On 8 March Seajets took delivery of the HSC GOTLANDIA from Destination Gotland/Gotlandsbolaget at the port of Visby.
Purchased last week, she has been renamed SUPERRUNER JET 2 under the Cyprus flag.
The ferry will depart for Greece within the next few days. It seems likely that she begin her Hellenic Coastal Shipping career in 2024
Photo: Seajets
On 4 March Seajets’ SUPERSTAR II (former COLOR VIKING) arrived in Greece.
The ship left Sandefjord (Norway) on 23 February, with a stopover in Spain. After a brief visit to the port of Piraeus she proceeded to Neos Molos Drapetsonas (Keratsini).
She was purchased from Color Line at the end of November 2022 and the plan was to serve the Piraeus – Western Cyclades route. However, the Hellenic Ministry of Shipping has now approved the introduction of her fleet mate SUPERSTAR on that line for the summer season 2023. This makes it likely that she won’t be introduced to Greek Coastal services until summer 2024
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
Kathimerini reports that Scandro Holding Ltd’s ro-pax DALEELA will begin sailing from Larnaca to Piraeus in August.
The Cyprus – Greece service will re-start in May from Limassol. After 14 sailings, the port will be moved to Larnaca with 8 services August to mid-September
The service takes 30 hours from Limassol and 32 from Larnaca.
Irish Ferries’ owner Irish Continental Group (ICG) returned to the black in 2022 with an operating profit of EUR 66.7 million (EUR 0.2 million loss in 2021).
The Ferry Division operating profit was EUR 46.4 million (EUR 17.4 million loss in 2021). This includes charter revenue of EUR 17.2 million (2021: EUR 8.1 million).
2023 performance to date was also shared.
The new £100 million ferry terminal on the Humber which will be used by Stena Line has moved closer.
The development consent order for ABP’s Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal is now being considered by the Planning Inspectorate, with a decision expected before summer 2024.
The planning site for the development can be found here.
Photo: ABP
From 13 March, the logistics and transport company NTEX increases its intermodal service with a new collaboration with Stena Line and the Italian railway operator Hannibal.
A twice weekly rail service between Europort and Melzo (Milan) will boost the existing daily departures in both directions between Italy and the UK.
Intermodal transport by train and ferry creates a 70% CO2 saving in comparison to delivering mainly by road. In addition it delivers a quicker transit time and increased trailer capacity with loading up to 28 tons.
Photo: NTEX.
BC Ferries has made revisions to the company’s Performance Term Six Submission to the independent BC Ferries Commissioner. Although only filed in September 2022, the changes are needed due to the difficult Global economic picture.
The plan is now posted on the Commissioner’s website for public feedback.
Torghatten Nord, has ordered hydrogen fuel cells from PowerCell for two ferries, in a contract valued at EUR 19.2 million. The two companies also intend to enter into a long-term service agreement.
The Norwegian government has set as a requirement that the new ferries across the Vestfjord at Lofoten must be emission-free. The fuel cell systems will enable the two ships to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 26,500 tonnes a year, equivalent to the annual emissions of 13,000 cars running on diesel fuel.
The ships will have a capacity of 599 passengers, 120 cars and twelve trucks. Delivery is to take place during the fourth quarter of 2024.
Photo: PowerCell
At a ceremony at Skatudden, Helsinki on 6 March, the Finnish flag was raised on the VIKING XPRS.
The reflagging from the Estonian flag makes Viking Line Finland’s biggest employer in maritime transport.
The 2008-built VIKING XPRS operates on the Helsinki – Tallinn route. Staff on the vessel will be transferred to the Finnish salary system and become direct employees of Viking Line. The crew previously worked through an Estonian staffing company.
175 people work onboard with around 10% previously being crew of the ROSELLA, sold at the start of the year.
Master Stefan Dahlström said;
“We also have a number of experienced staff who were shifted over from our other vessels as well as former VIKING XPRS crew members. The reflagging will make hiring easier for us and give our staff greater opportunities to move between the vessels.”
The company has 1,200 permanent seafarers and about 500 fixed-term employees in Finland on vessels registered in Finland’s Register of Ships. Four of the company’s five vessels – VIKING XPRS, VIKING GLORY, and VIKING GRACE AND GABRIELLA – are Finnish flagged. CINDERELLA sails under the Swedish flag.
Photo: Viking Line
