All Posts By

sandra

Feb 02
2

Competitiveness Compass: A Boost for European Shipping

By | 2025 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments

ECSA – European Shipowners welcome the EU’s new Competitiveness Compass, which underscores competitiveness and open trade as essential for Europe’s security, resilience, and growth. With 76% of EU international trade relying on shipping, the sector is vital to Europe’s energy, food, and supply chain security.

Key highlights from the Competitiveness Compass:

  • Recognises shipping’s essential role in the European economy, in line with the Draghi report.
  • Calls for de-risking investments to accelerate the production of renewable and low-carbon fuels under the upcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP).
  • Supports faster and simpler processes for businesses, including a 25% reduction in reporting burdens (35% for SMEs).

ECSA Secretary General Sotiris Raptis welcomed the initiative, emphasising the need to close the innovation gap and invest in clean tech and fuels for shipping’s role in the energy transition. He also highlighted the importance of open trade as a key driver of Europe’s prosperity and resilience.

Feb 02
2

Progress on ANDROS KING Conversion at Perama

By | 2025 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments

The extensive refit and conversion of Golden Star Ferries’ latest acquisition, ANDROS KING, is progressing rapidly at the Perama Repair Zone. In November 2024, she underwent dry docking and is now being prepared, hopefully, for the summer season of 2025.

The vessel was purchased in July 2024 and delivered in September 2024. She will likely be deployed on the Rafina-Andros-Tinos-Mykonos route. Notably, she is one of the youngest ferries in the Hellenic ferry fleet.

Built in Spain in 2006, ANDROS KING has a carrying capacity of 1,500 passengers and 310 cars (1,200 lane metres). She can operate at a speed of 22.5 knots.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Feb 02
2

New RoRo Line Linking Italy, Turkey, and Libya Set to Sail from Venice

By | 2025 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments

Agencies Srl, a Venice-based shipping agency led by Loris Trevisan, has announced a new RoRo and multipurpose service to Benghazi, Libya—the first of its kind in the Mediterranean.

The company stated: “As general agents for the European market on behalf of Midline Shipping, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new sea transport service to Benghazi, Libya.”

The service will accommodate the following types of cargo:

  • RoRo (trucks, excavators, cars, heavy machinery)
  • General cargo (pallets, cases, crates)
  • Heavy project cargo
  • Containers (20′ DV – 40′ DV)

The route will follow this schedule: Venice (Marghera) – Izmir – Benghazi – Alexandria – Mersin – Benghazi – Venice.

The first sailing is scheduled for 24 February with the RoRo ship MARIN.

Photo: Gordon Dalzell Shipspotting

Feb 02
2

Finnlines Appoints New CFO And Updates Executive Committee’s Responsibilities

By | 2025 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments

Finnlines announced on 19 December 2024 that Thomas Doepel had been appointed as the President and CEO of Finnlines Plc, effective on 1 March 2025. Following this, Finnlines has appointed a new CFO and updated the Executive Committee’s responsibilities.

Santeri Laakso has been appointed as the new CFO and a member of the Executive Committee of Finnlines Plc as of 1 March 2025. In his new role, Mr. Laakso will report to Thomas Doepel.

Thomas Doepel taking over as President and CEO, will lead Finnlines’ Executive Committee and continue being directly responsible for Finnlines Ship Management. In addition, Mr. Doepel will assume direct responsibility for Group Quality and Group Communication.

More details about the roles in the Executive Committee here.

Feb 02
2

PORTS

By | 2025 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments

Annual Figures for Port of Antwerp-Bruges Show Growth Despite Challenging Times

  • Containers were the driving force behind the 2.3% growth in total throughput in the ports of Zeebrugge and Antwerp, amounting to 278 million tons.
  • RoRo throughput decreased by 3.4% in 2024 compared to 2023. This decline was noticeable in transportation equipment, such as new cars (-9.4%), used cars (-31.8%), trucks (-3.2%) and High & Heavy (-22.0%).
  • Belgian car sales were down 5.8% (Jan-Nov), and European electric vehicle sales were also down 5.4% (YTD), mainly due to a sharp drop in Germany.
  • The throughput of unaccompanied cargo on RoRo ferries in Zeebrugge increased by 3.4%, with decreases in traffic to the UK (-2.8%) offset by increases to Ireland (+1.4%), Scandinavia (+16.3%) and Spain/Portugal (+34%).

