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2018 Newsletter week 48

Nov 30
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Marseille Fos Set To Offer LNG Bunkering

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Work is underway for the imminent provision of LNG bunkering facilities at Marseille Fos following a feasibility study initiated by the port authority.

In late 2017 the authority set up a working group to examine relevant logistical options for supporting the promotion of LNG as an environmentally friendly marine fuel.  The group included interested shipowners, the managers of the two LNG terminals in Fos – Elengy and Fosmax LNG – and supplier Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions.

A master plan developed earlier this year detailed the investment schedule and possible operational methods that would enable implementation within a short time frame, with two solutions confirmed as feasible:

  • the rapid development of refuelling facilities via trucks, which initially would serve ferries and then continue as an option if refuelling vessels were unavailable.
  • putting one or more refuelling vessels in place to serve cruise, ferry and container vessels

Preparations have now started with this timescale in mind.  Fosmax LNG is investing to adapt its Fos Cavaou terminal to receive small LNG refuelling carriers from next summer in a service offering 50 slots per year.  Meanwhile Elengy is planning an extension at the Fos Tonkin terminal that will provide 100 loading slots per year for small refuelling vessels from 2021.

Nov 30
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FINANCE

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Irish Continental Group: Containers Are Doing Better Than Ferries

Irish Ferries, the ICG ferry division had a difficult year with the problems with ULYSSES and the late delivery of the W.B. YEATS.

This is in contrast to ICG’s other divisions –containers and terminal lifts–, which did perform well.

Some data:

-7.2% cars 1 January – 31 October (-7.3% loss in sailings)

-11.2% cars since 30 June

-0.8% ro-ro freight units 1 January – 31 October (-4.1% cruise ferry sailings)

-5.6% ro-ro freight units since 30 June (reason: significant disruptions to the schedules on the Dublin Holyhead route due to technical difficulties affecting the flagship vessel ULYSSES).

The W.B. YEATS, currently under construction in Flensburg will be ready for delivery during early December.

-6.7% total revenues ferry division €172.1 million (1 January – 31 October)

€4.9 million of the decrease is attributable to lower external vessel charter earnings following the disposal of the KAITIKI and the JONATHAN SWIFT.

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Nov 30
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Stena Group: Highlights From The Interim Report

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The Ferry Operations Division has produced positive results for the Stena AB Group.

EBITDA, excluding net gain on sale of assets, increased compared to last year due to continued increased volumes for cars (3%), freight (3%) and passengers (2%)

Stena RoRo secured long term charters for three ro-pax newbuildings:

  • a 5+5 year bareboat charter with Brittany Ferries with delivery 2020 –
  • a 10-year bareboat charter with Brittany Ferries with delivery 2021
  • a 10-year bareboat charter with DFDS with delivery 2021
  • Stena has decided to exercise its option to build a seventh and eighth E-Flexer vessel. The two vessels will be deployed within Stena Line’s route network with a planned delivery in 2022.
  • Additionally, Stena RoRo has secured an option on the construction of a further three E-Flexer vessels also to be built at Avic Weihai Shipyard, China.
  • A total of eight vessels have now been ordered by Stena from Avic Weihai Shipyard in China. Three of the vessels will be chartered out to external ferry operators by Stena RoRo.

STENA CARRIER has been sold and delivered in August 2018.

STENA FREIGHTER has been sold and delivered in October 2018.

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Nov 30
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TECHNOLOGY

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Global Eagle Entertainment Wins Luxury Cruise Contract

Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. has been selected by French luxury expedition cruise company Ponant to provide new technology, entertainment and television for its entire fleet, including the five vessels still under construction.

“PONANT customers demand the best amenities on board and we are proud to be a valued partner that helps to enrich time during each voyage,” said Global Eagle Senior VP Maritime Ole Sivertsen. “As each new ship goes to sea, it will have the newest technology and premium entertainment to ensure great experiences on board.”

