Port of Zeebrugge Welcomes the New Service from Wallenius SOL
Wallenius SOL has started to operate the two chartered ships, FIONIA SEA and JUTLANDIA SEA. They operate on the Kemi-Oulu-Husum-Zeebrugge-Antwerp-Vaasa route.
FIONIA SEA arrived in Zeebrugge for the first time on 13 January, coming all the way from the Gulf of Bothnia (with Husum as new port on Swedish side).
Following a strong start to CLdN’s weekly Con-Ro service from Cork to Zeebrugge, the shipping line announced a second call to accommodate demand. This second direct service from Cork to the EU commenced on 7 January, offering more flexibility to Irish customers, ensuring supply chains are maintained.
Dover remained the largest European roro port in Q2 of 2020.
On the other side of the Channel, the port of Calais was in the second place, followed by Immingham, Dublin and the Swedish port of Trelleborg, which enters the top 5 for first time.
The five ports recorded a substantial fall in Q2 compared to the same quarter of 2019; the largest observed for Immingham (-23.7 %), followed by Calais (-13.3 %), Dublin (-13.2 %), Dover and Trelleborg (both 12.1 %).
When looking at the overall annual change compared to the previous period, all five ports also registered a fall. The highest was observed for Dover (-11.8 %), followed by Calais (-11.4 %), Immingham (-6.1 %), Dublin (-4.8 %) and Trelleborg (-2.7 %).
Post-Brexit Demand for Direct Ferries Causes Capacity Problems
Capacity issues are building on direct ferries between Ireland and mainland Europe as lorries avoiding Brexit checks through Britain are “bumped” to make way for vital imports of medicines and medical equipment.
Portugal’s West Sea shipyard in Viana do Castelo installed the 360m3 tank in December as it continues to work on retrofitting the vessel’s engines to dual-fuel propulsion.
Naviera Armas, owner of Trasmediterránea, has closed an agreement with its main financial creditors (Barings, Bain Capital, Cheyne Capital and JPMorgan) to convert a total of 240 million euros in debt into capital and, in addition, receive a liquidity injection of up to 100 million euros through a bridge loan, according to Expansión.
To save the current economic situation, the Armas family intends to contribute 40 million with the sale of the (fast ferry) ship VILLA DE TENOR. In this way, Armas will be able to maintain control of the group’s rights.
On January 8, 2021, Minoan Lines’ KNOSSOS PALACE (2002 ex CRUISE BONARIA, OLYMPIA PALACE) was introduced on the Piraeus-Heraklion-Chania Line, replacing her fleetmate CRUISE BONARIA (2000 ex-KNOSSOS PALACE), which joined the Italian Grimaldi Group fleet.
Photo: Angeliki Sarikavazi
Blue Star Ferries’ BLUE STAR DELOS scrubber conversion is in progress at Perama repair zone. The “blue” ship stopped service at the beginning of November 2020 in order to perform Attica’s scheduled scrubber program. In January 4, 2021 she entered dry dock for her annual maintenance –until January 20- and she is expected to return in service on February 2021. Next will follow – for the same conversion- the sisters BLUE STAR MYCONOS and BLUE STAR CHIOS.
Photo: Archipelagos.com
The hull of Fanølinjen’s first electric ferry (GROTTE) was towed by tug DOLPHIN from the yard in Szczecin, Poland to Hvide Sande, Denmark, where the vessel will get her engines, interiors and other equipment.
Naviera Armas has launched the year 2021 with a reorganization of the line that connects the south of Tenerife and La Palma and offers a daily departure from the port of Los Cristianos, so that it goes from five to seven weekly frequencies. The service is provided by the VOLCÁN DE TABURIENTE.
Irish Ferries already decided to put W.B. YEATS on Dublin-Cherbourg. Now EPSILON will also provide an additional Cherbourg sailing this weekend.
Irish Continental Group plc announced that it has applied to the London Stock Exchange to change the currency in which the Company’s Share Units are traded on the London Stock Exchange from Euro to Sterling. It is expected this change will become effective at 8.00 A.M. on 13 January 2021.
The currency in which ICG’s Share Units are traded on Euronext Dublin will remain Euro. The Company’s financial statements will continue to be presented in Euro.
Facelift on Facebook
Some pictures of Smyril Line’s NORRÖNA (from their Facebook page)
The ferry is at the Fayard shipyard in Munkebo, for a serious facelift.
She will be back ‘home’ on 8 March 2021.
Sea-Cargo’s roro SC CONNECTOR (1997) was converted into a modern sailing ship with rotor sails.
She serves a route between Western Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and since last week also Sweden and Poland.
From Landbridge to Seabridge
After months of negotiations, the UK and European Union finally agreed a deal that will define their future relationship.
In the meanwhile, ferry companies have strengthened or even created direct ferry links with the Republic of Ireland, the EU country on the ‘other side of the UK’.
These ferry routes avoid the ‘landbridge’ (*) over a non-EU country.
On 22 December 2020, Stena Line added roro ferry STENA FORETELLER on the Cherbourg-Rosslare route. She joined ropax STENA HORIZON, doubling the freight capacity as well as the frequency of sailings (12 weekly sailings)
On 2 January 2021, DFDS started a new 3-ship direct route from Dunkerque to Rosslare, with chartered VISBY and KERRY, and OPTIMA SEAWAYS.
CLdN increased its frequency / capacity from the continent to Dublin and Cork.
On 6 January 2021, W.B. YEATS, Irish Ferries’ largest ropax, start to sail on the Dublin-Cherbourg route.
W.B. YEATS has a much higher freight capacity than route vessel EPSILON, and enough cabins for truck drivers.
EPSILON will replace W.B. YEATS on Dublin-Holyhead.
Eucon (Irish Continental Group) introduced an extra 800 TEU container feeder vessel (MUSIC) on Dublin-Rotterdam.
Smooth Operators
“The majority of freight has successfully accessed our ports on the first day post-Brexit. The day has not been without issues for some hauliers, which was expected. The occasional vehicle has being turned away due to not having the correct customs references, but most have returned later with everything in order and been shipped.”
Ian Davies, Head of UK Port Authorities, Stena Line
“At the ports of Rotterdam and IJmuiden, the first day on which customs formalities again applied to freight transport between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union passed quietly. There has been no congestion around ferry terminals. It has also stayed very quiet at the special Brexit buffer parking zones for HGV drivers whose documents are not yet in order.”
Port of Rotterdam
“No problems in Zeebrugge. The start of the year is calm anyway and we have had a very busy month of November and December. Stocks have been built up in the UK, and they are decreasing systematically. Over the next few weeks, I expect traffic will grow to a normal level, end of January, mid-February.”
Port of Zeebrugge CEO Tom Hautekiet
