Jul 21
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Stena Line: 29% more bookings between Sweden and Denmark

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Stena Line has previously reported a substantial increase in Danes booking travel to Sweden as a result of the weak Swedish krona.

Recent figures show that it is not only Danes who book their summer holidays with Stena Line. Now the ferry company is also experiencing an increase in bookings made by Swedes on the Gothenburg-Fredrikshamn route. Bookings have increased by 29% compared to the same period last year and many of the summer’s departures are now fully booked – something not seen since 2019.

Jul 21
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STENA NORDICA goes into permanent service on Rosslare to Fishguard route

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The STENA EUROPE of Stena Line completed over 21 years of service on the Fishguard – Rosslare route. She is replaced by the totally rebuilt STENA NORDICA.

Since going into service on the Rosslare to Fishguard route, STENA EUROPE has completed 27,456 trips, clocking up 207,560 nautical miles. It has transported 726,671 freight vehicles, 1,876,496 cars and almost seven million people.

The refurbished STENA NORDICA has been upgraded with a range of new and improved passenger facilities to enhance the customer experience, including comfortable and stylish spaces, a new-look Stena Plus Lounge, Hygge Recline Lounge, two movie lounges, a Social Café & Bar and a Freight Drivers lounge.

The vessel has a capacity for 650 passengers with 58 cabins.

During the crossing, which takes approximately three hours and thirty minutes, passengers can also shop Duty Free.

Stena Line has revealed that after a dry-dock a Falmouth, the STENA EUROPE will start a charter on the Gibraltar Straits between Spain and Morocco.

Stena already has one ship in that region, the STENA VINGA is currently operating for Intershipping.

Jul 21
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Turnover at Port of Cork Company up 21%

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  • Turnover at the Port of Cork Company increased by over 21% last year to €48.4 million. That compares to a turnover of just under €40 million in 2021.
  • The company’s profits also increased by just under 18%, with an operating profit of €9.16 million, up from €7.78 million the previous year.
  • The company’s annual report shows that the Ports of Cork and Bantry reported a total consolidated traffic throughput of 10.2 million tonnes in 2022, slightly lower than in 2021.
  • The number of container twenty-foot equivalent units increased slightly, mainly due to the commencement of new Con-Ro services linking Ringaskiddy directly with Europe.
  • Imports of trade cars and dry bulks also increased which all offset small declines in liquid and break bulk traffic.
  • Brittany Ferries returned to normal pre-covid trading levels with 117,000 passengers and added a second weekly service from Cork to Roscoff.

Conor Mowlds, Chief Commercial Officer at the Port of Cork said 2022 was a significant year for the port. “Following a strong financial year, we are now in a better position to progress vital additions to our infrastructure – including upgrades to our cargo handling fleet and port facilities,” he added.

Jul 21
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Bornholmslinjen sets a record in H1

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2023 has started well for the Bornholmslinjen route between Rønne and Ystad. Never before have there been so many people on the ferries as in the first six months of this year.

756,991 passengers have travelled with the ferries in the first six months (+4.5%)

The progress on Ystad – Bornholm was expected, as this season offers sailing with both the world’s largest fast ferry, EXPRESS 5, and with EXPRESS 1 – and the traffic has set several records during the first half of the year and especially during the spring mini-holidays.

Last year in 2022, a total of 1,721,949 travellers travelled back and forth between Rønne and Ystad.

Jul 07
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Three-year extensions to key ship charters reinforce P&O Ferries’ commitment to North Sea routes

By | 2023 Newsletter week 27 | No Comments

P&O Ferries extended with 3 years the charter agreement with Bore Ltd on the RoRo vessels NORSKY and NORSTREAM, maintaining its presence on the Zeebrugge-Teesport and Zeebrugge-Tilbury routes for the long term.

P&O Ferries also reinforced its commitment to the Zeebrugge-Teesport route through a separate extension of the FINNPULP charter agreement with Finnlines. The RoRo vessel will continue serving the route on two midweek sailings a week.

