“The British decision to leave the EU had caused many, many headaches but let me take one away from you. In terms of maritime access, we have got the CELINE. Shipping will provide, it always does.”
CLdN shipowner Christian Cigrang, at the christening ceremony of CLdN’s ro-ro CELINE, in the port of Dublin on Friday April 20.
A report and a video from this glorious day can be seen in The Irish Times.
Last October, Ferry Shipping News reported that Acciona reached an agreement to sell its 92.7% stake in Trasmediterranea to the Naviera Armas Group.
The deal was expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018, after it had been approved by the competition authorities. This has not happened yet, writes OK Diaro (in Spanish).
The transaction is still pending the approval of the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC). Whether or not a monopoly situation is created is the question. Armas is confident.
Photo: Mike Louagie
Baleària might receive additional funds to those granted by the European Union to reopen the Motorway of the Seas route between Gijón and Saint Nazaire. LD Lines closed this route in 2014.
On the Spanish side, several administrative bodies such as the city and the region are prepared to invest, if one of the five converted ferries is being used on the Spain – France route. Balearia asked the EU grants to convert five ferries into LNG-powered ships, but already said it wouldn’t be enough to cover all costs
Based on the loss made by the two-month strike of MyFerryLink staff in 2015, the Chamber of Commerce and the Port of Calais went to court. They demand France to pay the sum of EUR 1.8 million to compensate for the losses, reports Nord Littoral (in French).
They also accuse the State and its police forces to act differently when incidents happen with the Eurotunnel. As soon as someone tries to block the Chunnel police forces are intervening immediately. In stark contrast, Port of Calais was blocked regularly during two months, and nothing happened to prevent this.
On his LinkedIn page, Seatruck Ferries’ CEO Alistair Eagles wrote a summary on the publication of Volume 15 of the Irish Maritime Transport Economist by the IMDO.
2017 saw just a 1% increase in driver accompanied shipments where the driver travels with the ship. In contrast unaccompanied trailer shipments grew by 6%.
60.8% of total Irish Sea freight now moves on an unaccompanied basis.
Former ferry ISHIKARI / GRAND SPRING arrived in Perama, Greece on Monday April 23 as ASTERION II. She has been acquired by ANEK. Most probably she’ll operate on Patras – Venice, as replacement for ELYROS which will be chartered by Algerie Ferries.
Photo: Apostolos Kaknis
Wasaline’s Best Q1 Ever
Wasaline continues to grow with new record volumes for the first quarter of the year and increases its market share between the traffic in Sweden and Finland.
There was an increase of 13.6% on the passenger side, and the turnover increased 10,7%.
Cargo showed new record volumes with an increase of 452 units (+ 12.5%) and transported 18% more freight.
The World’s Largest Plug-In Hybrid Ship Begins To Take Form
The construction of the ‘Color Hybrid’ reached an important milestone when the assembly of 14 large blocks started at Crist Shipyard in Gdynia, Poland. Color Line’s ro-pax ferry will be the world’s largest battery-hybrid ship when entering service between Sandefjord and Strømstad in June next year.
Gotlandsbolaget says on its website that their new ship under construction in China will be ready in July. First sea trials have been done, and more trials are expected.
After the delivery trip the vessel will be phased in after summer.
The delivery delay is caused by the need to move the vessel to a newly built yard outside of Guangzhou. However, this does not affect the contractual capacity with the Swedish State.
Photo: Gotlandsbolaget
Finnish Archipelago Ltd, which is part of the Finferries Group, has purchased half the stock of the Åland-based company Ansgar Ab.
Ansgar Ltd’s operations continue as previously with archipelago traffic for the Åland Government.
For Finferries it is a logic extension of the business area. The company already chartered ships to Ansgar. This company currently operates 44 ferry routes in Finland. Ansgar Ab has three routes in the Åland archipelago.
