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2019 newsletter week 19

May 09
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TOP STORY

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DFDS Opens New Route Between Zeebrugge and Gothenburg for Stora Enso

9 May, DFDS and Stora Enso have entered into a 5-year agreement to annually carry around 700,000 tons of paper and board products between Gothenburg and Zeebrugge.

To accommodate the volumes of the agreement, DFDS will open a route between Gothenburg, Sweden, and Zeebrugge, Belgium.

The new route will be operated by three ro-ro ferries. Two ro-ro ferries – SLINGEBORG and SCHIEBORG – will be acquired for DKK 270m. These vessels were originally designed for the route, and for this cargo. They were chartered by Stora Enso and operated by SOL Continent Line since November 2014. The ships will no longer be available to SOL Continent Line, which means that the SOL service between Gothenburg and Zeebrugge will end on 17 June, 2019. (read the SOL press release here)

DFDS will also transfer one ro-ro from DFDS’ existing route between Gothenburg and Ghent that currently deploys four freight ferries.

The new Zeebrugge-Gothenburg route is expected to begin operating mid-June, 2019.

Stora Enso has the option to extend the agreement with three year.

May 09
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FERRY SHIPPING

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Scandlines Files a Lawsuit Against the Plan Approval for the Construction of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link

Scandlines filed a lawsuit against the “plan approval” decision for the construction of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link at the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig (8 May).

In the Federal Republic of Germany, the “plan approval” is a special administrative procedure to be carried out on the permissibility of significant infrastructure projects.

Despite numerous adjustments to the plan documents in the course of the planning approval procedure, a large number of planning deficits have still not been remedied. Some of these unresolved issues have a direct negative impact on Scandlines’ ferry and business operations.

“After extensive examination of the documents established by the decision of 31 January 2019 we came to the conclusion that this legal step is inevitable. Scandlines will continue to operate after the tunnel opening. In the future, we want to continue to offer our customers the same high-quality ferry service we have been offering for over 55 years, “says Søren Poulsgaard Jensen, Scandlines’ CEO.

While the Danish project promoter denies the possibilities of a ferry operation parallel to the tunnel, an expert report commissioned by the planning approval authority comes to a completely different conclusion. This will continue to attribute 40% of the roadside freight traffic to the ferry line – plus a significant number of passengers.

The prerequisite for this, however, is fair and balanced tunnel planning, which also takes into account the legitimate interests of Scandlines.

May 09
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HSC GOLDEN EXPRESS, to Fast Ferries or to Golden Star Ferries?

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Τhe recent “alliance” between Fast Ferries and Golden Star Ferries proved to be a short-lived one.

On October 2018, they purchased the HSC EXPRESS (5.903gt/1998) from the Nordic HSC, together, and agreed to reconciliate and face up together their common rival, the Seajets. They intended to rename the ship GOLDEN EXPRESS and to introduce her on the Rafina-Syros-Mykonos-Paros-Naxos-Koufonisia-Amorgos run. However, plans failed.

It remains to be seen which partner will finally take over the ship, which currently undergoing repairs refurbishment works at Perama.

May 09
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Eckerö Acquires Ro-Pax To Cope with Increased Cargo and Car Traffic on Finland – Estonia

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News from the Eckerö side:

  • Rederi Ab Eckerö has signed a letter of intent to acquire P&O Ferries’ ro-pax EUROPEAN ENDEAVOUR.
  • The sturdy Spanish-built vessel will be chartered her out to subsidiary Eckerö Line, for a new twice-daily service Helsinki Vuosaari – Tallinn, to cope with the increased cargo and passenger car traffic.
  • Finnish flag.
  • 2,130 lane metres / 366 pax.
  • Crossing time 3 hours.
  • The ferry will start operating from Helsinki’s Vuosaari to Tallinn’s A terminal in summer.
  • Vuosaari is a place east of Helsinki. Having the service operating from this terminal will help to reduce the traffic congestion in the centre of Helsinki.
  • Eckerö will continue to operate ro-pax ferry FINLANDIA from the terminal in Helsinki.

(the photo was taken in 2005, when the vessel operated for Norfolkline on Dunkerque – Dover)

News from P&O Ferries:

  • Ro-ro vessel MISTRAL, which has been covering the Liverpool – Dublin route during the refit season, will remain on the route so there will be no immediate change to the frequency of the P&O sailings.
  • MISTRAL = 1,625 lane metre / 12 drivers.
  • Other ships on P&O’s Liverpool – Dublin service: NORBANK/NORBAY
May 09
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New CEO for Trasmediterranea

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Francisco Oviedo Raposo (Madrid, 1971) has been named CEO of Trasmediterranea, the centennial shipping company that has recently been acquired by Grupo Armas.

The new CEO has extensive experience in the sector and has been linked for more than twenty years to the maritime port sector. Oviedo has been director of Ports of OHL Concesiones during the last ten years and before CEO of Boluda Corporación Marítima.

He holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration and a master’s degree in Commercial Management and Marketing (ESIC). He has a solid background in finance and has led important investment and divestment processes, legal reorganization and refinancing in companies in the sector.

May 09
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Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrum Is Taking Delivery of Its Newbuilt Catamaran RÜM HART

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German island ferry operator W.D.R. takes delivery of catamaran ferry RÜM HART for operations in the Wadden Sea.

  • Catamaran boasts modern, comfortable accommodation for an efficient transport of up to 250 passengers (150 in winter).
  • Design was developed by Conoship International.
  • Challenge was service speed 16 knots in shallow waters, even against the tide.
  • Shipyard: Thecla Bodewes Shipyards in Harlingen, The Netherlands.
  • Namegiving ceremony 15 May, in Wyk.
  • She will be on charter to Adler-Schiffe GmbH & Co. KG, a German operator specialised in day excursions and Wadden Sea passenger transport.
May 09
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FERRY PORTS

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First Sod Turned For Port Of Ystad’s New Berths

May 2, the Polish vice Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Waterways together with local political representatives turned the first sod in Port of Ystad’s anticipated building project. The ceremony marked the official start of the building of the Port’s new ferry berths, an extensive infrastructural project co-financed by the EU.

On Thursday afternoon, May 2, the Polish vice Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Waterways Grzegorz Witkowski together with Ystad’s chair of the Municipal executive board, Kristina Bendz, turned the first sod in Port of Ystad’s new building project,

The name of the EU project is ”Cargo Capacity Upgrade and LNG Bunkering Swinoujscie – Ystad maritime link”. In addition to the building of two new ferry berths, the project encompasses an LNG powered vessel for the Polish shipping company Polferries, and an LNG bunkering ship for the port of Świnoujście.

Caption: Kristina Bendz, chair of the Municipal executive board of Ystad, and Poland’s vice Minister Grzegorz Witkowski broke ground for the building of Port of Ystad’s new ferry berths.

May 09
2

New Headquarters For DFDS

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DFDS and the pension fund investor PensionDanmark signed an agreement to build a new head office for DFDS in Copenhagen.

It will be built at Marmorvej near the Copenhagen – Oslo route’s terminal.

The new headquarters will give the opportunity to gather all head-office staff and functions in the same building, and at the same time offer great and modern facilities.

The new head office will be constructed by PensionDanmark and rented by DFDS.

It will be a building offering six floors and 12,500 square meters for 700 people with offices, meeting rooms, fitness facilities, car and bike parking and a big auditorium, among other things.

DFDS plans to move in 2021.