Jul 07
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The Port of Odense and Fayard are expanding their collaboration with a new 30-year agreement

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Fayard A/S and Odense Havn A/S have per 1 July 2023 entered into an agreement on the extension of Fayard’s involvement in the Port of Odense. The parties have entered into a 30-year non-cancellable lease agreement, in which Fayard has secured the right to dispose of the unique shipyard facilities at the Port of Odense for the next three decades.

Fayard is one of Northern Europe’s largest repair yards and services, among other things, container ships, passenger ferries, tankers, military vessels and a large number of other ships. Fayard has a central position in the green transformation of shipping in relation to energy optimization of ships as well as upgrades and retrofits of the existing world fleet

Jul 07
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Tallink Grupp statistics for June 2023 and Q2 2023

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In June 2023:

-1.3% passengers, driven mostly due to chartering of vessels (less capacity)

-24.9% freight units

+5.1% passenger vehicles

In Q2 2023 (April-June)

-0.7% passengers: the decrease was driven mostly due to chartering of vessels including SILJA EUROPA and GALAXY I that transported more than 250,000 passengers Q2 of 2022.

-22.0% freight units

+5.0% passenger vehicles

FINLAND–SWEDEN

  • The second quarter Finland-Sweden results reflect the operation of the Helsinki-Stockholm and the Turku-Kapellskär route. The cruise ferry GALAXY I stopped operating on the Turku-Stockholm route in September 2022 due to a charter contract.

ESTONIA–FINLAND

  • The second quarter Estonia-Finland results reflect operations of shuttle services of MYSTAR and
  • The cruise ferry SILJA EUROPA stopped operating on the Tallinn-Helsinki route in August 2022 due to a charter contract.
  • The shuttle vessel STAR has been chartered out since 5 May 2023 and is operating under the OSCAR WILDE name between Ireland and the United Kingdom.
  • The cargo vessel SEA WIND was sold in April 2022.

ESTONIA–SWEDEN

  • The second quarter Estonia-Sweden results reflect the operations of the Tallinn-Stockholm and the Paldiski-Kapellskär route by one cruise ferry and two cargo vessels.
Jul 07
0

SeaJets submitted an improved proposal for the acquisition of ANEK Lines

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On June 30, 2023, SeaJets, Kiara Shipping and Golden Step Shipping Ltd submitted a new improved proposal to the Piraeus Bank for the acquisition of ANEK Lines.

[see last week’s news: Surprise: SeaJets submitted a proposal for the acquisition of ANEK Lines]

According to the new letter, which was also sent to ANEK Lines and its Creditors and Shareholders:

  • The three companies proposed an increased offer at EUR 83 million, under the same terms of payment.
  • In terms of transparency, they proposed a loan of EUR 55 million secured by first marine mortgages on ships with a commercial value of EUR 138 million (coverage rate of 250.9% of the loan). The remaining EUR 28 million will be paid from equity, which is immediately available and certainly reduce the Bank’s exposure.

In addition to the increased offer, the letter mentions a few arguments as a response to the Bank’s objections. Among other things it is stated that:

  • Until approval is given by the Competition Committee, the “implementation” of the Attica transaction, which the bank claim is in progress, is illegal.
  • It is already known to the public that the proposed Attica “transaction” raises significant competition issues based on the initial views of the Competition Committee.
  • The formulations adopted in the Bank’s response raise many questions and lead to the conclusion that the Bank is acting and arguing as the buyer of ANEK Lines rather than as a representative of its Creditors.
  • SeaJets proposal does not contain a due diligence clause, as it is inaccurately stated in the Banks’ answering letter. On the contrary, the Bank acknowledges that due diligence was carried out by Attica Group and information was provided to Attica Group, even though ANEK is a listed company. This constitutes privileged information and leads to an audit of the related stock market transactions to date.
  • SeaJets proposal ensures not only the competition but also a greater return for the Bank’s own loans.
  • The view that SeaJets proposal does not “meet the necessary criteria to constitute a viable credit risk” is not substantiated.
  • The three companies are willing to immediately engage in direct discussions with each one of the informants to avoid misunderstandings and await a prompt action.

Source: ANEK, 3 July 2023 (in Greek)