More methanol for Stena Line

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Stena Line is taking the next step in its shift to sustainable fuels by converting some of its ferries to methanol with planned launch in 2025.

“We see methanol as a strong alternative fuel that will help us delivering on our strategy to decarbonise all our operations and contributing to future green corridors where we operate. The positive experience we have from running the Stena Germanica on methanol will be valuable when taking the next stop on this journey”, says Ian Hampton, Stena Line.

The conversions will be carried out by technology group Wärtsilä and will include modifications and installations of a number of modules including fuel supply systems and engine controls. Stena Line will announce the affected vessels and routes at a later stage.

SpaceX internet for ferries in Denmark

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Molslinjen’s ferries must have internet from the SpaceX project, Starlink. An experiment on the fast ferry EXPRESS 3 on the Kattegat has proven to be able to greatly improve the experience with internet on board the ferry.

“Sending land-based internet across the curvature of the earth and out across the water to hit a moving fast ferry at 70km/h has always been a difficult exercise. But we have had Maritim Starlink on EXPRESS 3 in a test which has turned out really well”, explains Molslinjen’s commercial director, Jesper Skovgaard.

The good test means that all the ferries on the Bornholm line will receive internet from the thousands of communication satellites that Elon Musk has sent into orbit in space already during the summer holiday period. Soon after, the remaining fast ferries on the Kattegat also get internet from Starlink.

The routes of the Molslinjen, the Alslinjen, the Samsølinjen and the Langelandslinjen as well as the ferries on the Øresund between Helsingør and Helsingborg do not experience the same challenges, as they sail shorter routes and closer to land.

Kerkyra Lines’ IONIAN EXPRESS arrived in Greece

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On June 22, 2023, Kerkyra Lines’ IONIAN EXPRESS (ex- ASAKAZE No 5) arrived in Greece.

The ship left the port of Hakodate (Japan) on May 23.

She was purchased from Seikan Ferry in January 2023 and delivered to Kerkyra Lines on March 26, 2023.

She has been serving on the Aomori – Hakodate line since 1998.

The ship was sent to Atsalakis Shipyards for necessary repairs and upgrades.

Photo: Voyager (Christos Chatzaras)

Port Esbjerg: RoRo calls will be quadrupled

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CEO Dennis Jul Pedersen said at Port Esbjerg’s Annual Meeting held on 23 June, that the deepening of the fairway, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2024, brings new perspectives.

“Last year, Europe exported goods to the USA at a value of USD 527 billion. Obviously, we would like to see a lot of that go through Port Esbjerg, and that’s what we’re planning for. In fact, we’ve made a commitment to the EU that the number of RoRo calls will be quadrupled over the next ten years,” said Jul Pedersen, emphasising that the RoRo segment will be a focal point for Port Esbjerg in the near future.

Last year, the EU gave Port Esbjerg a grant of DKK 211 million to deepen the fairway. (EUR 28.3 million).

Belfast Harbour posts robust Financial Results for 2022

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Belfast Harbour reported robust financial results for 2022, with annual turnover and profits in line with expectations, despite a challenging global trading environment.

Belfast Harbour reported turnover of £77.2m for 2022, up 5% on its figures for 2021, and underlying pre-tax profits of £34.3m, up 1% on the previous year.

Despite the climate of global uncertainty and external challenges sparked by the war in Ukraine, port trade dropped only slightly on the record levels recorded in 2021. Total tonnage through Belfast Harbour was reported at 24.5m tonnes, representing the second highest levels in its history, and a slight easing back of 4.3% from the record levels of 2021.

RoRo freight on Stena Line performed strongly, recording 600,000 freight units during the year, and matching the record performance delivered in 2021.

The volume of ferry passengers travelling through the Port increased by 22% year on year to almost 1.8 million people, with routes benefitting from the full easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

The number of passenger cars reached a record high of 462,000, increasing by 12% from the year before, reflecting a continued interest in staycations and local holidays.

Valenciaport uses Artificial Intelligence to predict the flow of trucks

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Valenciaport and Nextport have developed an Artificial Intelligence tool assisted by data technology professionals, which will adjust the traffic of cargo vehicles in Valencian ports.

The tool, which is in the pilot phase, is fed by the data managed by Valenciaport and is crossed with other variables such as holidays by country or meteorology, which help to forecast the behaviour of land traffic.

This system is a competitive advantage both for terminals – which will know the workload by time slot – and for carriers – which will have a real timetable planning.

Grimaldi deploys “green giants” on the Venice – Bari – Patras route

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Since June 26, the regular ro-ro line operated by Grimaldi Group between Venice, Bari and Patras is covered by two of the GG5G-series ro-ro ships: ECO CATANIA and ECO MALTA.

These vessels can offer much higher capacity (7,800 linear metres of freight, equivalent to around 500 trailers and 180 cars and better performances) than the Eurocargo-class ships that they replaced on the line.

The ro-ro traffic flows in the port of Venice grew by over 11% in 2022 according to the statistics released by the local port authority, and this trend has continued also in the first half of 2023.

The doubling of the capacity of the new ships compared to those previously operating will lead to a further increase in ro-ro cargo capacity on the Venice – Greece link.

Algérie Ferries decides not to charter the Italian ferry CAMOMILLA

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Algérie Ferries made public the decision not to charter the vessel CAMOMILLA recently sold by Corsica Ferries to the new company Flipper Lines, controlled by Saimja Shpk.

For the 2023 summer season, the Algerian national maritime passenger transport company decided to strengthen its programme of crossings with new routes departing from Italy, Spain and France. New routes have been opened, offering Algerian travellers a wide choice of destinations.

“In view of the impossibility of chartering the CAMOMILLA, Algeria Ferries reassures its customers that the ships in its fleet are ready to ensure the best possible operation of its crossings” a press release from the company said.

In order to meet the growing demand from its passengers, the Algerian national shipping company informs that “all the human and material resources will be made available to its passengers to ensure the smooth running of all its voyages during the 2023 summer season”.

The two Damen 4212 class arrived in Vancouver

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After beginning their voyage early this month from the Damen shipyard in Vietnam, the two brand-new high-speed catamaran vessels for the new Hullo Ferries service arrived in British Columbia this past weekend.

Hullo Ferries is a private, passenger-only ferry service linking downtown Vancouver and downtown Nanaimo, designed for both regular commuters from Vancouver Island and tourists.

Both vessels have a hul’q’umi’num’ name according to the Snuneymuxw First Nation (*).

SPUHÉLS (**) and STHUQI’ (***) will begin sailing in early August 2023.

* The Snuneymuxw are a vibrant First Nation of the Coast Salish People, residing in the centre of Coast Salish territory on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, with villages on the Fraser River and waterways in the Gulf Islands. Snuneymuxw territory encompasses one of the most productive and resource rich areas at the heart of the Salish Sea.

**Spuhéls (spah – els): is the hul’q’umi’num’ name meaning wind.

**¨Sthuqi’ (sta – key) is the hul’q’umi’num’ name for Sockeye salmon.