All Posts By

sandra

Feb 08
Love0

St Petersburg’s local authorities want their own cruise-ferry company

By 2018 Newsletter week 06

Fedpress (in Russian) explained the dreams of some locals to develop the cruise ferry industry from S Petersburg. Some are talking of having up to five vessels.
Before the official visit of two governors to the passenger port of St Petersburg, the commercial director of the Marine Facade Passenger Terminal told the press that the company intends to launch a ferry line that will connect the main ports of the Baltic Sea. “The line will be launched in the first half of 2019,” he said.
It is planned to purchase a less-than-five-year-old ice-class ferry. Which ship this could be is unclear. Also, investors are still being searched for.
The former CEO of St Peter Line Sergey Kotenev (now director of Moby SPL) says PRINCESS ANASTASSIA will start to operate on March 25. He added, “not be afraid of competition.”

Photo: Moby SPL

Feb 08
Love0

A railway tunnel between Helsinki and Tallinn?

By 2018 Newsletter week 06

The “FinEst Link” project states that a fast connection between Helsinki and Tallinn could bring major regional, national benefits and growth potential for Europe.
According to a feasibility study, the railway tunnel would help create a metropolitan twin-city region of three million inhabitants where people, goods and services could move around easily. The expanding labour market would create economic growth, open new possibilities for businesses and improve the quality of life.
A travel time of only 30 minutes would enable daily commuting across the Gulf of Finland.
The investment cost of the railway tunnel has been estimated at €13–20 billion and it should require 15 years to build.
A conference was held on February 7.

Feb 08
Love0

SHORT NEWS

By 2018 Newsletter week 06

STENA FORERUNNER has been fully painted in Stena Line colours after her “white” charter with Transfennica. She is now serving the Rotterdam-Harwich route together with STENA SCOTIA.

  • Ro-pax COPERNICUS arrived in Szczecin on January 30. It is the latest acquisition of Euroafrica Shipping Lines Cyprus Ltd. In May she will operate under the colours of Unity Line between Świnoujście (Poland) and Ystad (Sweden). Unity Line already operates her twin, GALILEUSZ.
  • Ro-pax ferry POLONIA (Unity Line) sees a change in the classification society, from the Polish Register of Shipping to DNVGL. She currently is being overhauled.
  • Seajets purchased the high-speed craft VILLUM CLAUSEN from Færgen. Delivery expected in May 2018.
  • VIKING GRACE has operated from Turku to Stockholm for five years. Port of Turku writes on its LinkedIn page that the ferry will hit the six million passenger mark this week (week 6).
  • Corsica Ferries are running a special 3-day Bastia-Civitavecchia trip on 30 March with the SARDINA REGINA. It will allow people to see the Pope’s Easter blessing.
  • End of January Transport Scotland published its Vessel Replacement and Deployment Plan  The PDF can be downloaded here.

Photo: Glen Lammas

Feb 08
Love0

Successful slipway launch for Victoria

By 2018 Newsletter week 06

Wightlink’s new ferry for the Fishbourne-Portsmouth route -VICTORIA OF WIGHT- is nearing completion. She was launched at the Cemre shipyard in Turkey on Wednesday 7 February.
At the same time Wightlink started to extend the upper car deck of its current flagship ST CLARE to increase her capacity.
Double deck boarding ramps were built and installed at both Portsmouth and Fishbourne car ferry terminals to allow vehicles to be loaded on two levels at the same time.
The arrival of VICTORIA OF WIGHT completes the whole project.

Photo: Wightlink

Feb 01
Love0

Scandlines increases environmental performance

By 2018 Newsletter Week 05

At the end of last year, HASYTEC’s Ultrasound Dynamic Biofilm Protection System was put into operation on Scandlines’ hybrid ferry, BERLIN.
The installation optimizes the seawater cooling systems during summer, when the temperature of the Baltic Sea is increasing and the ferries are sailing at a higher speed due to the large number of customers. In addition to increased operational safety, the reduction in maintenance has a positive impact on the environment.
In contrast to conventional ICAF systems, this system does not release copper in the sea.

Photo Siemens/Ulrich Wirrwa

Feb 01
Love0

FERRY DATA

By 2018 Newsletter Week 05

This week we have started to cooperate with Fakta om Fartyg, a Swedish website known by most shipping aficionados all over the World. The name means ‘facts about ships’, and is really a free database about passenger ships and ro-ro’s.
It is a remarkable passion project, realized by one single man, Mr Micke Asklander from Stockholm. As a hobby. Respect!
When relevant we’ll add a link from a ship’s name to the right place in Fakta om Fartyg. It will help you to refresh your mind and to see which vessel we’re talking about. The website is in Swedish but with the help of Google Translator it shouldn’t be a problem.
Although the data are updated frequently we cannot give any guarantees. A helpful tool it will be, for sure.

PARTNERSHIPS

Feb 01
Love0

Finnlines acquired EUROPALINK

By 2018 Newsletter Week 05

Finnlines Plc’s fully owned Swedish subsidiary, Rederi Aktiebolaget Nordö-Link, has purchased the ro-pax EUROPALINK from the Grimaldi Group. The last few years this ferry was active in the Mediterranean, although she is a sister of the Star-class ro-pax ferries (FINNSTAR, FINNMAID, FINNLADY, NORDLINK).
She will be fitted with scrubbers and get an upgrade of her public spaces in mid-March. She will then sail under Swedish flag on the Malmö–Travemünde route.

Feb 01
Love0

Second Finnlines ro-ro lengthened

By 2018 Newsletter Week 05

Finnlines’ lengthening programme is progressing well according to plan. The second vessel, FINNWAVE, is 30 metres longer, adding 1,000 lane metres of garage deck.
The total capacity is now 4,192 lane metres. She is back in service on the Uusikaupunki/Turku–Travemünde route.
By the end of May, a further two vessels, FINNSUN and FINNSKY, will be lengthened. Finnlines has an option to lengthen two additional vessels. Which ones have not yet been decided yet.

Feb 01
Love0

ICG sells a high-speed ferry and introduces a younger one

By 2018 Newsletter Week 05

Irish Continental announced the sale of JONATHAN SWIFT to Balearia Eurolineas Maritimas S.A. for a price of €15.5 million.
Austal-built JONATHAN SWIFT entered service in 1999. She operated on Irish Ferries’ Dublin – Holyhead route.
The vessel is to be delivered to Balearia by the end of April 2018.
ICG’s high-speed craft WESTPAC EXPRESS (2001), which was recently redelivered following a period of twenty months on external charter, will replace her. She is currently undergoing a refurbishment programme.

Photo: WESTPAC EXPRESS © Irish Ferries