Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries, Announces Completion of Condor Ferries Deal

By 2020 Newsletter week 11

Brittany Ferries is now officially the part-owner of Condor Ferries. The deal, announced last year, had been subject to scrutiny by competition authorities. But following their green light at the end of January, and work to complete the transition in February, the sale has now been finalised.

“This is excellent news for Brittany Ferries, our new partners and for Condor Ferries,” said Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries. “We are committed to working closely in the months and years to come to ensure the best level of service to customers and support to our friends and colleagues in the Channel Islands. This will be business as usual for Condor, but within a new ownership structure.”

Brittany Ferries is the minority shareholder in the company. Last November, Columbia Threadneedle European Sustainable Infrastructure Fund (ESIF) and Brittany Ferries reached an agreement with Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (“MIRA”) for the acquisition of 100 percent of Condor Ferries

Condor Ferries is an operator of lifeline freight and passenger ferry services. Each year, Condor Ferries carries approximately 1 million passengers, 200,000 passenger vehicles, and over 900,000 freight lane meters between Guernsey, Jersey, the United Kingdom, and the Port of St Malo in France.

P&O Ferries Launches Second Rail Line to Double Train Capacity at Its Europoort Hub

By 2020 Newsletter week 11

P&O Ferries is doubling its rail capacity at Europoort with the launch of a second line into its terminal at the continental hub.

The 650-metre long track will complement P&O’s existing rail line and means that the integrated ferry and logistics company can handle up to four trains of either 36 trailers or 42 x 45 foot containers a day, comprising eight services to and from locations across Europe.

Janette Bell, CEO P&O Ferries, said: “This new rail capacity will help even more of our customers solve their supply chain challenges and make trade flow by utilizing the unrivalled combined assets of P&O Ferries and P&O Ferrymasters.”

“Customers will be able to move goods between Britain and Europe using P&O Ferrymasters rail services and take advantage of our integrated planning, scheduling and transport management systems which solve some of the most pressing challenges in logistics, especially transparency.”

“To connect with the UK market, we provide three sailings a week to Teesport and seven sailings a week to Hull, with a commitment to providing customers with the most reliable and cost efficient service possible. This initiative underlines our commitment to growth and going to places where our customers want us to go.”

EXPRESS 1 Must Be Able to Find Its Berth on Its Own

By 2020 Newsletter week 11

Molslinjen’s high-speed catamaran EXPRESS1 is the first Danish ferry to be equipped with an auto-docking system.

The SmartDock system is supplied by Wärtsilä, who has developed the world’s first auto-docking system for commercial use.

The system is used by the Norwegian ferry FOLGEFONN.

The program behind the system is encoded with large amounts of data consisting of best practice from all the captains of MolsLinjen.

FERRY FINANCE

By 2020 Newsletter week 11

Eckerö Group – Year-end Report for 2019

 

+2.9% passengers (€3.5 million)

+2.0% revenue (€238.6 million)

Operating profit, adjusted for sales gains, EUR 1.0 million (EUR 15.6 million)

Operating profit, including sales gains, EUR 1.0 million (EUR 16.3 million)

Profit for the financial period EUR 0.8 million (EUR 10.2 million)

Interest-bearing liabilities EUR 95.1 million (EUR 71.8 million)

Net debt of EUR 56.3 million (EUR 18.2 million)

Cash flow from business operations EUR 16.4 million (EUR 28.6 million)

In May, the group invested in a ro-pax vessel which was renamed FINBO CARGO. The ship was deployed on the Helsinki-Tallinn line at the end of June. During Q1 of 2020, FINBO CARGO will be docked to be upgraded to ice class 1A.

TRANSPORTER was purchased in the spring and put in April in traffic with DFDS as carrier.

The main reasons for the decrease in earnings are the dockings, deterioration in earnings in Birka Cruises, the weak krona as well as start-up of FINBO CARGO and strike effects.

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

By 2020 Newsletter week 11

International Chamber of Shipping Issues New Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Shipping Industry

The International Chamber of Shipping has issued brand new guidance for the global shipping industry to help combat the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The comprehensive 22-page document has been produced in collaboration with prominent international bodies including:

The World Health Organization (WHO)

The International Maritime Organization (IMO)

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

The International Maritime Health Association (IMHA)

Click on the cover to access the website.

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

By 2020 Newsletter week 11

Anek Lines’s cruise ferry EL. VENIZELOS is being chartered by Turkish Miray Cruise International. For 35 days she will be used as a floating hotel at the shipyard in Cadiz.

The large ferry sailed to Cesme on the evening of 7 March 2020 in order to load the necessary supplies as well as special personnel.

On 9 March she departed for Cadiz  where she is expected to arrive on 14 March.

STENA SUPERFAST X Arrived at Perama for Conversion

By 2020 Newsletter week 11

On 10 March, Stena Line’s ropax STENA SUPERFAST X arrived at Perama (Greece) –from Belfast– in order to undergo a small-scale conversion and interior remodelling for her new career.

The ship is on long-term charter by Corsica Linea. From summer 2020 she will be introduced on the North African service (Marseille-Algeria).

Renamed A. NEPITA, she will fly the Cypriot flag.

158 extra cabins will be added.

She is also going to get scrubbers, probably in Malta.