Global Eagle delivers more than 10,000 terabytes of content annually to more than 1,000 sea vessels and more than 1 billion passengers. The company is among the world’s largest providers of connectivity-driven content to cruise lines, ferries, commercial shipping and airlines, with customers including NCL Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line and P&O Ferries.

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Nov 30
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IN THE MEDIA

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Two Strategic Partners Interested In Uljanik Shipyard

Croatian minister of economy Darko Horvat said that currently two serious strategic partners were interested in Uljanik’s Pula shipyard: Fincantieri and Ukraine Smart Holding Group.

The clock is ticking for the yard: by mid-December an automatic launch of a bankruptcy procedure will be activated, when the 120-day deadline expires. The minister believes a bankruptcy can be avoided.

Brodosplit might also be interested in investing in the ailing Uljanik Rijeka shipyard, eventually together with Fincantieri.

Source: Total Croatia News
Nov 30
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First The Integration Of HSW In Attica Group, Then More Negotiations About A Sale

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Unfortunately in Greek, this article gives some insight into the recent discussions about the possible sale from Attica to Fortress. Some highlights:

Any discussions about the future sale of Attica Group have been frozen for the time being and are expected to restart in the first quarter of 2019.

Now the priority is to finalize the absorption of Hellenic Seaways. In November all ferry companies are obliged by law to submit the ferry routes for next year.

A potential buyer needs to understand what he is buying, and that is only possible when the integration of HSW in the route network becomes clear.

According to the Competition Commission’s, the Attica Group needs to free up space for competition, if it is having a monopoly position on one of the routes.

For example, if a competitor declares to the Competition Commission that he wishes to launch a ship on the same route, then Attica will have to decommission one of the two ships operating there.

For the scenario involving the Grimaldi Group, financial analysts believe that Emanuele Grimaldi will not enter Attica. They believe he just wants Attica to “clean up” the coastal shipping market in order to have pure business logic schemes. For that reason, Emanuele Grimaldi has occasionally described the Attica Group as “one of the best companies in the industry, along with P & O and Stena.”

  • Piraeus Bank holds 31.2% of MIG, which is MIG’s parent of Attica Group, holding 89.38% of its shares. Attica Group owns Superfast Ferries, Blue Star Ferries and HSW. Also, part of the Attica Group’s lending belongs to the Fortress investment group, which has the right to convert Attica’s bond loans into shares.
  • Piraeus Bank holds 24.18% of ANEK, which is one of the three poles of Greek coastal shipping. It indirectly holds another similar percentage of ANEK together with other banks through pledge on pledge. Also, Piraeus Bank together with other banks converted ANEK’s borrowings into convertible bonds, so it potentially holds another percentage of the company.
  • ANEK cooperates with Superfast Ferries on the Adriatic and Crete routes through a consortium.
  • Piraeus Bank, like all Greek banks, has signed a three-year agreement with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition to agree that within three years they must have sold all their shares in activities that are not related to banking, such as equity, real estate, insurance, hotels, etc. Sales must be completed by the end of 2018.
  • Based on this agreement, the Bank will also have to sell its holdings in the shipping companies. This process began with HSW and will reasonably be followed by Attica Group and ANEK.
  • The Grimaldi Group fully controls Minoan Lines.
Source: New Money (in Greek)(by Minas Tsamopoulos)
Nov 30
0

SHORT NEWS

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Baleària’s MARIE CURIE is afloat

Cantiere Navale Visentini has launched MARIE CURIE, the second LNG ro-pax for Baleària. Practically all of its structure has been completed. At present 50% of the construction has been exceeded. In addition, both engines and LNG tanks and main equipment are already on board.

HYPATÍA DE ALEJANDRÍA will start operating at the beginning of next year, and the MARIE CURIE a few months later.

  • The Madeira Legislative Assembly is asking the Portuguese Government for a ro-pax service between Lisbon and Funchal, throughout the year, and not only in summer.