May 17
2

Torghatten won the Kjerringøy tender in Nordland

By | 2024 Newsletter week 20 | No Comments

Torghatten Nord has won the tender for the operation of the Festvåg-Misten ferry service.

A new 60-car electric ferry is on its way.

“It’s very satisfying to win this tender and to be back on the Mistenfjord from January next year. It is particularly pleasing that we will be introducing a new all-electric ferry on the route starting in 2027,” says Marius Martin Hansen, CEO of Torghatten Nord.

A few days ago, Nordland County Council announced that Torghatten Nord had won the tender. The actual operator is Fjord1.

The tender will start on 1 January 2025, and the contract will last for 10 years.

May 17
2

Hydrogen-powered speedboats will revolutionise the maritime green shift, but the State has to step in

By | 2024 Newsletter week 20 | No Comments

The article from Nordland Fylkeskommune (in Norwegian) discusses the development of hydrogen-powered high-speed boats as part of a collaborative project between Vestland, Trøndelag, Nordland, and Finnmark counties. Supported by the Klimasats fund, the project aims to create zero-emission vessels to reduce the high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from current boats. Two innovative designs featuring hydrogen as the energy carrier have been developed. These boats, using SES technology for efficiency, are expected to transform coastal transport, pending state funding for full implementation.

For more details, you can read the full article here.

May 17
2

Brittany Ferries renews its partnership with the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime (ENSM)

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Brittany Ferries and ENSM are strengthening their long-standing collaboration to boost the maritime economy. By renewing their partnership, they aim to reinforce their relationship and create strong synergies aligned with their mutual values and ambitions.

Key initiatives include:

  • “School in ship” sessions, offering ENSM students real navigation experience aboard Brittany Ferries vessels. In 2023, 55 students participated.
  • Educational visits for ENSM teachers to enhance their skills through onboard exchanges.
  • Opportunities for Brittany Ferries officers to teach at ENSM.

The partnership renewal was signed on 13th May in Saint-Malo.

May 17
2

Vittorio Morace delivered to Liberty Lines by Armon shipyard

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Baleària has announced plans for the 2024 “Operación Paso del Estrecho” (OPE), scheduling 27 daily connections with 10 ships to meet the high demand. The routes will connect Algeciras, Almería, Motril, and Málaga with Tánger, Nador (Morocco), Ceuta, and Melilla. This operation will utilize nearly a third of Baleària’s fleet, comprising eight ferries and two high-speed vessels.

The service includes 15 daily connections to Morocco, with 12 from Algeciras to Tánger Med, one from Motril to Tánger Med, and two from Almería to Nador. Additionally, Baleària offers 12 connections to Ceuta and Melilla, including 10 daily services between Algeciras and Ceuta, and two connections from Málaga, Motril, and Almería to Melilla.

Baleària has tailored its services to cater to Moroccan passengers by providing Arabic and French-speaking staff, halal food, prayer rooms, and customer support in Arabic.

Source: Baleària (in Spanish)

May 17
2

“Operación Paso del Estrecho 2024”: Baleària schedules 27 daily connections with 10 ships

By | 2024 Newsletter week 20 | No Comments

Baleària has announced plans for the 2024 “Operación Paso del Estrecho” (OPE), scheduling 27 daily connections with 10 ships to meet the high demand. The routes will connect Algeciras, Almería, Motril, and Málaga with Tánger, Nador (Morocco), Ceuta, and Melilla. This operation will utilize nearly a third of Baleària’s fleet, comprising eight ferries and two high-speed vessels.

The service includes 15 daily connections to Morocco, with 12 from Algeciras to Tánger Med, one from Motril to Tánger Med, and two from Almería to Nador. Additionally, Baleària offers 12 connections to Ceuta and Melilla, including 10 daily services between Algeciras and Ceuta, and two connections from Málaga, Motril, and Almería to Melilla.

Baleària has tailored its services to cater to Moroccan passengers by providing Arabic and French-speaking staff, halal food, prayer rooms, and customer support in Arabic.

Source: Baleària (in Spanish)

May 17
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 20 | No Comments

On May 10, 2024, Anek Lines’ Prevelis resumed service on the Piraeus-Chios-Mytilene route after a complete refit at Elefsis shipyards, following a merger with Attica Group. The ship had previously served the Dodecanese line for 12 years until May 2023, then briefly chartered by Aegean Sea Lines for the Piraeus-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos-Santorini route from June 30 to August 3, 2023.

Photo: Anek Lines

On April 24, 2024, it was reported that Intershippings’ RoPax Med Star was sold to Starlines. The ship was laid up in Gibraltar for 10 months and is currently under tow to Greece.

She was sold in Greece in 2008 (Endeavor Lines) as the Princess T.

In 2013, she was chartered to Gotlandsbåten AB and renamed Västervik but plans failed.

In 2015, she had an unsuccessful presence on the Igoumenitsa-Kefalonia (Sami)-Corfu-Bari route. In August 2017 she was eventually sold to the Moroccan Inter Shipping for the Algeciras – Tanger Med route.

