Mar 22
1

Sfakia Pioneer sold to Albania

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It is reported that Anendyk Seaways’ Sfakia Pioneer (formerly Oniyouzu) was sold to Finikas Lines of Albania.

She was purchased by the Cretan-based Anendyk in February 2019 to serve on the Sfakia-Gavdos line. She remained at Souda port awaiting her conversion since June 2019.

In March 2024, she was eventually sold to serve on the Corfu – Agioi Saranta (Albania) line.

The ship arrived at the port of Corfu on March 16 under tow. Built in Japan in 1998 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, she has a carrying capacity for 200 passengers and can travel at 23 knots (with a maximum speed of 26.5 knots).

Photo: Anendyk Seaways

Mar 22
2

Minoan Lines’ HSC Santorini Palace was renamed Santorini Jet

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HSC Santorini Jet is the new name of HSC Santorini Palace following her bare boat chartering by Seajets. The ship is currently at the Spanopoulos Group facilities changing her livery and undergoing a refit.

Seajets has already announced its intention to introduce her on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Evdilos (Ikaria) – Karlovasi (Samos) run from June 1st until September 30, 2024.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Mar 22
1

Traffic of Passengers, goods, and cars in Greek ports: Q3, 2023

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  • According to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) the traffic of passengers, goods and mobile units in the Greek ports for Q3 2023 compared to Q3 2022 is as follows:
  • +2.6% passengers
  • +0.0% goods
  • +2.6% mobile units
  • +2.8% domestic passenger traffic
  • -0.7% international passenger traffic
  • +3.0% domestic mobile units
  • -2.2% domestic mobile units
  • -6.3% domestic goods
  • +1.8% international goods

Click on graph below to access the source document of ELSTAT

Mar 22
2

Austal Vietnam to design and build a 71m RoPax-Cargo destined for “Groupe Degage” in French Polynesia

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This new ferry boasts a steel monohull construction with an aluminium superstructure, designed to comfortably accommodate up to 140 seated passengers and 17 crew members. Featuring a spacious main cargo deck spanning 494m2, it is capable of efficiently transporting a variety of cargo including 10’ and 20’ containers, palletized goods, and vehicles.

Dubbed the “Dory 2”, this vessel boasts a cruising speed of 12 knots and an impressive range of 1,000 nautical miles. It will serve the route between Papeete and Palliser islands, offering essential transportation services.

This latest agreement marks the fifth ferry collaboration between Austal and Groupe Degage, while also marking Austal Vietnam’s inaugural project involving the construction of a steel-hulled ship.

Mar 22
1

Grendi is back as a shipowner with the purchase of the RoRo Wedellsborg

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Genoa-based shipping group Grendi will re-enter the market as a shipowner.

On March 25th, the company, controlled and led by the Musso family, will sign the purchase of the 2014-built Wedellsborg through a new company called Navco, with ownership split 50-50 between Grendi and the Giovanni Fagioli’s Finaval group.

Wedellsborg has been chartered by Grendi since 2021 and is currently deployed on routes linking Marina di Carrara, Olbia, Cagliari, and more recently, Tunisia and Algeria for Maersk.

The vessel, built in Italy at Cantiere Navale Visentini, measures 179 meters in length with 2,600 lane meters and features a stern ramp.

Mar 22
1

IMAGE CARDS

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DFDS placed an order for yet another 100 Volvo electric trucks which will almost double the number of electric trucks in its fleet.

The new electric trucks will be deployed in markets across Europe to meet the growing customer demand for e-mobility solutions, consolidating DFDS’s green ambitions and further cementing that DFDS has the largest fleet of heavy-duty electric trucks on the continent.

OSK-designed P&O Liberté has begun commercial sailings between Dover and Calais, carrying passenger and freight customers. She is the sister of P&O Pioneer, which entered service on the Channel crossing in June last year as the world’s largest double-ended hybrid ferry.

On March 14, 2024, the takeover of L’Express des Îles by the ferry operator FRS was completed. This marks a significant milestone in FRS’s expansion strategy to diversify its route offering.

Source: FRS

New Zealand – A ministerial briefing says the cancellation of KiwiRail’s mega ferries leads to the possibility the state-owned enterprise may not be best placed to provide an inter-island service in the future.

Officials will investigate how the market might respond to the hypothetical exit of KiwiRail, including whether rival operator Bluebridge could provide more capacity across Cook Strait. They will also look at whether the Government could subsidise ferry operations.

Source: NZHerald

The Supervisory Board of Polish Baltic Shipping Co. wanted to renew the positions of president and member of the company’s management board. After the interviews, it was decided to entrust these functions to Piotr Redmerski (photo) and Artur Krasiński.

This means the return of Piotr Redmerski to the management board of PŻB S.A.

Artur Krasiński makes his debut in the structure of the Kołobrzeg-based shipowner.

Source: Polferries on Linkedin

Liquid Wind, Umeå Energi and Wasaline announce the signing of a Letter of Intent for the sale and purchase of eMethanol from the eFuel facility in Umeå, Sweden.

The companies will explore opportunities to fuel the northernmost shipping line in the world, Wasaline, with eMethanol from FlagshipTHREE in Umeå.

