Apr 14
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Damen Shipyards design and build a new E-Cat Ferry for Reederei Norden-Frisia

By 2023 Newsletter week 15

Reederei Norden-Frisia operates services from the mainland of north-west Germany to the Frisian Islands. The company asked Damen to design and build a new ferry.

 Green ambitions: already, the operator offers electric car and bicycle hire to its clients. Furthermore, Norden-Frisia is installing solar panels and wind turbines to its car parking facilities.

  • Was looking for: a fast(er) ferry for those people who are not dependent on transporting a vehicle.
  • Going to the next level: the construction of a fully electric vessel that would be able to transport 150 passengers from Norddeich to the island of Norderney, quickly, cleanly and in optimal comfort.
  • Reederei Norden-Frisia reached out to Damen for vessel + charging infrastructure and mooring solutions.
  • A tailored approach: the route that the ferry will operate required Damen to develop a completely new vessel – the Damen Fast Ferry (FFE) 3209 – known as the E-Cat Ferry.
  • Challenges: maximum draft max 1.2m – maximum speed 16 knots (UNESCO area) – 1h crossing (instead of 2) and 30 Minutes charging.
  • Hull to be constructed at Damen’s yard in Kozle, Poland.
  • Outfitting in Damen Shipyards Gorinchem.

Delivery to Norden-Frisia in May 2024.

Apr 14
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Tallink’s vessels now using shore power in Tallinn, Helsinki, and Stockholm

By 2023 Newsletter week 15

On Friday, 7 April 2023, Tallink Grupp’s shuttle vessel MEGASTAR started using high voltage shore connection facilities at the Port of Helsinki West Harbour while the vessel is berthed at the quayside overnight between departures.

Shore power is now used by Tallink Grupp’s vessels at the ports of Stockholm, Tallinn and Helsinki: fewer GHG emissions and less noise.

The company estimates that connecting the vessels to shore power facilities during their longer port stays reduces CO2 emissions of:

  • MYSTAR and MEGASTAR: each 112 tons/month (1,344 tons/y)
  • BALTIC QUEEN: 95 tons/month (1,140/y)
  • SILJA SYMPHONY and SILJA SERENADE: each 156 tons/month (1,872/y).

All five vessels using shore power during their longer port stays means that the company is reducing its CO2 emissions as a result by a whopping 7,572 tons per year.

Apr 14
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ForSea: Easter brings a new record

By 2023 Newsletter week 15
  • Almost 80,000 Danish and Swedish foot passengers between Helsingør and Helsingborg during the Easter weekend 2023.
  • +10% compared to 2022.
  • Best Easter since 1996 (since the opening of the Øresund Bridge).
  • Low Swedish krone compared to Danish krone increased shopping onboard and in Helsingborg.
Apr 14
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Anek Lines’ EL VENIZELOS returns to the Piraeus-Crete service in June

By 2023 Newsletter week 15

ANEK LINES is preparing the return of its cruise ferry EL. VENIZELOS on the Piraeus – Chania (Crete) line, after a two- year layup (25.04.2020) at Perama repair zone.

According to the Blue Star Ferries timetable, the ship is expected to replace BLUE GALAXY on June 30, 2023. The ferry is currently undergoing a significant refit.

She already had undergone a significant upgrade and renovation of her interior public spaces in 2019.

Photos: Anek Lines

Apr 14
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Greece – Cyprus line booking system opened on April 11

By 2023 Newsletter week 15
  • The 2023 booking system for the Greece – Cyprus ferry line was opened on April 11.
  • DALEELA will again be the ship that will serve the line but she will offer upgraded services.
  • First departure May 31 from Limassol
  • Last sailing from Piraeus to Larnaca September 1.
  • 22 round trips (8 between May – June, 7 in July and 7 between August and September).
  • 14 departures from the port of Limassol and 8 from the port of Larnaca, starting from July.
  • Last year’s traffic performance was 7,412 passengers and 2,250 vehicles.
Apr 14
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Corsica Ferries testing biofuels with Total Energies

By 2023 Newsletter week 15

TotalEnergies group announced that it has implemented the first biofuel bunkering operation in the Mediterranean from a French port.

The operation was carried out in low-profile mode in the past weeks and the ship involved has been the ro-pax ferry MEGA EXPRESS TWO owned by Corsica Ferries.

Some 100 tons of this product, which is made up of diesel and 30% biomolecules, in this case second-generation fatty acid methyl ester, produced from certified sustainable used cooking oil was provided to the ferry with a truck-to-ship bunkering operation.

Although this is still a trial, this solution should be developed by TotalEnergies Marine Fuels for shipping companies as it allows them to keep existing ships, while limiting greenhouse gas emissions by around 20% according to the company’s estimates.

Initial trials were carried out in Singapore in 2022 and the subsidiary signed a bunkering contract with Hapag Lloyd at the beginning of the year.

Apr 14
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CRUISE SMERALDA transferred to Finnlines

By 2023 Newsletter week 15

Ro-pax CRUISE SMERALDA, owned by Grimaldi Group, has just been just chartered out by Grimaldi Euromed to sister company Finnlines.

From the Italian port of Gioia Tauro, and after a stop in Antwerp, the 1997-built CRUISE SMERALDA arrived this week in Vlissingen, the Netherlands, before continuing to Malmö, Sweden.

CRUISE SMERALDA has a max capacity of 1,528 passengers and 819 cars (or 90 cars plus 125 trucks/trailers) and in the recent past had been operating on the motorways of the seas in the West Mediterranean and to/from the North Africa.

The ferry will replace other ferries on the Malmö-Travemünde link during their refurbishments.

“As early as this summer, there will be a new line between Sweden and Poland,” said Tom Pippingsköld in Swedish newspaper “Dagens Industri”. To be followed…

Apr 14
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Molslinjen has been nominated for the Working Environment Award 2023

By 2023 Newsletter week 15

A significant reduction in the amount of exhaust particles when loading and unloading diesel vehicles has resulted in a better working environment on board ropax HAMMERSHUS, where employees no longer have to worry about the amount of particle pollution in everyday life.

Captain of Bornholmslinjen’s HAMMERSHUS Jacob Schødt Larsen was made aware of a problem with particle pollution on the vehicle deck. He acted decisively, and this meant that the cause of the contamination was quickly identified and reduced.

The captain and his colleagues are now being rewarded for this effort, by being nominated for the Working Environment Award 2023.

The specific action plan included a thorough review of the ventilation system and the corresponding update of operation and maintenance, as well as a new procedure for handling refrigerated trailers that must be connected to power on board.

Finally, subcontractors were required to ensure that the terminal tractors that load and unload trailers are equipped with particle filters.

Apr 14
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Holland Norway Lines confirms the changing departure port(s

By 2023 Newsletter week 15

As written earlier, Holland Norway Lines is moving its sailings from the Dutch port of Eemshaven to a new location.

From the 1st June, Emden will be the new permanent port of departure. Emden is located just across the Netherlands/German border.

From April 20 (later than expected) to May 31st, Cuxhaven is HNL’s temporary departure port. Cuxhaven is located in Northern Germany.

The switch from Eemshaven to the other ports does not affect the sailing time (18 hours), but does make the car journey longer for passengers coming from the Netherlands.