Jan 26
1

LIDER PRESTIJ (ex-Beniamino Carnevale) successfully towed from Italy to Turkey

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After a first attempt failed because the tug TEDY experienced a tow line break in high seas after departing from the port of Naples, LIDER PRESTIJ, built in 1992 and formerly known as BENIAMINO CARNEVALE, has now been successfully towed to Turkey.

Aegean Tugs Shipping Co. publicly announced that the AHT POTHITOS II – (65BP) completed the towing activity of the ro-ro LIDER PRESTIJ from Milazzo in Italy to Haydarpasa in Turkey.

The vessel was sold at auction by Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione and acquired by Turkish interests for EUR 3.25 million.

Photo: Aegean Tugs Shipping Co.

Jan 26
1

Record figures for Eckerö Line

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In 2023 Eckerö Line carried 2 million passengers for the first time in a single year on their Helsinki – Tallinn route.  Freight also grew strongly, attributed to FINBO CARGO’s improved schedule on the Vuosaari – Muuga link.

Meanwhile, the company’s Helsinki – Tallinn mainstay, FINLANDIA, is currently at dry-dock in Landskrona.  When she leaves on 8 February, after a month of work, new rudders and propeller blades will have been installed on the ship. This will reduce emissions by an estimated 6%. In addition, the bottom of the ship is being treated with an anti-fouling paint, also reducing emissions.

Photo: Eckerö Line

Jan 26
1

Austal to build for Rottnest Fast Ferries

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Austal Australasia is to build a catamaran for Rottnest Fast Ferries, based in Hillarys, Western Australia.  The craft will operate the 45-minute journey from Hillarys Boat Harbour to Rottnest Island.

Collaborating with vessel designer Incat Crowther, Austal will commence construction of the aluminium catamaran at the company’s Philippines shipyard during the first quarter of this year.

Passengers 400
Crew 5
Length 32 metres
Engines 2 x 1029kW MAN D2862 diesel engines
Speed 25 knots

Photo: Austal

Jan 26
1

Seajets purchases NATCHAN RERA

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On 18 January, it was revealed in the Greek press that Seajets has purchased the large Incat HSC NATCHAN RERA. The impressive vessel is expected to leave the port of Anping for Greece at the end of January.  At 112-metres, the vessel can operate at higher wave heights than smaller fast craft.

Despite having been built in 2007, the 35-knot vessel has seen long periods of limited or no service giving Seajets a craft with limited running hours.  With a capacity for 790 passengers and 355 cars, the acquisition of this vessel means Seajets lives up to its reputation as the world’s largest high-speed vessel operator.

Photo: Incat

Jan 26
1

Evening Sailings for Seajets CHAMPION JET 3

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The Hellenic Ministry of Shipping announced that Seajets HSC CHAMPION JET 3 will operate to Cyclades on the evening summer zone from 1 May to 14 October 2024.  The ship will depart from the port of Piraeus at 16:00 for the Syros – Mykonos – Paros – Naxos – Santorini line and v.v. the following morning.

CHAMPION JET 3 (ex- INCAT 045) was purchased in July 2023 from the Spanish company Trasmapi and delivered at the port of Vigo.   She was built by Incat in 1997 and her carrying capacity is 700 passengers and 200 cars. Her speed is 36 knots.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Jan 26
1

Port Boulogne Calais welcomes return of tourists in 2023

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2023, the first full post-Covid year, seen a healthy return of tourist traffic to Calais.  The port witnessed;

  • 7,263,513 passengers and nearly 1.3 million tourist vehicles, representing an increase of 41% and 33% respectively compared to 2022
  • Just over 2 million travellers and nearly 450 000 vehicles in July and August alone
  • 60,037 coaches, an increase of 85% on 2022, a market share of 70%
  • 1,809,813 freight units, an increase of 10% on 2022. This brought the port back to pre-Brexit levels. With a 2% market contraction, this meant that the port exceeded a 50% market share.
  • Unaccompanied traffic was down 12% to 55,010 units, compared to 2022.
Jan 26
1

In Brief

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  •  Corsica Ferries has announced new sailings from Sète to Alcudia, Mallorca from 10 April and Sète to L’île Rousse, Corsica from 1 July. The services will be on a limited basis initially, the Mallorca link weekly from 10 April to the end of June and the L’île Rousse route offered once per week ex Sète on 1,8 and 15 July with returns the following day.
  • Press reports state that the DFDS-backed plan to start a Rosyth – Dunkerque route is on hold for now. The venture is said to be missing Scottish and UK Government support.
  • BLRT Repair Yards has shared this image of P&O Ferries PRIDE OF ROTTERDAM. The 215-metre vessel is currently at the company’s floating dock 12, the largest floating dock in the Baltics.  The vessel is due to return to the Rotterdam – Hull route on 5 February.

Photo: BLRT Repair Yards

  • Unity Line’s new Ro-Pax, the Euroafrica owned EPSILON entered service on the Świnoujście – Trelleborg route on 23 January. The arrival has seen JAN SNIADECKI, exit the Unity Line fleet and a sale by Euroafrica to a Greek operator.  The vessel has been renamed THALASSITIS, but to date remains at Świnoujście.

Photo: Euroafrica

Jan 19
1

Finnlines report significant increase in passenger numbers

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Finnlines report;

  • 695,000 passengers in 2023 (including freight drivers), up 7% on 2022
  • 17% increase in private passengers 2023 Vs 2022
  • Naantali – Långnäs – Kapellskär 2023 passengers were up 49% Vs 2022
  • Travemünde – Helsinki 2023 passengers increased by 11% Vs 2022

The huge increase on the Finland-Åland-Sweden route was driven by the arrival of the Superstar class Ro-Pax FINNSIRIUS in September 2023, bringing “cruise standards” to the line.  Sister FINNCANOPUS is currently sailing to Europe.  Due to the current Red Sea situation, she is sailing around the Cape of Good Hope and will enter service in February.  The new vessels allow Finnlines to offer both overnight cruises and picnic cruises on all sailings on the route which should bring further increases in passenger numbers.

The arrival of the FINNCANOPUS will see FINNSWAN to transfer to the Travemünde – Malmö route.

Finnlines has announced that on both Finnish routes there will be music and children’s entertainment during summer season 2024.

FINNSIRIUS at Kapellskär | Photo: Gary Andrews

Jan 19
1

Grimaldi Lines to offer a new payment solution

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The Grimaldi Group has signed an agreement with the Cofidis Group to provide a new payment solution to customers.

At the payment stage of the Grimaldi Lines booking flow, customers will be able to select the “PagoDIL by Cofidis” option.  This will allow the payment to be made by 5 or 10 monthly instalments, without interest or additional costs.

Jan 19
1

Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards wins contract for the supply of four, fully electric, passenger car ferries to British Columbia

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Rendering Damen Shipyard Group

Damen Shipyards Group has been selected to build four new hybrid electric Island Class vessels for BC Ferries.

  • Damen that previously built six Island Class ferries for BC Ferries, will construct the vessels in Romania.
  • The selection of Damen’s bid was made from multiple proposals, with no Canadian companies submitting bids.
  • The agreement with Damen is a design-build, fixed-priced contract that ensures delivery dates, performance criteria, cost certainty, and construction quality.
  • The new Island Class vessels will accommodate at least 47 vehicles and up to 390 passengers and crew.
  • These vessels will align with BC Ferries’ Clean Futures Plan by operating exclusively in battery-electric mode using renewable BC hydroelectricity.
  • The expected launch of these vessels is by 2027, serving routes connecting Nanaimo Harbour and Gabriola Island (two vessels) and Campbell River and Quadra Island (two vessels).
  • BC Ferries will also implement electrical upgrades for shore-based rapid charging at the four terminals on these routes as part of a separate contract, timed to coincide with the ship delivery.

Rendering Damen Shipyard Group