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sandra

Sep 20
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IN THE MEDIA

By 2018 Newsletter week 38

Bridges Linking The Estonian Islands Would Make Ferries Superfluous

Estonian ERR writes that ten companies and funds are interested to build bridges between the island of Muhumaa and the Estonian mainland, as well as between the islands of Hiiumaa and Saaremaa.

The way the bridges would be financed, would be decided by the new government elected next spring.

Sep 20
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FERRY FINANCE

By 2018 Newsletter week 38

Debt-free Minoan Lines Is In Excellent Shape

When going through Minoan Lines’ H1 report one will especially remark that the lack of debt obligations and the level of the Group’s cash balance means the company is in good shape.

A selection of significant events

  • The sale to Attica Holdings S.A. of 37,667,504 shares of Hellenic Seaways Shipping S.A., representing 48.53% of the paid up share capital, for a consideration of € 78,500.
  • In addition, the Company acquired the right to operate in the “Heraklion-Cyclades” route, while Attica Holdings S.A. and its affiliate companies undertook the commitment not to operate in this route for a period of three years.
  • The purchase of HIGHSPEED (renamed SANTORINI PALACE) from Hellenic Seaways Shipping S.A.
  • The purchase by a company owned by the Grimaldi Group of SUPERFAST XII.
  • Upon completion of all above transactions, the Company and the Group incurred no profit or loss. On 29/6/2018, the Company’s bond loan was fully repaid. As a result, on 30/6/2018 the Company has no short-term or long-term bank loans.

Figures (in thousands)

+ Turnover € 35,903 (€35,497)

– EBITDA € 8,505 (€ 9,682)

+ Net profit € 1,854 (€ 1,585)

Sep 20
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SHORT NEWS

By 2018 Newsletter week 38

Container Ship Creates Ro-Ro Space

P&O Ferries has deployed the container ship ‘WEGA to start a service between Zeebrugge and Teesport.

P&O Ferries already offers a ro-ro service with six sailings a week on Zeebrugge-Teesport, with BORE SONG and MISTRAL.

The container service will create more space for ro-ro freight on the ro-ro ships.

More short news!

  • The Greek islands of Agios Efstratios and Lemnos line are unhappy with the ferries. They used to have the EXPRESS PEGASUS from Hellenic Seaways. During summer it was proven too small. It will now be replaced by Seajets’ 1975-built AQUA BLUE, ex IERAPETRA and this for the next three years.
  • Eckerö had a great summer (June-August) on all lines: +10% passengers.
  • The increase is mainly due to the fantastic growth of the traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn. Healthy growth for cars and freight.
  • Canary Bridge Seaways, the new joint venture from Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express, will operate two ferries. One will be the chartered CLIPPER PENNANT. The two companies have agreed to operate ferries between the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands. The service will start mid-November.
  • Brittany Ferries’ high-speed ferry NORMANDIE EXPRESS closed its season on 18 September. After annual maintenance she will be laid-up in Le Havre. She will re-enter service in May.
Sep 20
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

By 2018 Newsletter week 38

Some pictures of last week’s trip to Corsica. Let’s start this week with Ajaccio, and next week we’ll go to Bastia.

These pictures, with the Corsica Ferries vessel and the French flags, was taken on Sunday 9 September. A ceremony took place to remember the liberation of Ajaccio in 1943. It was the first French city to be free.

Below picture has been taken by Captain Apostolos Kaknis. It is amazing how fast the HSC WORLDCHAMPION JET (ex VILLUM CLAUSEN) sailed from Bornholm to Piraeus. She was welcomed in Greece on Wednesday 19 September.

Sep 13
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Time to celebrate!

By 2018 Newsletter week 37

Do you see our smiles on the photo below? Ferry Shipping News is one year old. Yes!
Our little digital baby has grown considerably, and we are delighted by the support we get from you all. Thanks for making this double project –Ferry Shipping Summit and Ferry Shipping News–  possible. We love what we do!

We believe very much in the power of the network. What we like the most is to meet you in person, at our Ferry Shipping Summit (don’t forget to block the dates: 20-21 March, 2019).
However, connecting via LinkedIn is important too. In LinkedIn we believe.

You are very welcome to connect with us. It will strengthen your network too.

Thanks again for your support,

Mike

Ferry Shipping News Celebrates Its First Year

Coffee and water to celebrate one year of Ferry Shipping News? We had wine in the evening…but don’t tell anybody.

This picture shows the core team of Ferry Shipping News. You can connect on LinkedIn by clicking on the logo.

 Bo-Lennart Thorbjörnsson: enthusiastic co-founder of the modern Ferry Shipping Summit and News. Long-time top executive, adviser and board member in the European ferry industry. Lives in his birth town Halmstad, Sweden. Travels a lot to meet industry friends.

 Mike Louagie is Ferry Shipping News’ editor. Freelance photographer, writer, lecturer, story teller, etc., as long as it is related to ships. Lives in Ghent, Belgium (not home often though).

Sandra Snijder is ‘WebMevrouw’ and the content manager and designer of the promotional material for Ferry Shipping Summit and Ferry Shipping News.

Frans Baud is co-founder of the Ferry Shipping Summit. He is a 30-year maritime and logistical services veteran with broad expertise ranging from control, inspection, analysis and certification to ship brokerage, commodity logistics, terminal operations, forwarding and supply chain management systems.

Sep 13
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FERRY SHIPPING

By 2018 Newsletter week 37

How Was Your Summer?

September is a good month to ask some company and port executives how the summer has been. In general: very good!

  • Stena Line doesn’t communicate detailed traffic figures per route. However, the summer has seen a strong development, with a 3% increase of passengers, cars and freight from June to August, says Jesper Waltersson, Press & Media Relations Manager. On the passenger side, the Germany routes and the Baltic Sea routes (Baltic, Poland) clearly stand out.
  • Danske Færger felt the price reduction for trucks on the Great Belt bridge, explains CEO John Steen-Mikkelsen. “It affected the freight figures on the Langeland (Spodsbjerg- Tårs) route.” All routes have made good progress on the passenger and car business, with an increase of 2.3%. Only freight was down, -0.7%. On 1 September Molslinjen took over the Bornholm route. The same company wishes to buy Danske Færger A / S. Approval from the Swedish Competition Authority is being awaited for.
  • Port of Ystad‘s CEO Björn Boström is delighted with this year’s summer. Between May and August the southern Swedish port saw increased on all segments, except for coaches (-1%). Ferry freight went up by 13.9% (in tonnes), with almost 20% more trucks compared to the same period last year. Cars went up 1.4% and passengers 1.7%. The port has also seen increase of 9.9% in the number of ferry calls.
  • Destination Gotland finds that passenger travel in June-August, to and from Gotland, has increased by 1.7% compared to 2017, which already was a record year. Freight increased by 6.7%, says Christer Bruzelius, CEO of Destination Gotland.
  • The Channel seems to have been busy too. P&O Ferries earlier reported the best tourist carryings for a July on the English Channel in three years, with the hot summer weather inspiring more people to travel between Britain and the Continent by ship.
Sep 13
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Government Of Trinidad And Tobago Wants To Buy An Austal Ferry

By 2018 Newsletter week 37

The government of Trinidad and Tobago has authorised the purchase of a fast ferry from Austal.
The vessel will be a 94-metre high-speed catamaran for operation on the sea bridge between Trinidad and Tobago. This vessel is a variant of the two 109m high-speed catamaran’s currently in production at Austal, for Molslinjen.
Contract finalisation is not expected for several weeks.

Image: Austal