From 2018 to 2023 she served sporadically on the above line until her operator’s collapse. She will be probably used on the Italy-Albania service.

Photo: Matt Davies

On 14 May, Tallink Grupp’s vessel Superfast IX (currently named Atlantic Vision) was redelivered to the company at the Port of Odense in Denmark. The vessel has been chartered to Canada and operating between Newfoundland and Sydney, Nova Scotia for the last 15 years.

The vessel completed its final trip on its Canadian route on 15 March this year, and left Canada in early April.  For the last month, the vessel has been berthed in a shipyard in Denmark, where it has been prepared for the handover to Tallink Grupp ahead of the charter contract ending on 14 May 2024.

Superfast IX is expected to arrive in Tallinn on 16 May. The vessel will initially be berthed at Paljassaare port until decisions are made regarding the vessel’s next operations.

Baleària has reintroduced the “Passió per Formentera” ferry on the Ceuta-Algeciras route, enhancing comfort and eco-efficiency. The ferry now features improvements such as upgraded seating, expanded services, and greater energy efficiency, contributing to a more sustainable and comfortable travel experience. For more details, visit Baleària’s press release.

Building upon the success of the Stena Germanica in 2015, Lloyd’s Register (LR) and Stena Lines will work together on a project to retrofit two Superfast vessels with methanol propulsion.

The conversion will see the Stena Superfast VII and Stena Superfast VIII ferries, which operate on the Scotland to Northern Ireland route between Cairnryan and Belfast, converted to methanol dual-fuel propulsion with the vessels transferring class to LR.

As part of the project, the retrofit process will convert two out of the four main engines in each vessel to run on methanol alongside MGO (Marine Gas Oil). The ship’s bunkering, storage, fuel supply and supporting systems will also be adapted for methanol.

Source: LR

May 10
2

DFDS Q1: ahead of expectations for the quarter driven by the Ferry Division

By | 2024 Newsletter week 19 | No Comments

Q1 2024

  • Revenue up 11% to DKK 7.0bn
  • EBIT reduced 45% to DKK 200m
  • Adjusted free cash flow of DKK -327m
  • CO2 ferry emission intensity lowered 3%

OUTLOOK 2024

  • EBIT of DKK 2.0-2.4bn
  • Revenue growth of 8-11%
  • Adjusted free cash flow of around DKK 1.5bn

Torben Carlsen, CEO:

  • 2024 is the first year of new strategy “Moving Together Towards 2030” focused on unlocking the value of DFDS’ expanded network through organic growth and transitioning to become a greener company.
  • Ekol Logistics: transaction is expected to close in Q4 2024.
  • FRS: the newly acquired ferry routes on the Strait of Gibraltar were off to a good start.
  • High priority: improving earnings for activities that currently face market headwinds such as the Baltic Sea and Channel ferry networks as well parts of Cold Chain logistics activities.
  • The short-term decarbonisation of ferry activities is on target, and in parallel DFDS is laying the groundwork to achieve its ambition of having six green ferries on the water by the end of 2030.
  • Market environment remains mixed: a higher than expected pick-up in ferry volumes across most of the network in Q1 while land transport network mostly faced flat or lower volumes.
  • Persistent overcapacity enhanced pricing pressure in certain market areas.
  • “While we are on track to deliver on our outlook, we continue to focus on improving profit through operational efficiencies across our network in parallel with the execution of our strategy.”

Click on cover to read more

May 10
2

DFDS April: freight growth across most of network

By | 2024 Newsletter week 19 | No Comments

April volume numbers are compared to 2023 impacted by most of the Easter holiday period falling in March this year compared to April in 2023. In general, this decreases passenger volumes and increases freight volumes for the month compared to 2023.

Ferry – freight:

  • Total volumes in April 2024 were 13.9% above 2023 and up 10.1% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes in 2024 and closure of the Calais-Tilbury route in 2023.
  • North Sea volumes were above 2023 following higher volumes on most routes.
  • Mediterranean volumes were below 2023 as volumes were decreased by the timing difference in April 2024 of a national holiday week compared to 2023.
  • Channel volumes were above 2023 as were Baltic Sea volumes with all routes carrying more volumes.
  • For the last twelve months 2024-23, the total transported freight lane metres decreased 0.9% to 39.7m from 40.1m in 2023-22. The decrease was 1.9% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes and the Calais-Tilbury route closure.

Ferry – passenger:

  • The number of passengers in April 2024 were 24.5% above 2023 and down 7.6% adjusted for addition of the Strait of Gibraltar routes.
  • The decrease was driven by the Easter timing difference. The number of cars were 21.1% above 2023 and down 6.2% adjusted for Strait of Gibraltar.
  • For the last twelve months 2024-23, the total number of passengers increased 21.8% to 5.1m compared to 4.2m for 2023-22. The increase was 10.0% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes.