FRS announced that it has acquired the high-speed Incat catamaran HSC ARTEMIS to enhance its operations in the Strait of Gibraltar. The fast ferry has been renamed PONIENTE JET and is undergoing a complete refurbishment.
It can accommodate 640 passengers, 180 vehicles, and up to 330 linear meters of cargo.
The PONIENTE JET will join the FRS fleet in July.
Previously the vessel was in service with Ponte Ferries, starting in November 2021, followed by a complete stop in September 2022.
FRS announced that it has acquired the high-speed Incat catamaran HSC ARTEMIS to enhance its operations in the Strait of Gibraltar. The fast ferry has been renamed PONIENTE JET and is undergoing a complete refurbishment.
It can accommodate 640 passengers, 180 vehicles, and up to 330 linear meters of cargo.
The PONIENTE JET will join the FRS fleet in July.
Previously the vessel was in service with Ponte Ferries, starting in November 2021, followed by a complete stop in September 2022.
On June 12, 2023, the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund proceeded to the unsealing of the two binding offers received on April 24, 2023, for the 67% of the Heraklion Port Authority SA.
After the unsealing, the Board of Directors of the Fund decided to award the tender to Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. & Minoan Lines N.E. for a total price of EUR 80 million for the 67% of the shares. Grimaldi Group’s offer was by far higher and announced as the preferred investor for the port.
The tender file will be submitted to the Court of Auditors for pre-contractual review. After this approval the contracts will be signed.
The Italian group has spent in total EUR 164 million to gain control of the Ports of Igoumenitsa and Heraklion.
Grimaldi Group is interested in using the port of Heraklion as a hub for electric cars that they will be transported from China and then send them with a feeder to Europe. They are also interested in the further development of cruise sector.
Anes Ferries announced that its vessel NISSOS AEGINA (ex MIDSLAND) will be transferred to the Mandoudi (Evia) – Skiathos – Skopelos line from June 15, 2023.
The ship was chartered from Leve Ferries and since February 2023 she was introduced on the Piraeus – Aegina line replacing her fleet mate AGIOS NEKTARIOS that returned this week.
NISSOS AEGINA was built in Germany in 1974. Her carrying capacity is for 1,000 passengers and 65 cars.
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
Saos Ferries announced that its ferry SAONISSOS will soon be introduced on the Mandoudi (Evia) – Skiathos – Skopelos line.
On June 12, 2023, the Japanese-built ship carried out her sea trials successfully and is expected to serve the line till the end of the month. According to Saos Ferries, SAONISSOS will shorten the distance to the islands of the line and consequently the travel time, as well as the cost will be reduced.
SAONISSOS was built in Japan in 1994. Her carrying capacity is for 400 passengers and 85 cars. Speed 17.5 knots.
Photo: Saos Ferries
On June 13, 2023, A-Ships Management’s GOLDEN BRIDGE departed from Greece with destination Spain.
The Ro-Pax is being chartered out to GNV since September 2021 and she will initially serve the Barcelona – Majorca – Ibiza line. Then she will be transferred on the Almeria – Nador long run for the rest of the summer period.
The ship arrived in Greece for repairs and dry docking in May.
Photo: A Ships Management
Another one high-speed craft vessel has seemingly been purchased by Seajets, who dominates the world of High-speed Craft vessels in Greece and worldwide. The new addition to the Seajet’s fleet is the Panellenic Lines, HSC SANTA IRINI (exHSC ALMUDAINA DOS), which was purchased in April 2022 from Acciona and chartered to the Cretan Transportation Services (CTRS) for daily excursions on the Heraklion – Santorini line.
The unexpected news came on June 13, 2023 and it seems that the new established ferry operator couldn’t stand the fierce competition on the specific area and halted services.
Seajets has grown into a “giant” that operates mainly high-speed craft vessels and became one of the largest ferry operators in Greece. It covers more than 250 port connections from Piraeus, Rafina and Crete to the Cyclades islands, while HSC SANTA IRINI will be their 16th high-speed vessel.
Seajets also operates four conventional ferries (SUPER STAR, AQUA BLUE, AQUA JEWEL, SPORADES STAR) on Greece’s domestic lines.
Croatian media reported earlier this week that the state-owned ferry company Jadrolinija said it has rejected all seven bids submitted in a public procurement procedure for the construction of three electricity-driven passenger ships, with an estimated total value of EUR 45 million.
None of the submitted bids was eligible, according to a notice published by Jadrolinija in state gazette Narodne Novine.
According to documents, published in Narodne Novine, four foreign shipbuilders – Spanish Astilleros Armon, Estonian Baltic Workboats, Italy’s Cantiere Navale Vittoria and Dutch Holland Shipyards – submitted bids in the tender for the construction of the vessels.
The other bidders were three consortia led by local companies – a tie-up of the Brodotrogir Cruise shipyard and engineering company Tema Automatizacija; a consortium of local shipyard Dalmont and engineering companies TSI and Inmel; and a consortium of local shipyard Iskra Brodogradiliste 1 and engineering company Navis Concept, Turkish marine engineering company Gozuyılmaz and Tukish shipyard Ozata.
The tender was opened in January.
ESPO finds that many of the necessary conditions for the entry into operation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), are not yet met. The level of implementation in most countries is behind schedule, insufficient information is available regarding the deployment of physical infrastructure and new operational procedures, and not enough funding has been provided.
Read more on the ESPO Website.
Attica Group, parent company of Superfast Ferries, Blue Star Ferries and Hellenic Seaways, announced its certification by TÜV AUSTRIA HELLAS according to the International Standard ISO 22301:2019 for the Operation of the Head Offices & Fleet Support and Management Services.
