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2017 Newsletter week 43

Oct 26
0

Gothenburg – Zeebrugge, a success story for SOL Continent Line

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Mr Ragnar Johansson, managing director SOL Lines

Although Swedish Orient Line, or SOL, exists since 1911, it is only recently that the Swedish company started a liner service. In 2010, one of its five divisions –SOL Continent Line– began to operate a regular ro-ro service between Helsingborg and Travemünde. Now SOL Continent Line has expended significantly, and has become a main player in the ro-ro liner business.
SOL Continent Line’s managing director Ragnar Johansson invited us onboard ro-ro vessel SCHIEBORG in the Belgian port of Zeebrugge, where we could witness how the ship was jam-packed with cargo.

The full interview with MR Ragnar Johansson can be read here
Oct 26
0

Acciona sells Trasmediterranea to Naviera Armas Group

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Acciona has finally reached an agreement to sell its 92.7% stake in Trasmediterranea to the Naviera Armas Group.

Acciona’s stake is being sold for EUR 260.4 million, and the buyer will assume EUR 127.3 million of debt owed by Trasmediterranea to Acciona group companies.

The deal will foreseeably be completed in the first quarter of 2018, once it has been approved by the competition authorities.

The disposal responds to Acciona’s goal of concentrating on its core business: sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy.

Since it was acquired by Acciona in 2002, Trasmediterranea has become firmly established as Spain’s largest shipping company and one of Europe’s leading ferry operators. It sails a total of 32 routes, mainly linking mainland Spain with the Balearic Islands, North Africa and the Canary Islands.

It also provides logistics, shipping agency and cruise ship handling services, and operates five port terminals.

Last year, it transported 2.5 million passengers (+2.3%), 5.8 million lane meters of cargo (+2.3%) and 576,000 vehicles (+5.7%).

Photo © Mike Louagie

Read the Acciona Press Release here
Oct 26
0

Destination Gotland to operate on Västervik in summer 2018

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In a press release Destination Gotland’s CEO Christer Bruzelius announced that next year the company would again offer crossings between Visby (Gotland) and Västervik, in the archipelago on the Swedish east coast.

After 30 years, Destination Gotland returned to Västervik during the summer season 2017, between June 22 and August 14.

Some 57,000 passengers have been transported on 100 trips. The maximum capacity was 70,000.

Photo © Mike Louagie

Oct 26
0

P&O Ferrymasters increases capacity of Poznan-Rotterdam train by 25%

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P&O Ferrymasters has added a 5th rotation per week to its new rail link between Poznan (Poland) and Rotterdam. This increase in capacity is the result of exceptional demand.

The train launched in June and operates in conjunction with Polish logistics company Erontrans. It provides a link between the CLIP terminal in Swarzedz-Poznan to Europoort in Rotterdam, from where cargoes are transported to Britain via P&O Ferries.

Each train consists of 36 huckepack trailers able to carry up to 28 tonnes each. Its journey from Poznan to Rotterdam takes 20 hours.

Photo © Radek Kopras

Oct 26
0

CONDOR LIBERATION temporarily withdrawn for some technical issues

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Following a comprehensive dive inspection overnight in Poole damage was detected in the three jet propulsion buckets of catamaran CONDOR LIBERATION. As a result of these technical issues, Condor Ferries cancelled the sailings between Poole and the Channel Islands until November 6. Condor is implementing a revised schedule in line with published contingency plans to maintain passenger and freight services across its network of routes. Instead CONDOR RAPIDE will operate a revised schedule.

Photo: CONDOR LIBERATION © Condor Ferries

Oct 26
0

Interim 8-month report Rederi AB Gotland

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Rederi AB Gotland, a subsidiary of Trojaborg AB, published its interim report for the period 1 January – 31 August 2017 (the full year ends 31 December).

The company has subsidiaries in the hotel business, property management, tanker shipping, ship repair and ferries. The latter operates as Destination Gotland AB between mainland Sweden and the domestic island of Gotland with ro-pax ferries VISBY and GOTLAND, HSC GOTLANDIA and GOTLANDIA II, and ro-ro GUTE.

The current agreement for Gotland traffic with the Swedish Transport Administration extends until January 2027. The company has two LNG ro-paxes on order in China.

Group’s operating profit amounted to SEK 327 million (374).

Profit after financial income and expenses decreased from SEK 382 million to SEK 304 million.

Turnover was SEK 1,653 million (1,528).

Photo : GOTLANDIA © Mike Louagie

Download the full report here (in Swedish)
Oct 26
0

Stena Line and the Port of Trelleborg inaugurate onshore power supply

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As the first ferry company in the Port of Trelleborg, Stena Line will now be connecting up its two ro-pax vessels SKÅNE and MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN to the electricity grid during calls into port.

Stena Line is a pioneer in this field. Cold ironing is now reality in four of Stena Line’s six ports in Sweden. Throughout Stena Line’s route network, 17% of the ports are connected.

“Planning work is under way to enable us to connect vessels in more of our ports. The objective is for 25% of the ports by 2020 and 7% by 2030,” says Stena Line’s CEO Niclas Mårtensson.

Photo © Stena Line

Oct 26
0

Ro-ro is thriving in Port of Antwerp

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The freight volume handled by the port of Antwerp continues to expand. After nine months the total this year stands at 167.1 million tonnes, an increase of 3.3% compared with the same period last year.

Ro-ro freight is experiencing strong growth this year: so far it is up 10.7% to 3,752,577 tonnes. In particular there have been strong imports of paper carried as ro-ro, up by 250,000 tonnes or 89%.

But in fact both imports and exports of rolling stock have expanded on most trading routes. In the meantime the number of cars handled has risen by 3.4% to 919,793

Photo: VASALAND, SOL Continent Line on the River Scheldt © Mike Louagie

Oct 26
2

CLDN’s CELINE, the biggest shortsea ro-ro arrived in Europe

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CLdN is deploying the brand new ro-ro vessel CELINE on the Rotterdam – Zeebrugge – Dublin connection. The ship with a capacity of almost 8,000 lane meter, is the biggest ro-ro vessel on a shortsea route. Next year, sistership DELPHINE will join.

CLdN CELINE arrived in Zeebrugge on Saturday October 21, after a 42-day delivery trip from Korea. She docked at the Albert II dock in Zeebrugge, where C.Ro Ports has taken a new terminal into use to consolidate all the non-UK freight. The Brittaniadock is now strictly used for UK-related loads.

CELINE is deployed on CLdN’s route between Dublin, Ireland and Zeebrugge. The rotation of the ship is: Dublin – Zeebrugge – Rotterdam – Zeebrugge – Dublin. A round trip includes Zeebrugge twice. The first time for unloading, the second time for loading.

The ship arrived in Rotterdam on Tuesday, October 24, from where she started her regular schedule.

Photo CELINE in Zeebrugge for the first time © Mike Louagie