Compagnie Vendéenne ordered a new small passenger ferry, –LA VENDÉENNE– to be delivered in April 2022.
Established in Vendée (France) since 1998, the company operates maritime links between the Yeu island and three ports:
– Fromentine – La Barre-de-Monts
– Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
– Barbâtre – island of Noirmoutier
Compagnie Vendéenne is a private company which operates 3 passenger ships from April to November.
Norled, Slemmestad Brygge and Brødrene Aa will move passenger traffic from the E18 motorway to the sea by developing a new transport system consisting of electric fast ferries that operate in the Oslo Fjord and near central Oslo.
The new transport solution will have a very positive environmental effect.
“If we are able to get commuters to choose fast ferryboats instead of driving, it will relieve the road network in the region, reduce noise and accidents, cut CO2 emissions and improve bus and professional traffic,” says project manager Karolina Adolfsson (Norled).
The project will start in the spring of 2021 and will be completed in 2024. The project receives support through Pilot-E, which is a collaboration between the Research Council, Innovation Norway and Enova. NOK 17 million has been allocated to Norled and Slemmestad Brygge, and NOK 13 million to Brødrene Aa for the development of the innovative solutions in the project.
The project will also develop new innovative infrastructure related to electric charging, piers, public facilities and easy transition to buses, bicycles and cars.
Following the latest Q4 report of the Hellenic Statistical Authority concerning the ferry traffic volumes of 2020, the comparative traffic statistics 2019/2020 on Coastal Shipping and Adriatic service traffic are as follows:
Traffic Decline In Welsh Ports: New Rules Make It Very Difficult
Ken Skates MS, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales wrote a statement:
“According to Department for Transport data the flow of freight traffic using the routes between Wales and Ireland continues to be far lower than before the end of transition, despite UK Government statements to the contrary.”
“Volumes at Holyhead port have declined by around 50%, and volumes at Fishguard and Pembroke dock are around 40% down. Much of this traffic has been diverted away from Welsh ports to direct routes between Ireland-EU and Northern Ireland-GB.”
“Traders, hauliers and the ports have reported that it is now more costly, time-consuming and higher risk to navigate the new processes required to cross the border between Wales and Ireland. These are not simply teething problems, but core issues with the new rules and processes that have been established since.”
“We are today publishing a 5 point plan to support Wales-Ireland Logistics and address the disproportionate impacts we are now seeing on trade using the Welsh ferry ports. We are calling on our partners in the UK Government and the Irish Government to work with us on the concrete actions that have been identified in order for us to resolve this situation for the mutual benefit of all of our nations.”
ULUSOY 14 Inaugurated The New HHLA PLT Italy Terminal In Trieste
Over the last weekend, roro ship ULUSOY 14 docked at the new HHLA PLT Italy terminal in Trieste.
This is the first commercial vessel calling at the new multi-function terminal headed by Antonio Barara and majority-owned by Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) since the beginning of the year.
The vessel operates in regular liner service between Cesme, located west of Izmir in Turkey, and the Adriatic seaport of Trieste.
In future, Ulusoy Sealines will call at the HHLA PLT Italy terminal every Saturday to discharge and load trucks, trailers and swap body containers.
The ship has a capacity of 4,100 lane metres. The terminal has a new 35m-wide roro-ramp. It is able to handle the newest generation of ships deployed in the Mediterranean.
Scotland: New “Freight Plus Ferries” For Northern Isles?
Transport Scotland is looking at new replacement “freight plus” vessels for the Northern Isles ferry route. Emphasis would be on freight, but there should be extra space for passengers to help with capacity in peak times and dry dock periods.
Some elements:
TS Laevad Lowers Fuel Consumption By 6%
“Blueflow Energy Management” is being implemented onboard the four LMG-Marin-designed LMG 150-DEH ferries.
TS Laevad operates these vessels, ensuring lifeline ferry services to Saaremaa and Hiiumaa islands in Estonia.
A 6% savings in fuel consumption is being monitored.
Port Of Brindisi Confirms That GOLDEN BRIDGE Will Serve The Igoumenitsa-Corfu- Brindisi Line In 2021
According to the Port of Brindisi, GOLDEN BRIDGE of A-Ships Management will serve the Brindisi-Corfu-Igoumenitsa line for the summer season 2021.
The large ship was introduced on the above line in July 2020 and operates four weekly sailings.
Anek Lines’ KRITI I Entered Service On The Piraeus-Heraklion Line
On March 22, 2021, Anek Lines’ KRITI I (1979) entered service on the Piraeus-Heraklion Line after many months of inactivity. The large RoPax ferry underwent her dry docking from March 18 to March 21, 2021 and will operate along NISSOS RODOS (Hellenic Seaways).
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
PRIDE OF YORK and PRIDE OF BRUGES To GNV? Unconfirmed Rumour
Grandi Navi Veloci is rumoured to be next owner of the 1975-built ferries PRIDE OF YORK and PRIDE OF BRUGES. The company declined to comment upon a request coming from Ferry Shipping News, but several sources report that the mentioned vessels are “very likely” to be purchased by the Gianluigi Aponte-controlled firm.
P&O Ferries denied.
BLUE STAR 1 Soon Ready For Irish Sea
There were rumours that ropax ferry BLUE STAR 1 would soon exchange Greek for Irish Sea waters, on charter to Irish Ferries. It has not been confirmed yet, but we believe these pictures say enough.
Thank you Christos Chatzaras for the great drone shots.
The replacements for the TT-Line ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ ropax ferries will be built overseas, which was the original plan (first in Flensburg, then in Rauma)
The decision comes seven months after establishing a taskforce to investigate whether the new ferries could be built in Australia.
The taskforce investigated three options:
Option 1: A shipbuilder is selected to build two large steel monohull ferries where some construction is in Australia and involves businesses in Tasmania
The Taskforce received submissions from Austal and Serco.
Option 2: Allow for an assessment of the viability of very large aluminium multihull vessels with the intention of commissioning at least two vessels if they prove viable.
Incat proposed the construction of two 180 metre catamarans.
Option 3: A shipbuilder is selected to build and supply two steel monohull vessels constructed overseas.
Under this option, TT-Line would commence a new tender process, or finalise its contract with Rauma Marine Construction.
Year-end net debt after total capital expenditure of €30.1 million was €88.5 million, 2.1 times EBITDA (pre-non-trading items), and 1.7 times under banking covenant definitions.
Strong financial position with available liquidity comprising cash and committed bank facilities of €240.8 million at 31 December 2020.
Ferry Division: -65.8% cars and -66.3% passengers, but roro freight units went up 7.1% (or 335,000 units in total)
Outlook
Covid-19 has had a material impact on ICG’s passenger business, and any recovery is unlikely while government restrictions remain in place, however ICG remains hopeful that the rollout of vaccinations will result in a return to international travel in our markets during 2021.
The current demand on the direct routes to the Continent is expected to decrease as importers, exporters and government agencies become more familiar with new requirements following Brexit.
The ICG report says that decline will be in favour of the landbridge, which has the benefits of cost, frequency, time and reliability.
