Green light for Ignazio Messina to purchase Terminal San Giorgio in Genoa

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Terminal San Giorgio, a terminal operator of the Port of Genoa controlled by the Gavio Group and the home port for Grimaldi Group’s motorways of the seas to and from Northern Italy, is to be purchased by Ignazio Messina & C. The green light to close the deal has just been given by the Italian Antitrust Authority, which expressed its positive vote but set some specific conditions.

Among them, Ignazio Messina & C., a company jointly controlled by MSC (with a 49% stake), will be obliged to maintain, for the next two years, the same berths, same calls, and some pricing applied up to date to Grimaldi Deep Sea and Grimaldi Euromed’s RoRo traffic.

Last year, Terminal San Giorgio handled 2,350,000 lane metres of RoRo traffic, an increase of 4% compared to 2022.

Scotland: Clyde and Hebrides ferry contract extension

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The Scottish Government has extended the current contract for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) by one year. This extension allows more time to complete the due diligence process necessary for the proposed direct award to CalMac. The final decision on the contract award is pending further complex considerations. The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, emphasized the need for thoroughness and assured that a further update will be provided to Parliament later in the year.

For more details, you can visit the official announcement.

IMAGE CARDS

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Mjølner is ready for the Trondheim Fjord. The vessel that will operate the 810 Trondheim – Vanvikan connection has been handed over from shipbuilders Oma Baatbyggeri AS.

Mjølner is the first of four new hybrid high-speed ferries that will sail electrically in the Trondheim Fjord.

Source: Norled Linkedin > Photo: Transport Photo

Mjølner is ready for the Trondheim Fjord. The vessel that will operate the 810 Trondheim – Vanvikan connection has been handed over from shipbuilders Oma Baatbyggeri AS.

Mjølner is the first of four new hybrid high-speed ferries that will sail electrically in the Trondheim Fjord.

Source: Norled Linkedin > Photo: Transport Photo

On May 22, 2024 Ro Pax Med Star (ex-Västervik) arrived at the port of Piraeus under tow. The ship left Gibraltar on May 9. She was purchased at a tender from the collapsed Moroccan Intershipping. Her new owner is reported to be Starlines, which operating on the Italy-Albania service. The ship is currently at Neos Molos (Drapetsona) waiting for a refit.

Photo: Anastasios Anastasiou

On May 24, 2024 the fully renovated Superfast III (ex-Olympic Champion) arrived at the port of Patras and joined her fleet mates on the Patras – Igoumenitsa – Ancona route.

The ship underwent a serious refit at Perama Repair Zone. She will serve along with her fleet mates Superfast IX and Hellenic Spirit.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

On May 24, 2024 AML’s HSC Morocco Express 1 (ex-Highspeed 3, Boraq) left Greece in order to meet her fleet mate HSC Caldera Vista in Spain. The ship underwent a serious refit and upgrades at Perama repair zone since October 2023.

On May 28, 2024, she arrived at the port of Palma del Mallorca and then went to Algeciras for certification. She is expected to enter service on the Tarifa – Tanger Ville line on May 31.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

As part of Stena Line’s sustainable journey, the company is now starting a project to retrofit Superfast VII and VIII vessels so that they are ready to run on alternative energy sources such as e-methanol and take shore power electricity.

The engines of the Superfast VII and VIII are of a similar type to those of Stena Germanica which was converted in 2015. By using the knowledge and experience from the Stena Germanica retrofitting, Stena Line can modify the Superfast vessels effectively and efficiently. The retrofitting will take place during late 2025 and early 2026 and replacement ships will be provided for the route as per normal refit procedure.

Source and photo: Stena Line >

Katy Taylor will become Wightlink CEO from Monday 19 August 2024. This follows Keith Greenfield’s retirement from the Isle of Wight ferry company after nine years at the helm.

Katy joins from Southern Water, where she has been Chief Customer Officer since 2021. Previously, she was Chief Customer and Strategy Officer at international bus and train operator Go-Ahead Group, which includes Isle of Wight bus company Southern Vectis.

Source: Wightlink >

In April this year, Malmö got another connection to the Continent when Finnlines’ Finnfellow entered service between Sweden and Poland. On May 28, the shipping company’s new line was celebrated with an official inauguration on board the ship. The inauguration ribbon in Swedish-Polish colours was cut by Finnlines’ management and the Mayor of Malmö Municipality Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh (S).

Source: Finnlines >

CalMac is recruiting. CalMac Ferries Ltd is seeking a CEO. Find out more here >.

Sea Lines to launch a two-ferry operation in Black Sea

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Black Sea ferry operator Sea Lines has struck a landmark agreement with DP World.

This partnership will see Sea Lines launching operations from Constanta Port to Turkey’s strategic Karasu Port.

The Aland Island-based ferry company plans to run a daily RoPax service along this route, establishing a crucial trade corridor that links Turkey with Central Europe. This deal promises to enhance connectivity and boost economic ties between the two regions.

