CIN: from 20 December to 12 April 2022

The postponement came after the Vincenzo Onorato-controlled group decided to present a new restructuring plan, supported by a part of the bond holders and where the refund conditions for some class of creditors were significantly improved.

Moby also announced that the shareholder’s meeting held on 28 October 2021 appointed Mr Gualtiero Brugger as member and chairman of the Board of Directors. He succeeds Vincenzo Onorato. Brugger is a professor in economics at the Bocconi University in Milan.

Finally, Moby also made public the decision of the Italian antitrust authority. They reduced the fine for abusing its dominant position for roro freight transportation on the routes linking Italy mainland to Sardinia. (from EUR 29.2 million to 1.0 million)