Wasaline’s hybrid ferry, Aurora Botnia, is already equipped with dual-fuel engines and batteries. The company’s goal is to fully decarbonize their ferry operations between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden.

The trend has reversed – Swedes are once again travelling to Denmark.

Following a period marked by a weaker krona and high interest rates, ferry company Stena Line reports a positive new booking trend. During the first quarter of the year, the company noted a significant increase of 25 percent in Swedish bookings to Denmark, and all indications suggest that the recovery will continue.

Isle of Islay, the first of two vessels to serve Islay and Jura, was launched on Saturday 16 March at Cemre shipyard.

The vessel, which is one of four ferries being built at the yard, marks a significant milestone in Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited’s (CMAL) commitment to delivering new ferries to serve the Scottish islands.

Mar 15
1

Irish Ferries: record levels of activity and revenue in 2023

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Irish Continental Group (ICG) reported its financial performance for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Highlights:

  • Revenue decreased a little (-2.2%) to €572.0 million.
  • EBITDA increase of €5.4 million to €132.6 million principally due to a strong performance in the Ferries Division.
  • Within the Ferries Division, the recovery in passenger markets, the strong position in freight markets and the introduction of duty-free have lifted the Ferries Division to record levels of activity and revenue.
  • Cars +12.6%
  • Passengers +20.2%
  • RoRo freight units +3.9%
  • In May 2023, the Group chartered the Oscar Wilde cruise ferry (ex Tallink Star) for an initial 20 month period with further extension and purchase options. The vessel initially entered service on the Rosslare – Pembroke route, replacing the Blue Star 1. The Group also chartered the Norbay vessel on a short-term basis, replacing the Epsilon which was returned to its owners at the end of its charter.
  • Performance in the Container & Terminal Division has been more challenging.
  • 2023 was another strong year of cash generation for the Group, further strengthening its balance sheet over the period. Cash generated from operations of €136.7 million (2022: €132.0 million) was used to fund strategic capital expenditure of €21.8 million and returns to shareholders of €45.8 million via a combination of dividends and share buybacks. Net debt at year end fell by €27.4 million to €143.7 million (2022: €171.1 million).

Financial Highlights
Irish Continental Group

Financial Highlights
Irish Ferries

Results Presentation
(click on picture)

Preliminary Statement of Results
(click on picture)

Mar 15
1

ONEX – Attica Group agreement for the construction of a car ferry

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It has been reported that during a recent press meeting, Mr. Panos Xenokostas, Chairman and Managing Director of ONEX Group, disclosed that by the end of May, ONEX and Attica Group will finalize a contract for constructing a new 100-meter-long passenger-vehicle ferry at the Elefsina Shipyards. This vessel will possess dual-fuel capabilities, likely running on methanol, and will adhere to the Blue Star philosophy but with a more contemporary and advanced design developed by a Greek firm. This ferry is designated for intra-Cycladic routes and marks the first new vessel to be built in Greek shipyards in 17 years.

Mar 15
1

HSC Highspeed 3 sporting her new Africa Morocco Link livery

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Progress on the HSC Highspeed 3 (formerly known as Boraq) refit at Perama Repair Zone is proceeding rapidly. The ship, acquired through a tender from Moroccan Intershipping on June 27, 2023, arrived in Greece in October of the same year. Since then, it has been undergoing an extensive refit to likely prepare it for a new role, potentially with AML, in the Western Mediterranean.

Belonging to the renowned Austal Auto Express 72 class, the vessel was originally constructed in 2000 for Minoan Flying Dolphins and served in Greek Coastal Shipping until 2010. With a capacity for 700 passengers and 70 cars, it boasts a cruising speed of 35 knots.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Mar 15
1

DFDS February volumes

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Ferry – freight

  • Total volumes in February 2024 were 15.7% above 2023 and up 11.1% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes in 2024 and closure of the Calais-Tilbury route in 2023.
  • The month’s high organic growth reflects to some extent a relatively low activity level in February 2023.
  • North Sea volumes were above 2023 driven mainly by an uplift in volumes between the UK and the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark.
  • Mediterranean volumes were above 2023 as volumes picked up on all routes, especially between southern Türkiye and Italy.
  • Channel volumes were also in February above 2023 driven by the Dover Strait routes as well as higher volumes between Ireland and France.
  • Baltic Sea volumes also continued above 2023 despite reduction of capacity between Estonia and Sweden compared to 2023.
  • For the last twelve months 2024-23, the total transported freight lane metres decreased 4.9% to 39.2m from 41.3m in 2023-22. The decrease was 5.3% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes and the Calais-Tilbury route closure.

Ferry – passenger:

  • The number of passengers in February 2024 were 69.9% above 2023 and up 16.0% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes.
  • The adjusted increase was driven by more Channel passengers while the number of passengers on other routes were below 2023.
  • The number of cars were 51.3% above 2023 and up 7.2% adjusted for Strait of Gibraltar.
  • For the last twelve months 2024-23, the total number of passengers increased 19.9% to 4.8m compared to 4.0m for 2023-22. The increase was 13.4% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes.