Italian antitrust watchdog AGCM has launched a preliminary investigation into the unsolicited activation of maritime roaming services by Telecom Italia (TIM), Wind Tre and Vodafone Italia for customers travelling on cruise ships and ferries.
Cacica Isabel, one of the ferries of the former Conferry sank in Puerto Cabello.
Fjord Line: Christmas Eve for Singles and Families with Children on Bergensfjord
Robin Hood House, Church City Mission and Fjord Line want to make the Christmas holiday a little more enjoyable for all those who are lonely or are struggling financially. A cosy gathering with Christmas food will be organised on Christmas Eve, when Bergensfjord is docked in Bergen. Santa Claus will pay a visit!
- On 7 December, Stena Nautica did her first test call in Halmstad. In less than two months Stena Line starts operating the new route between Grenaa and Halmstad (instead of Varberg).
- Baja Ferries began operations in the Mexican Pacific with Oaxaca Star. It is not a ferry but a multi-purpose vessel.
- Clipper Pennant is on her way back to Dublin, after having finished her charter to the Balearia/Fred Olsen service from Huelva to the Canaries.
- Grimaldi Lines will use the Cruise Ausonia on the service from Brindisi to Greece between 20 December and 15 February. She appears in Grimaldi’s booking system as the Cruise A.
- Moby SPL Ltd has issued a letter, saying that all departures of SPL Princess Anastasia in December 2019 and January 2020 have been cancelled, “due to unforeseeable and unavoidable technical issues (force majeure)”.
- As expected, Sirena Seaways (currently sailing as Baie De Seine for Brittany Ferries) will replace Liverpool Seaways on the Karlshamn – Klaipeda route. She starts on 14 April 2020. Liverpool Seaways has been sold to La Méridionale.
From the Archive
This picture from 1988 shows Stena’s Scandinavica laid up in Dunkerque. As you could read in the news, she’s now going to sail as Prince in the Adriatic. Not bad for a 45-year old veteran.
As Smyril Line expands its fleet and sailing routes, the Faroese company has approached Bore to acquire Bore Bank. The roro will be renamed Akranes.
She will be used to establish a new freight route between Þorlákshöfn in the western part of Iceland, Hirtshals (Denmark) and Tórshavn (Faroe Islands).
Smyril Line will register the vessel in FAS (Faroe Islands National & International ship register) and hire Faroese crew.
Smyril Line’s fleet consist of four (soon five) vessels, with weekly sailings between Iceland, Faroe Islands, Denmark, St. Petersburg and the Netherlands. The fifth ship will allow the roro container vessels to open a route to the UK.
Fleet:
As part of the fleet renewal process, Bore has placed an order for three newbuildings at the Wuhu Shipyard Ltd in China, due for delivery in year 2021.
Stena Line’s newest ferry Stena Estrid has departed the AVIC Weihai Shipyard, bound for its new home on the Irish Sea.
Stena Estrid is the first of five next generation Stena Line ropax vessels to be completed.
Manned by a much-reduced crew of 27, with no passengers on board, the ship will travel on a journey of well over 10,000 miles.
The first stage of the voyage is a week-long 2,657 nautical miles trip across the South China and then East China Sea to Singapore, travelling at an economical speed of 17 knots which, uniquely to Estrid and her sister ships, can be achieved by running just one of its 12600kW main engines, thus minimising fuel consumption.
Estrid will then proceed through the Malacca Straits to Sri Lanka, before crossing the Indian Ocean and making its way to the Suez Canal.
Once through the Suez Canal, the ship will head west across the Mediterranean Sea, continuing at 15 knots until it reaches Gibraltar where it will stop for more fuel and provisions, and to welcome more crew members who will undertake familiarisation and training during the final leg of the journey.
Once in Holyhead, final preparations will begin to get Estrid ready to start service on the route in mid-January.
Stena RoRo has sold the ropax Kaiarahi to Kiwirail Ltd. The latter has been chartering the vessel since many years for the New Zealand Interislander ferry service.
KiwiRail is expected to buy two new, large, rail-enabled ferries to replace the current three-ship Interislander fleet.
UK shipbuilder Wight Shipyard Co. is continuing its success in the fast ferry sector securing an order for four vessels from Malta’s tourism Leaders, Captain Morgan.
The order, from Captain Morgan Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Fortina Investments Ltd, consists of four new build vessels, two 20m and two 33m catamarans, all to be designed by One2Three Naval Architects.
Peter Morton, CEO, Wight Shipyard, said: “We have been working with One2Three to develop lighter, more fuel-efficient ferries with the subsequent reduction of fuel costs. The operators see the long-term benefits in using less fuel and thereby reducing carbon emissions. We are also working to integrate the boarding design for the ancient wharves and docks of the towns of Malta.”