More details on the Port of Antwerp Bruges website

Feb 02
2

2024: Port Boulogne Calais maintains its momentum

By | 2025 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments
  • Tourist traffic was up by 11% in Calais. 7.6 million passengers (+4%) and 1.4 million vehicles. 68,000 coaches (+13%) used the infrastructure last year, i.e. 3 out of 4 coaches on the Dover Strait.
  • Freight traffic remained steady at 1.8 million units, representing a tonnage of almost 40 million tonnes. On the Strait, more than one lorry in two chooses to use the Port of Calais.
  • Commercial terminal activity rose by 5% to 1.3 million tonnes.
  • Rail motorway services set a new record with 46,000 units, up 10%. 1/3 of freight units transported on rail motorways in France are destined for or depart from the Port of Calais.
  • Traffic in new vehicles increased by a factor of 2.5 over 2024, with 25,000 units.
Feb 02
2

Portsmouth International Port Introduces LNG Bunkering

By | 2025 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments

The SAINT-MALO, the first of two new electric-hybrid ships from Brittany Ferries soon to be entering service from the city, took on LNG fuel from the OPTIMUS, a bunkering barge operated by Titan Clean Fuels.

Titan was issued a permit to perform LNG bunkering operations at Portsmouth International Port earlier this month, following a long-term agreement signed between the Dutch company and Brittany Ferries, for the supply of the cleaner fuel. LNG bunkering is now available to all customers sailing into and out of Portsmouth International Port.

Source: Portsmouth International Port

Feb 02
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2025 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments

RoRo vessel LISTA is being chartered by Smyril Line and began to operate on the route between Rotterdam, Tórshavn, and Þorlákshöfn on Monday, January 27.

The legendary SUPERSTAR of Seajets is currently undergoing her annual maintenance and dry docking at Spanopoulos Group facilities in Salamina. As part of her annual refit, she will also receive her new livery.

The reliable vessel ceased operations on the Volos-Sporades route last November and is expected to resume service on 10 February.

Built in Belgium in 1974, SUPERSTAR continues to be a trusted presence in the fleet.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

On the 24th of January, the RoRo vessel HAWAIKINUI 2 for the Polynesian Navigation Company (SNP, Société de navigation polynésienne), has been christened and launched at the Bodewes Foxhol location.

The vessel will take over from the actual vessel HAWAIKINUI, on the route between Tahiti, Huahine, Raiatea, Taha’a and Bora Bora.

Photo: Royal Bodewes

Jan 28
2

DFDS: 2024 Preliminary Results, 2025 Preliminary Outlook & Financial Ambitions

By | 2025 Newsletter week 04 | No Comments

Preliminary results for 2024     

  • DFDS’ revenue for 2024 increased 9.0% to DKK 29.8bn which was in line with the latest outlook revenue growth range of 8-10%.
  • The 2024 EBIT was DKK 1.5bn in line with the latest EBIT outlook range of DKK 1.5-1.7bn.
  • The adjusted free cash flow for 2024 was DKK 1.0bn compared to an outlook of around DKK 1.2bn.

Preliminary outlook for 2025

  • DFDS’ EBIT for 2025 is expected to be around DKK 1.0bn.
  • The EBIT expectation includes substantial negative earnings impacts from the changed competitive environment of the Mediterranean ferry network. The addition of the Türkiye & Europe South business area (previously Ekol International Transport) to the Logistics Division will as expected also reduce EBIT in 2025.

DFDS will in 2025 focus on:

  • Adapting Mediterranean ferry operations to the changed competitive environment.
  • Turning Türkiye & Europe South around to breakeven by year-end 2025.
  • Progressing the Logistics turnarounds initiated in 2024.
  • Deleveraging the capital structure will also be a priority in 2025 along with a review of non-core asset ownership.

The annual report for 2024 is set for release on 21 February.

Jan 28
2

Grimaldi Group’s Motorways of the Sea Expand to Another Turkish Port

By | 2025 Newsletter week 04 | No Comments

Expansion to Gemlik: Grimaldi Group has added the port of Gemlik (Gemport) to its Trieste-Patras-Ambarli RoRo route, with regular calls starting mid-December 2024.

 Significance: Marks an extension of the Motorways of the Sea to the Asian side of Turkey, strengthening connections in the region.

 Route Development:

  • Launched in September 2024 as a direct service between Trieste (Italy) and Ambarli (Turkey).
  • Enhanced in October 2024 with an intermediate stop in Patras (Greece), creating direct Greece-Turkey links and improving Italy-Turkey connectivity
  • Offers access to Bari and Venice in Italy via transshipment in Patras.

Strategic Location: Gemlik, in Turkey’s industrial heartland, serves the textile and automotive sectors, complementing the route’s logistics network.

 Eco-Friendly Fleet:

  • Served by Grimaldi’s eco-friendly vessels, ECO MALTA and ECO MEDITERRANEA, with twice-weekly calls at each port.
  • Plans to add a third vessel due to increasing demand for quality and sustainable transport.

Source: Grimaldi Group