Feb 02
Love1

Grimaldi charters CIUDAD DE MAHON to Baleària

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

The 2008-built RoPax ferry CIUDAD DE MAHON, owned by Trasmed Grimaldi, will move to Spanish competitor Baleària on a bareboat charter that is understood to last 5 years.

The ship’s capacity is for 1,000 passengers and 1,500 lane metres of RoRo cargo and cars.

In the recent past CIUDAD DE MAHON has been deployed on the routes linking the Spanish mainland (Valencia and Barcelona) with the Balearic Islands, in particular Ibiza.

At present it is unknown how Baleària plan to use the vessel.

Photo: Grimaldi Trasmed

Feb 02
Love1

MOBY LEGACY arrives, MOBY VINCENT departs

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

The 50-year-old ferry MOBY VINCENT (1.600 passengers and 920 lane meters capacity) has been sold for scrapping at Aliaga, Turkey.

The 1974-built vessel had been operating until autumn 2023 on the Livorno – Bastia route.  Her place will be taken by MOBY ZAZA for the forthcoming summer season.

The sale of the aged MOBY VINCENT is part of a renovation and cost-cutting plan launched by the Group, controlled by the Onorato family.  The ship should depart Italy soon.

Meanwhile, Moby Line’s brand new RoPax cruiseferry, MOBY LEGACY arrived at the port of Livorno on 28 January. The delivery voyage covered 14,000 nautical miles and took 32 days.  From 17 February the vessel will sail on the Livorno to Olbia route alongside her sister MOBY FANTASY.

Photo: Moby Line

Feb 02
Love1

MIRAMAR EXPRESS acquired by Lakeway Link

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

New Swedish shipping company, Lakeway Link has acquired the RoRo MIRAMAR EXPRESS.  Lakeway Link, owned equally by Wallenius and Greencarrier, is to open a new service connecting Poland and Sweden.

The vessel will be renamed LAKEWAY EXPRESS and from April offer three weekly departures between Gdynia and Södertälje.  The service is seen as offering a robust alternative or complement to road and rail transportation.

The company intends to expand its services to include additional traffic to Västerås by 2026, following the reconstruction of the Södertälje locks.

The 1,624-lane metre MIRAMAR EXPRESS is currently sailing on the Algeciras – Tanger Med route operated by FRS Iberia/Maroc, recently acquired by DFDS.   It is understood that the vessel is owned by a separate FRS Group company and not included in the sale to DFDS.

Photo: Lakeway Link

Feb 02
Love1

Seajets purchased two more high-speed crafts from the Turkish IDO

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

Greek sources are reporting that Seajets has added two more high-speed craft to their impressive fleet. This time they purchased the sister-ships OSMAN GAZI 1 and ORHAN GAZI 1 from Turkey’s Istanbul Deniz (IDO).

Both vessels were built in Australia (Austal, Henderson) in 2007 and belong to the Auto Express 88 series. Their carrying capacity is for 1,200 passengers and 225 cars, while they have a top speed of 37.5 knots. With these impressive 6,133 tonners in its fleet, the seemingly unstoppable Seajets will operate within the Aegean Sea with the significant number of 22 high-speed craft.

Photo: Austal

Feb 02
Love1

Additional Fjord Line call

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

Fjord Line has announced some additions to their route portfolio.

From 1 February to 7 May and 2 September to 30 December, the cruise ferries STAVANGERFJORD and BERGENSFJORD will offer;

  • An evening sailing from Hirtshals to Kristiansand, the shortest route between Denmark and Norway.
  • A nightly domestic route from Kristiansand to Stavanger and on to Bergen.

This adds a call to the current Hirtshals – Stavanger – Bergen route northbound.  Southbound, the route remains as it is today; Bergen-Stavanger-Hirtshals.

