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2024 Newsletter week 28

Jul 12
2

Baleària incorporates Margarita Salas, new high-speed ferry with dual gas engines on the Barcelona-Mallorca-Menorca route

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  • Margarita Salas will operate daily throughout the year on the 3.5-hour crossing between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands 
  • The catamaran increases the seats available on the high-speed service by 50% while reducing the carbon footprint on the route thanks to being LNG- powered. 
  • Baleària has invested 126 million euros in the construction of the vessel which can hold 1,200 passengers and 425 vehicles. 
  • Leading international experts (Wärstilä, Incat Crowther, Bureau Veritas and Marintek-Sintef) and national partners (Cotenaval, Oliver Design and Jorge Belloch) were involved in the construction of this groundbreakingly sustainable catamaran, which received funding from CaixaBank and European Union Next Generation Funds, as part of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM).  

 Source: Baleària (in Spanish) 

Jul 12
2

Alistair Eagles stepping down

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Having worked in the Irish Sea Ferry industry since 1990, and with Seatruck/CLdN since 1996, Alistair Eagles has decided that it’s time to re-evaluate and re-focus his life and priorities. He has therefore decided to step down as Managing Director of CLdN RoRo Ltd at the end of September 2024. 

Gary Walker, COO of CLdN RoRo SA, will assume overall responsibility for all CLdN shipping operations (including as Managing Director of CLdN RoRo Ltd) from 1 October.  

“To ensure a smooth transition, I will continue to support the business in the background for several months following my departure,” says Alistair, whom we wish good luck in his future endeavours. 

Jul 12
2

Scandlines welcomes CEO Eric Grégoire

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Eric Grégoire started as CEO of Scandlines on 8th July. The Executive Management Team now consists of CEO Eric Grégoire, COO Michael Guldmann Jensen and CFO Mikael Koch. 

Eric Grégoire comes from a position as CEO of Goodpack Pte Ltd. in Singapore. He is an experienced business leader with a solid track record in business process improvements from several international companies such as General Electric and DuPont. 

Source: Scandlines 

Jul 12
2

Monthly figures Corsica

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ORTC (Corsica Transport Office) published the monthly traffic statistics. 
 

  April  June 
Passengers Airport  311,952 (+0.3%)  440,620 (+3.0%) 
Passengers Ferry   215,239 (-7.0%)  364,499 (+14.6%) 
Passenger Cars  80,930 (-6.7%)  141,920 (+15.8%) 
Freight (tons)  162,225 (+0.3%)  171,179 (-6.4%) 

The monthly reports can be downloaded here (in French) 

Jul 12
2

Scandlines sees improvement

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Freight: After a slight but persistent negative trend in the freight sector due to geopolitical factors, Scandlines sees improvement. In the first half of 2024, truck traffic on the Rostock-Gedser route grew by 5 percent compared to the previous year, with signs of economic recovery in Denmark, Sweden, and the Benelux countries. 

Passengers in Coaches and Cars: Passenger transport in coaches on the Rostock-Gedser route increased by 5 percent in the first six months of 2024 compared to 2023. Although car traffic was slightly down in the same period, advance bookings for the summer season are promising, bolstered by the start of school holidays in Denmark. 

Passengers: The desire for group trips abroad is returning, contributing to the positive growth in bus transport. Car traffic is expected to increase significantly during the summer season, indicating a rebound in passenger numbers using Scandlines’ ferry services. 

Sustainability: Scandlines is making strides towards its sustainability goals, aiming for zero-emission ferry operations by 2030 on the Puttgarden-Rødby route and zero direct emissions by 2040. Investments include rotor sails, propeller optimizations, and the commissioning of the fully electric freight ferry “Futura” in 2024. Since 2013, EUR 400 million has been invested in these initiatives, with a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 60 percent by 2030 compared to 2008. 

