Some 20% of DFDS’ revenue comes from passengers, and 80% book their ferry crossings online. To make it easier for the customer, a new global organisation for passenger marketing and sales has been announced.
The new organisation, starting in October 2017, will replace the current country-based model. As a next big step 17 current passenger websites will be unified at dfds.com at the beginning of 2018.
Copenhagen Malmö Ports’ (CMP) board of directors has decided to appoint Barbara Scheel Agersnap as new CEO. Barbara has been deputy CEO of CMP since June 2015.
The company’s CFO, Jonas Arkestad, will take over the role of deputy CEO and retain his post as CFO.
Tallink had a good month in August. Compared to last year, passengers and freight went up. The Group transported 980,234 passengers (+1.9%), 30,659 cargo units (+14.5%).
The number of passenger cars went down 7.8%, on the routes Finland-Estonia, and Finland-Sweden. On Helsinki-Tallinn Tallink introduced the ro-pax newbuilding MEGASTAR end of January, whilst competitor Viking Line chartered the high-speed catamaran VIKING XPRS for the same route.
The route Latvia-Sweden saw an impressive growth (pax +76.4%, cars +27.9%, freight +141.9%), totally due to the introduction of a second ferry, ROMANTIKA.
Almost one week after the grounding near Ios, ro-pax ferry BLUE STAR PATMOS was refloated. After discharging the cars and trucks in Ios, she will sail to the Piraeus area, for repairs.
In the press and social media Blue Star Ferries has been praised for the professional way of handling the incident.
Grimaldi Group’s boss Emanuele Grimaldi says the acquisition of 50.3% of Hellenic Seaways (HSW) by Attica Group, is against the European competition rules. A complaint will be filed to the ‘Directorate General Competition’ of the European Commission.
Grimaldi Group, already owning 48.53% of HSW was hoping to become the majority shareholder. Until Attica made an agreement with Piraeus Bank (40.5%) and some smaller shareholders, in August. With this acquisition Attica, already operating Blue Star Ferries and Superfast Ferries, is doubling its fleet. Grimaldi, who also controls Minoan Lines (95%), sees this as a threat to fair competition.
Geneva-based shipping company MSC has signed a letter of intent with Guangzhou Shipyard International for four new ro-pax ships, plus four options, says a Fairplay report.
Although an official confirmation has not been given yet, it is believed that the ro-pax ferries will start to be delivered in 2019 to MSC’s subsidiary GNV. The 3,000 lane metre, 2,500-passenger overnight ferries would be LNG-ready.
MSC, who also own Italian ferry company SNAV, acquired the last remaining shares of GNV in January 2016, making it a 100% MSC subsidiary.
GNV operates 10 ro-pax ferries, on 15 routes in the Western Mediterranean.
The ‘Construcciones Navales del Norte shipyard’, known as ‘La Naval,’ has asked the commercial court for protection against its creditors. It has accumulated €80 million losses in 2015 and 2016.
The management said to the staff that the intention is to find a solution to the financial crisis the yard finds itself in.
In July it was reported that the two largest shareholders would abandon their shares, in favour of Manuel del Dago, one of the other shareholders. So far this did not materialize and now the century-old yard is for sale.
Three dredgers and one LNG ferry for Balearia are under construction, or on (firm) order.
Last year, La Naval delivered the Dutch CNG-powered ferry TEXELSTROOM.
The decision to install a new Board at the state-owned ferry operator Jadrolinija still hasn’t been taken. CEO Alan Klanac’s four-year mandate expired already in May but has been extended.
Croatian sources report that up to twenty candidates were in the running to replace Mr Klanac.
Jadrolinija is in an important phase of its history, with several routes being tendered out to other operators, and with the need to renew tonnage.
Tallink Grupp has revealed the new look of its two customer brands Tallink and Silja Line. The logos of the two individual brands will remain the same, the changes made focusing rather on a more modern look and feel of the group’s digital channels, marketing and campaign materials and wider visuals.
The new visual identity will be gradually rolled out across the group over the next 12 months.
Stena Line launched a two-month coffee campaign to support the Mercy Ships charity, in their efforts to deliver free, world-class health care to people in need in the developing world.
A key part of the campaign will see Stena Line customers being given the opportunity to choose to buy coffee or tea in a special Mercy Ships mug, where 20 eurocent will be donated directly to Mercy Ships.