This year, Sea Lines is making a multi-million-euro investment in the Constanta-Karasu route with two RoPax ferries.

The first of these vessels, Urd, is set to embark on its maiden journey in July 2024. [URD fact sheet]

DP World, working collaboratively with Sea Lines, has invested in the new RoRo terminal in Constanta, Romania.

Photo: Wikipedia

Echandia: converting ferries from fossil fuel to electric propulsion

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Echandia has secured an order for the delivery of battery systems to a Northern European ferry operator. The order involves converting two RoPax ferries to pure electric propulsion and is Echandia’s largest to date, both in terms of value and system size. Delivery is planned for the second half of 2025.

Earlier this month, Echandia was contracted by Öresundslinjen to provide a battery system for the conversion of Hamlet from fossil fuel to full electrical operation.

Read the news release

Scandlines selects supplier for electrification of Fehmarn Belt link

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Scandlines has taken a significant step towards electrifying its Puttgarden-Rødby ferry route by signing a contract with Wärtsilä on April 25, 2024. Wärtsilä will supply the electrical systems that will allow electricity to cover about 80% of the energy needed for each crossing.

This project is part of Scandlines’ larger plan, announced in late 2023, to convert two of its four ferries on this route to plug-in hybrid models. The goal is to operate the route without direct emissions by 2030 and to achieve zero direct emissions by 2040.

After a competitive tender, Scandlines selected Wärtsilä due to its extensive experience with hybrid ship retrofits, having completed numerous projects since 2012. Wärtsilä will not only supply the systems but also supervise their installation and commissioning.

The ferry conversions, set to begin in the second half of 2025, will involve replacing a diesel generator with a 5 MWh energy storage system.

Photo Matthias Tasler/Scandlines

Molo Beverello short sea terminal in Naples awarded to a group of ferry companies

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A pool of ferry companies will manage the Molo Beverello terminal in Naples

A group of ferry companies made up by Caremar, Snav, Navigazione Libera del Golfo e Alilauro has been awarded the management of the renovated Molo Beverello, the short sea terminal for the maritime links to and from the port of Naples.

A purpose-built public tender was lunched by the local port authority few months ago.

The new ferry terminal will be active for the next summer season but some works and services still need to be completed mainly for welcoming passengers and for the automated ticket offices.

Asterion II on the North Aegean – Dodekanese route

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It is reported that Superfast Ferries will reassign RoPax Asterion II on the Piraeus – Samos – Dodecanese and Piraeus – Chios – Mytilene route from June 3 to September 9, 2024.

More specifically, the ship will operate every Sunday afternoon on the Piraeus – Samos (Vathi) – Patmos -Leros – Kos – Symi – Rodos route, while the other days of the week she will serve on the Piraeus – Chios – Mytilene line.

Also, every weekend she will perform two sailings vice versa on the above North Aegean Line.

Asterion II is currently operating on the Piraeus-Heraklion line, replacing Kriti II.

Photo: Dimitris Mendakis

ICS Chairman Emanuele Grimaldi honoured at ESG Shipping Awards

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International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Chairman and Managing Director of Grimaldi Group, Emanuele Grimaldi, was awarded the Honorary Recognition Award at the ESG Shipping Awards in recognition of his significant contribution to the global maritime industry.

The second annual awards ceremony took place at the Grand Hyatt in Athens on the 20 May.

The ESG Shipping Awards were established to celebrate the efforts and achievements of companies in the shipping industry worldwide that exhibit remarkable commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices. Organised by the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and the Greek Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, the Awards aim to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration within the maritime industry while promoting ethical, socially and environmentally conscious decision-making.

Emanuele Grimaldi said: “Prioritising ESG factors just makes good business sense…We are all on a journey and I believe we are heading in the right direction. For our next steps we must remember that ESG is going to be an important part of this journey too. In light of the good work already underway, we should be more vocal about what we are already doing. Our proactivity should not go unnoticed. We need to be louder about the hard work already underway. We do take commitments to environment, social and governance seriously and work is taking place to build on this”.

Gotlandsbolaget Quarterly report January-March 2024

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  • Revenue and Costs: Revenue for Q1 2024 was 384.9 MSEK, up from 362.9 MSEK in Q1 2023. Costs were 419.6 MSEK, a slight decrease from 425.8 MSEK last year.
  • Adjusted Operating Result: The adjusted operating result was -66.7 MSEK, compared to -62.9 MSEK last year, impacted by costs from the new cruise initiative.
  • Significant Events:
    • A bid was submitted for Gotlandstrafiken 2027-2035.
    • The first cruise of M/S Birka Gotland took place in March.
    • A partnership was formed to develop a high-speed catamaran.
  • Future Focus: Emphasis on expanding passenger shipping, real estate, and energy developments.

Source: Gotlandsbolaget (in Swedish)