Photo: Scandlines/Ulrich Wirrwa 

Jul 12
2

Commission clears Italian public support for Caremar ferry service

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The European Commission has concluded that public service compensation granted to Caremar SpA from January 2009 to July 2012, and from July 2015 to July 2024, aligns with EU State aid rules. This includes €98 million for eight routes in the Gulf of Naples and €97 million from 2015 to 2024.

The Commission determined that these compensations met public service needs without overcompensation and did not qualify as State aid. Additionally, fiscal exemptions and funds used for safety upgrades were deemed non-aid measures. More details are available on the European Commission’s press release. 

Photo: Caremar 

Jul 12
2

Interview with Peter Ståhlberg, CEO Wasaline

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Executive summary 

  1. Emission Neutrality Goal: Wasaline aims to operate emission-neutral by 2030, studying greener propulsion systems for their fleet. 
  1. Success of Aurora Botnia: The low-emission ferry “Aurora Botnia” has seen significant success on the Umeå (Sweden) to Vaasa (Finland) route, with strong winter holiday bookings. 
  1. Economic Impact: Favorable Swedish currency exchange rates have made trips to Sweden more attractive for passengers, especially for purchasing alcohol. 
  1. ETS Benefits: Wasaline expects to benefit from the ETS (Emission Trading System), with efficient operations reducing CO2 emissions by 5% per voyage. 
  1. Future Investments: Plans include converting engines to use methanol and increasing battery capacity, with local methanol production starting around 2026-2027. 
  1. Cargo Challenges: Cargo volumes have been impacted by reduced paper exports and the cessation of Russian trade, but intermodal cargo by train is growing. 
  1. Operational Efficiency: Wasaline focuses on efficiency with a small organization and innovative operational strategies. 
  1. Sustainability Projects: Local methanol production and multimodal transport solutions are key to Wasaline’s future green operations. 
  1. Biogas Operations: Wasaline plans to resume biogas operations for cargo transport, balancing fuel types to reduce emissions. 
  1. Industry Leadership: Wasaline aims to lead the industry in green transport, investing in technology and infrastructure to eliminate fossil fuel use and reduce CO2 emissions. 
Jul 12
1

IMAGE CARDS

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South Korea’s KT Marine held a welcoming ceremony for its new vessel, a Damen Fast Ferry 4212 named Hamel. The company placed its order for the vessel earlier this year. The rapid delivery is the result of Damen’s serial construction of vessels for stock. 

Hamel will transport up to 423 passengers at speeds of up to 40 knots. She will operate a route between Yeosu Harbour and Geomundo Island.  

Hamel is the seventh Damen Fast Ferry, and the fifth Fast Ferry 4212, to be delivered to South Korea in recent years. 

Source: Damen 

Ruby Express is the name chosen for the fourth vessel for the company L’Express des Iles, a company in the FRS Group. She’s the former Algeciras Express. 

A new side roro access ramp has been installed last week. In July the vessel will sail to the Caribbean for her new role. 

On May 2024 the Danish Molslinjen announced that its HSC Max Mols has been sold to a Mediterranean ferry operator. According to information the ship will be delivered in the end of 2024, while many suggest that she was probably sold to a Greek ferry operator without having any Greek information at the moment. The ship served for many years the Aarhus-Odden route but also been on the Rønne – Ystad route (Bornholm route). Max Mols was built in Australia (1998/Incat).  

Photo: Wikipedia 

According to Greek press (Source: Kathimerini), rumour has it that Attica Group is in advanced discussions with Chinese shipyards to build eight ships by 2029. The company’s goal is to decarbonize its fleet by 2030. The specific investment plan includes:  

  • 2 E-Flexers announced last week that will be introduced in the Adriatic service by 2027. 
  • 2 larger AERO High-speed craft for the Saronic Island service 
  • 4 more ships for Cyclades, Dodecanese and North Aegean run (2 medium-size ferries, 2 high-speed ferries).  

Finally, the 3 ships that will be released from the Adriatic service (SUPERFAST XI, SUPERFAST III and HELLENIC SPIRIT) will serve the domestic market.