AS Tallink Grupp Statistics

By | 2024 Newsletter week 01 | No Comments

In December 2023 AS Tallink Grupp transported:

  • +6% passengers 491,222
  • -23.9% cargo units 22,514
  • -1.7% passenger vehicles 59,577

In the fourth quarter of 2023 (October-December) AS Tallink Grupp transported:

  • +3.3% passengers 1,338,921
  • -20.7% cargo units 76,198
  • -1.5% passenger vehicles 172,972

During the full year 2023, Tallink Grupp transported:

  • +4.5% passengers 5,705,600 passengers across all the company’s routes. Passenger numbers increased on the company’s current regular Estonia-Finland and Estonia-Sweden routes compared to 2022 but decreased on the Finland-Sweden routes due to a smaller number of vessels operating.
  • +2.6% passenger vehicles 840 881
  • -20.9% cargo units 323 990 units

Summary of what Tallink Grupp’s CEO Paavo Nõgene said:

  • 2023 has been a year of more slow and steady recovery.
  • No sharp increase because some vessels are chartered out.
  • Chartering out makes perfect sense from an operational and risk reduction point of view as the markets are not ready yet for increased capacity on our routes.
  • Addition of MyStar to the Tallinn-Helsinki route is a success.

Photo: Tallink Shuttle vessel MyStar, photo credit: Marten Merila

Norled wins the Stokkvågen tender

By | 2024 Newsletter week 01 | No Comments

Norled won the tender for the ferry connections Stokkvågen-Lovund and Stokkvågen-Træna after delivering a concept that cuts emissions by up to 90%.

Three new battery-hybrid ferries will enter the connection in 2027.

The three new buildings that will join the connection will all have capacity for 60 passenger cars and 250 passengers including crew.

The battery capacity for each of the ferries is approximately 8,000 kWh, making them the ferries with the largest battery capacity in Norway.

Norled has entered into a letter of intent with the shipyard Havyard for the construction of three of the battery ferries and also has an option for a fourth vessel.

LMG Marine has designed the ferries.

Norled wins Utsira tender

By | 2024 Newsletter week 01 | No Comments

The new Utsira ferry will be operated by Norled.

An island right out in the open ocean, Utsira is one of Norway’s smallest municipalities in terms of population size. There is only one ferry connection: from Haugesund (a town between Bergen and Stavanger).

The contract is for 20 years with an option for an additional 10 years (5+5).

Breeze Ship Design in Leirvik will design the new Utsira ferry. The new double-ender ferry will be fully electric and designed to accommodate 179 passengers and 29 cars.

The new contract will commence on May 1, 2025.

Baleària buys the hybrid ferry RUSADIR

By | 2024 Newsletter week 01 | No Comments

Baleària has purchased the cruise ferry RUSADIR after completing more than half a year of charter on the Malaga – Melilla route.

The ferry was originally built as HONFLEUR for Brittany Ferries.

The power comes from LNG or MDO and drives an electric propulsion system.

Baleària considers LNG a transition towards decarbonization. The company says it prepared to operate with renewable sources that are neutral in CO2 emissions.

VIKING CINDERELLA to return on the Helsinki-Stockholm route

By | 2024 Newsletter week 01 | No Comments

VIKING CINDERELLA will make her long-awaited comeback on the Helsinki-Stockholm route on March 8. Although the vessel has not been in Finland in nearly 20 years, she has maintained her popularity as many people ‘s favourite vessel.

In 2003, Cinderella’s red hull was painted white, and the popular vessel was reassigned to the Stockholm-Mariehamn route for 20 years, with just a few summer visits to Helsinki.

“We are just as enthusiastic as many of our passengers in being able to bring CINDERELLA back to Helsinki to serve together with GABRIELLA”, says Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Johanna Boijer-Svahnström. Read more about VIKING CINDERELLA’s rich history here.

CINDERELLA in 2003 – Photo: Kristian Bäckström – Wikipedia

MOBY VINCI and SHARDEN to be sold to MSC

By | 2024 Newsletter week 01 | No Comments

Moby has officially announced that two of its ferries, the ro-pax units MOBY VINCI and SHARDEN, will be sold to a company controlled by the MSC Group in the coming months.

Specifically, the ferries are to be acquired by Aponte’s Conglomerate Maritime Limited for a total sum of EUR 109 million. This sale is part of the shareholder loan provided by Mediterranean Shipping Company as support for Moby to repay debts and finalize the financial restructuring plan with creditors, which was approved last summer by the Court of Milan.

Last year, billionaire Gianluigi Aponte’s company acquired a 49% stake in the struggling Moby for an amount of up to EUR 150 million.

Aegean Sea Lines’s ANEMOS temporarily on the North Aegean run

By | 2024 Newsletter week 01 | No Comments

Aegean Sea Lines has announced that its vessel ANEMOS will temporarily replace Seajets’ AQUA BLUE on the Lavrion – Agios Efstratios – Lemnos – Kavala route. This decision comes after Seajets opted not to participate in the Hellenic Ministry of Shipping’s recent tender in December 2023 for the North Aegean barren line service.

The ANEMOS is scheduled to serve this route provisionally, potentially from January 5 to January 23, pending the outcome of a new tender process.

Photo: Marine Traffic (Michael Eugenides)