Red Ship Number Eight Joins The Corsican Fleet

By | 2020 Newsletter week 24 | No Comments

A NEPITA is seen leaving Greece after a serious technical overhaul in Perama (scrubber). She has in the meanwhile arrived in Marseille, as the 8th ferry in Corsica Linea’s fleet. Instead of the planned crossings between Marseille and Algeria she will sail to Corsica, on the routes to Ajaccio and Bastia. The reason is Covid-19.

As from June 23, she will do 2 return crossings on Bastia, and two on Ajaccio.

As from mid-August she will operate 7 crossings on the Ajaccio route.

Formerly STENA SUPERFAST X, she is on a long-term charter from Stena RoRo. She will fly the French flag, with only French crew on board.

A Nepita, was named after Corsican marjoram, an endemic plant emblematic of island biodiversity.

(140 trucks and 100 cars / 1930 lane metres / 1200 pax / 173 cabins)

CLdN Starts Triangular Route between Spain and Irish Sea

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CLdN will start the first pure roro service in a triangular trade between Santander, Liverpool and Dublin.

  • When: week 25 (19 June 2020)
  • Frequency: one sailing per week
  • Route: Santander (Friday) – Liverpool (Sunday) – Dublin (Monday) – Liverpool (Wednesday) – Santander (Friday)
  • Reason: an increasing demand from trailer, container and project cargo operators for a direct connection from Iberia to the UK and Ireland in certain markets.
  • Pure unaccompanied freight = no restrictive issues as with drivers/passengers

New DFDS Route Between Frederikshavn (DK) And Oslo

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When DFDS resumes sailings on the Oslo – Copenhagen ferry route from 25 June, a new ferry route between Frederikshavn and Oslo will open at the same time.

It will not be possible for passengers to travel between Copenhagen and Frederikshavn only. That’s why DFDS calls it two separate routes.

The target group for the new route is in the first place passengers travelling with their own car for transport purposes (not mini cruise). Onboard facilities and experiences will be adapted to this target group. The route between Copenhagen and Oslo will also focus more on transporting passengers when it resumes service.

“We look forward to welcoming passengers travelling between Denmark and Norway for holidays in summer houses and hotels or other purposes. The new route will also contribute to tourism and trade in and around Frederikshavn and Oslo. We also look forward to welcoming freight customers on the route,” says Torben Carlsen, CEO of DFDS.

Scandlines: The Blue Border Between Germany And Denmark Reopens

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After 13 weeks during which the borders have only been open for transportation of goods or persons with a worthy purpose to cross the border, all borders between Germany and Denmark reopen on June 15 – and that of course includes the blue border, where Scandlines operates.

Scandlines’ shops on board and BorderShop Puttgarden will also open on June 15, whereas BorderShop Rostock has been open since June 2. It is of course possible to get something to eat and drink on board all ferries, where two out of three options are open.

”Although we have been able to maintain part of our freight traffic, the lockdown will have a considerable impact on our bottom line. We expect that the remainder of 2020 will be affected by the crisis and therefore we work hard to alleviate the effect of keeping the operation running with much lower income for several months,” says Søren Poulsgaard Jensen.

Grimaldi Formally Opposed State Aid To Ferry Companies In Italy And Finland

By | 2020 Newsletter week 24 | No Comments

Emanuele Grimaldi, CEO of Grimaldi Group, exclusively announced to Ferry Shipping News that his company has formally opposed the financial measures decided in Italy and in Finland to support some ferry competitors.

“We have formally contested, both on the local market and in Europe, those measures aimed at giving financial support specifically to some companies and which is selective, discriminatory and capable of distorting competition” Grimaldi said.

Legal actions have been promoted and addressed to Rome and Bruxelles for the EUR 72 million public subsidies extended by the Italian government to Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione (part of Onorato Armatori and operating Tirrenia’s fleet and routes) until 18 July 2021.

A similar action was taken in Finland against the National Emergency Supply Agency which “has already granted financial support to four out of seven commercial operators securing the main maritime bridges for rubber-tired vehicles. Finnlines has also filed an application under this same emergency financial support programme but up to know we did not receive any public aid”. For this reason, Grimaldi sent a letter to the European Union Directorate-General for Competition accusing Finland’s government of providing selective assistance to five ferry operators that compete with Finnlines.

In an interview published in the Wall Street Journal, the Italian owner further added: “Those who are not strong enough to survive should be incorporated by those who are strong. That’s the way it should work, but with the pandemic, it’s not. I’ve never seen so much state interference in shipping,” Grimaldi concluded.

Two Catamarans To Helgoland

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FRS Helgoline deploys a second catamaran to Helgoland.

From June 19, the SAN GWANN will support the catamaran “HALUNDER JET in island traffic from Hamburg and Cuxhaven.

With the use of a second catamaran on Helgoland, FRS Helgoline reacts quickly and flexibly to the current situation, with a clear focus on healthy and safe travel.

On both fast craft the daily passenger capacities are significantly reduced until further notice, in order to be able to keep to the recommended social distancing.

Together, up to 658 passengers can travel to Helgoland daily, almost the actual pre-Corona capacity of the HALUNDER JET of 680 passengers.

FERRY FINANCE

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Tallink Grupp Has Signed Loan Agreement With SA Kredex

AS Tallink Grupp and SA KredEx have signed a working capital loan agreement.

The total amount of the loan limit is EUR 100 million and the loan can be drawn in EUR 10-40 million tranches. The interest rate of the three-year maturity loan is 12-month Euribor +2%.

The loan is secured by mortgages on five vessels ranking after the existing creditors.

Tallink Grupp, May Statistics

In May 2020 AS Tallink Grupp transported 75,511 passengers, which is a 91.2% decrease compared to May 2019.

The number of cargo units decreased by 18.4% to 28,948 units and the number of passenger vehicles decreased by 75.1% to 23,446 units.

FERRY PORTS

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Onorato And ARS Altmann Ranked First For New Areas In The Port Of Piombino

Moby ARS New Terminal Auto Logistics (Manta Logistics), newly built joint venture between Onorato Armatori and the German shipping and logistics operator ARS Altmann, was ranked respectively first and second in two new areas set to be granted in the port of Piombino.

The project presented by Manta logistics last year was to create a new hub for the shipment of new vehicles and to build up a 300,000 m² terminal for storing cars on the north dock of the port.

Form this purpose Onorato had signed an agreement with Germany’s ARS Altmann AG, one of the leading service providers of automotive logistics in Europe, and the investment in Piombino will be around €17 million. Following the public tender, the deal between Manta Logistics and the local port authority will be formalized in the near future.