7 May to 2 September, Fjord Line continues to sail 3 – 4 departures daily between Hirtshals and Kristiansand with HSC FJORD FSTR, STAVANGERFJORD and BERGENSFJORD

Photo: Fjord Line

Feb 02
Love1

Stena Line breaks record at Belfast

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

Stena Line has achieved a record year for freight volumes at Belfast with approximately 587,000 units being transported in 2023.

Meanwhile, Belfast Harbour has unveiled a specially commissioned portrait of Stena Line owner and Chairman, Dan Sten Olsson, at their Harbour Office in Corporation Square.  The portrait celebrates the significant contribution that the Swedish ferry operator has made to the Port and Region over the last three decades.

Stena Line has seven ships operating from Belfast, serving the ports of Cairnryan, Belfast and Heysham.

Photo: Stena Line

Feb 02
Love1

Unity Lines’ train/car ferry JAN SNIADECKI sold to Greece

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

It is reported that the buyer of Unity Lines’ train/car and passenger ferry JAN SNIADECKI is Greece’s Ainaftis. She was built in Sweden (Falkenberg-S) in 1988 for Polish Ocean Lines and served the Świnoujście – Ystad route throughout her Polish career.

In 1995, she was transferred to Unity Line.

On 30 December 2023 she made her last crossing and laid up at the port of Świnoujście. The 17-knot ship has been renamed THALASSITIS and has raised the Cypriot flag.  Her carrying capacity is for 57 passengers and 1,116 lane meters.

Photo: Bartosz Bagiński

Feb 02
Love1

SUNNYLVSFJORD delivered to Fjord1

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

On 28 January Fjord1 took delivery of their latest newbuild from the Tersan Shipyard in Turkey, MF SUNNYLVSFJORD. The ferry can carry 248 passengers and 80 cars or 6 trucks and was designed by HavDesign. The ferry will be used on the Stranda – Liabygda, route.

Depending on the weather conditions on her delivery voyage, SUNNYLVSFJORD will arrive in Norway in three to four weeks.  A sistership from Tersan is due to follow soon, NORDDALSFJORD.  That vessel will see service on the Eidsdal – Linge route.

Photo: Fjord1

Feb 02
Love1

Damen to deliver newbuild just months after order

By 2024 Newsletter week 05

South Korea’s KT Marine this week signed a contract for a “4212” fast ferry with Damen Shipyards.

The vessel will be delivered by mid-2024 and is the seventh Damen Fast Ferry in the Korean Market and the fifth of the FFe 4212 class.  It will operate on the route between Yeosu harbour and Geomundo Island (off the south coast of South Korea).

The speedy delivery is possible due to Damen’s speculative building strategy with the vessel already under construction at the Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam.

Length 42 metres
Capacity 423 passengers
Speed 40 knots (max)
Power 4 main engines delivering 5,760 bkW of power to four waterjets

Photo: Damen

Feb 02
Love1

In Brief

By 2024 Newsletter week 05
  • TT-Line has taken the Stena Line vessel URD on charter to cover fleet gaps. The vessel joined the Baltic company on 29 January, operating on Klaipeda routes. The vessel previously served Stena for the two months prior to Christmas 2023.
  • The BBC reports that DFDS is considering applying for the Channel Islands ferry tender to secure long-term operating agreements for the islands of Guernsey and Jersey.
  • FRS Sylt Ferry is offering additional departures on the Havneby, Rømø to List, Sylt route 11 to 15 March due to the cancellation of passenger and car trains to Sylt during maintenance work at the island station.
  • On February 8, Wasaline launches a new restaurant concept aboard AUROA BOTNIA sailing on the Vasa to Umeå route. Bistro Botnia will serve food made from local, seasonal ingredients. The menu includes both fine dining and simpler options.
  • Martime Danmark reports that Smyril Line has decided to sell two RoRo Container vessels, EYSTNES and HVITANES. Previously focussed on the Russian fish market, the Ukraine war has put an end to this trade. Smyril Line will concentrate on RoRo freight in future.

Photo: Smyril Line