Visit to Baltic Ferry Port Rostock.
The other week we visited the important and busy ferry port of Rostock. Three major ferry operators are using the port: Stena Line, Scandlines and TT Line, but also the roro operators Finnlines and Transfennica. Together they perform more than 6,000 calls per year.
In an interview, the port director Dr. Gernot Tesch (photo), is explaining the present and future.
11 November 2020 at 05.45 will see the first trip to Odden with Molslinjen’s fast ferry EXPRESS 3, starting from the new ferry terminal at Østhavnen in Aarhus. It marks the culmination of several years of construction work.
The trip also marks a shift in the local traffic in Aarhus. The 1.5 million annual motorists will enter the port faster via a better connection between motorway and terminal.
In the city of Aarhus alone, the signage towards the ferry port must be changed in more than 50 places.
Portsmouth International Port says in a press release that it has become one of the first in the UK, recognised by independent assessors, for its new protocols to manage and reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections.
Portsmouth is a major transport hub, with passenger sailings now operating again between France and Spain, and its continued role as a lifeline route for the Channel Islands. The port had to quickly adopt government safety measures to protect both staff and customers.
Andrew Williamson, passenger operations manager said: “Our aim was to give passengers confidence that the new preventative measures we have put into place are of the highest standard, and to highlight the benefits of international travel by sea. This verification from DNV GL provides further reassurance about the efforts we are taking to keep them safe.”
This change is mainly due to the significant reduction of revenues from:
The above decrease was mainly counterbalanced by an increase in revenues at the Container Terminal and revenues from the Ship Repair sector.
H1, 2020, has seen an overall increase in port revenues, despite the decrease in cargo traffic, which is directly related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
+5.3% turnover EUR 34.69 million (32.95)
-4.8% EBITDA EUR 13.9 million (14.6)
Calls for Extra Ferries to France in Event of No-Deal Channel Chaos
Food processors and the farm organisations have expressed serious concerns that Ireland’s multi-billion-euro export trade to the European mainland could be halted by chaos at the English Channel ports in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
British warnings of possible gridlock at Dover and other ports have cranked up the pressure on the Irish Government to outline contingency measures.
It is understood that IBEC has called for funding to be set aside in the Budget to support a direct daily ferry service from Ireland to the continent in the event of the English Channel ports being effectively closed.
CLdN Continues to Adapt Fleet and Capacity Dynamically
CLdN increased frequency on Porto (Leixoes) service to 3 sailings a week (week 40).
CLdN also increased capacity on Rotterdam – UK this week (week 40).
CONDOR LIBERATION Tests Portsmouth
Andrew Williamson, Passenger Operations Manager at Portsmouth International Port sent us this picture of an unusual visitor: CONDOR LIBERATION.
This was part of contingency planning to familiarise the port with handling the high-speed ferries, if Condor Ferries were unable to berth in Poole for any reason.
