2019 Newsletter week 49

Stena Line’s newest ferry Stena Estrid has departed the AVIC Weihai Shipyard, bound for its new home on the Irish Sea.

Stena Estrid is the first of five next generation Stena Line ropax vessels to be completed.

Manned by a much-reduced crew of 27, with no passengers on board, the ship will travel on a journey of well over 10,000 miles.

The first stage of the voyage is a week-long 2,657 nautical miles trip across the South China and then East China Sea to Singapore, travelling at an economical speed of 17 knots which, uniquely to Estrid and her sister ships, can be achieved by running just one of its 12600kW main engines, thus minimising fuel consumption.

Estrid will then proceed through the Malacca Straits to Sri Lanka, before crossing the Indian Ocean and making its way to the Suez Canal.

Once through the Suez Canal, the ship will head west across the Mediterranean Sea, continuing at 15 knots until it reaches Gibraltar where it will stop for more fuel and provisions, and to welcome more crew members who will undertake familiarisation and training during the final leg of the journey.

Once in Holyhead, final preparations will begin to get Estrid ready to start service on the route in mid-January.

Stena RoRo has sold the ropax Kaiarahi to Kiwirail Ltd. The latter has been chartering the vessel since many years for the New Zealand Interislander ferry service.

KiwiRail is expected to buy two new, large, rail-enabled ferries to replace the current three-ship Interislander fleet.

UK shipbuilder Wight Shipyard Co. is continuing its success in the fast ferry sector securing an order for four vessels from Malta’s tourism Leaders, Captain Morgan.

The order, from Captain Morgan Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Fortina Investments Ltd, consists of four new build vessels, two 20m and two 33m catamarans, all to be designed by One2Three Naval Architects.

Peter Morton, CEO, Wight Shipyard, said: “We have been working with One2Three to develop lighter, more fuel-efficient ferries with the subsequent reduction of fuel costs.  The operators see the long-term benefits in using less fuel and thereby reducing carbon emissions. We are also working to integrate the boarding design for the ancient wharves and docks of the towns of Malta.”

Attica Group publishes its Corporate Responsibility Report for 2018 in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) ‘Sustainability Reporting Standards’ guidelines (at ‘Core’ option). The 2018 Report is Attica Group’s 10th overall Corporate Responsibility Report and indicates 10 years of continuous Accountability related to Corporate Responsibility.

Being the first passenger shipping company worldwide to follow GRI Standards for Corporate Responsibility Reporting as of 2016, the present Report refers to 84 GRI disclosures, extends the reference to a total of 225 quantitative indicators to enhance transparency and presents 42 future objectives, and includes the newly acquired Hellenic Seaways after the acquisition of its share capital.

Besides presenting the Group’s actions, results and objectives, the Report’s publication aims to enhance dialogue with all Stakeholders on Corporate Responsibility issues, as it transparently and clearly describes the Group’s progress, as well as the areas where the Group should intensify its efforts for further improvement.

Cosulich Took a Stake in the Company Expected to Provide LNG to Ferries and Cruise Ships in Genoa  

Fratelli Cosulich has formally made a step forward in the process of entering the Italian LNG bunker market taking a stake in GNL Med, a purpose-built joint venture previously 50-50 controlled by Novella (physical supplier in the port of Genoa today) and Autogas groups.

Andrea Cosulich, chairman of GNL Med, confirmed that Fratelli Cosulich “has a 33% stake” and now the company “will go on looking for a dedicated loan and the right shipyard to build a new LNG bunker tanker”. He further added: “We already have the project and the technical details for the vessel but we are still waiting to know from the local authorities in Genoa and in the Liguria region where the LNG storage terminal will be located”.

As for the shipyard the GNL Med’s chairman also stated: “We are looking at those few shipbuilders with some experience and references in making LNG bunker tankers”.

MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises and some other ferry companies have asked the local port authority to speed up any potential project aimed at giving shipping companies the possibility to receive LNG from bunker barges.

Snam, Italy’s leading gas utility company and manager of the regasification plant of Panigaglia, is thinking of creating a maritime bridge between the two sides of the Gulf of La Spezia. Roro barges or small ferries would be used to transport LNG tank trucks, in order to be directly connected to the national road network instead of using the local urban roads.

Snam’s 2019-2023 strategic plan mentions that a €50 million investment is planned “for the construction of two small liquefaction plants (Small Scale LNG), one in the North and one in Southern Italy, and for the upgrading of the Panigaglia terminal in order to allow the loading of tankers and foster the use of LNG for heavy transport, industry and residential buildings for a total capacity of 250 thousand tons per year”.

The plan further specifies that “there is also the possibility of adapting the Panigaglia plant to allow the loading of naval units to develop the use of LNG in maritime transport. A similar activity is being developed by OLT, the regasification terminal off the Tuscan coast between Livorno and Pisa, of which Snam will acquire a 49.07% stake.”

Between January 1 and November 30, Port of Almeria has seen an increase in traffic to and from North Africa.

• +2.1% Passengers (900,550)
• +4.8% Cars (215,520)

More than half of the passenger movements (582.378) occurred in the summer months, during the so-called OPE. This is a rise of 4.2%.

The numbers of cars during that period increased with 6.8% (131,425)

Ten-T Policy Review Must Bring Maritime Links on Equal Footing with Land Links

The European Commission has kicked-off the process for reviewing the 2013 TEN-T guidelines with a public consultation before summer. ESPO believes the review should not lead to a complete change of direction in the TEN-T policy. The rationale of the 2013 guidelines remains the same: achieving an efficient, sustainable and multimodal Transport Infrastructure Network in Europe.

The ESPO however believes that the European Commission should use the review as an opportunity to level the playing field between the maritime and the land links.

Western Estonian islands, Ministry Opt to Order New Ferry

Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Taavi Aas met with the municipal mayors of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa Municipalities to discuss the purchase of an additional vessel, deciding together that buying a new ferry would be a more reasonable solution than buying a second-hand vessel.