2019 Newsletter week 3

• Belfast’s Harland and Wolff Shipyard has been chosen for Stena Line’s Irish Sea ferry refits
• The 10-week upgrade schedule will see five Stena Line vessels dry docked consecutively to facilitate refurbishment and maintenance works.
• DFDS’ SUECIA SEAWAYS had a boiler issue last week. The black smoke led to some thinking she was on fire, which made it to the local press.
• DFDS’ OPTIMA SEAWAYS suffered a stern door hydraulic failure this week, when arriving in Karlshamn from Klaipeda. Lorries and cars could not be offloaded, and the next sailing had to be cancelled. DFDS offered hotel accommodation to the customers booked on the cancelled crossing.
• Tallink’s ISABELLE, active on the route Stockholm-Riga, was damaged last week in a storm. Her bow suffered quite some damage. Maritime Administration of Latvia inspectors declared the ferry safe after repair works and inspection.
• Finnlines’ EUROPALINK collided with the dock at Travemünde, on 8 January, due to strong gusts of wind. The pier at the Skandinavienkai was slightly damaged, as well as the stern of the ship.
• Balearia’s fast catamaran JAUME II is to move to Balearia Caribbean. The HSC will replace the company’s current ferry, the JAUME I, sailing between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Freeport, Grand Bahama, in two and a half hours.
• There is to be a TV dramatisation of the NORMAN ATLANTIC disaster in the Canadian ‘Disasters at Sea’ series.
• P&O Ferries’ SPIRIT OF BRITAIN has been reflagged from British to Cypriotic flag

It Is That Time Of The Year Again

Gdansk has again seen a massive gathering of ferries for winter overhaul.

The Polish website Portalmorski has published a video showing up to seven ferries at Gdańska Stocznia Remontowa SA.

Watch drone footage on YouTube (2:11)