Mar 17
Love0

Tender launched for refitting aged Italian ferry

By 2023 Newsletter week 11

Local public ferry company Actv, on behalf of the Veneto Region, has launched a public tender for the refit of the MARCO POLO 1, a ferry built in 1983 by the De Poli shipyard in Venice.

The tender price is EUR 4.217 million and bids must be submitted by interested parties by 14 April.

The renovation of the MARCO POLO 1 is part of a broader investment plan for the fleet dedicated to local public transport in the Veneto Region.  The funding is approximately EUR 154.492 million and includes projects to build 32 new ships and several pontoons, as well as the refitting of 37 vessels.

Photo: Actv

Mar 17
Love0

4th Grimaldi ship for Venice – Greece route

By 2023 Newsletter week 11

Speaking at the Let Expo exhibition held in Verona, the Commercial Director of Grimaldi Euromed, Guido Grimaldi, announced that a fourth ro-ro ship has been deployed by the company on the maritime link offered between North Adriatic, Southern Italy and Greece.

More specifically, the ports of Venice, Bari and Patras are now linked with four ferries, offering six sailings per week.  Each ro-ro unit has a capacity to transport up to 250 trailers each.

A second ship on this line had been deployed by Grimaldi in 2016 and the third in 2021. Now it’s time for the fourth vessel.

Photo: Grimaldi Lines

Mar 17
Love0

FMEL announces further delay to Calmac vessels

By 2023 Newsletter week 11

Ferguson Marine has announced a further delay to the two vessels under construction for CMAL/Calmac.

The first vessel GLEN SANNOX (Hull 801) will now be delivered between Autumn 2023 and the end of 2023.  The second vessel (Hull 802) will be delivered between autumn 2024 and the end of 2024.

The vessels, now over 5 years late, were most recently due in May 2023 and March 2024.

The further delays are attributed to a variety of issues connected to the difficult construction history of the ships.

Photo: Ferguson Marine

Mar 17
Love0

Santa Irini will enter service on May 1

By 2023 Newsletter week 11

HSC SANTA IRINI (former ALMUDAINA DOS) of Panellenic Lines has officially joined the Hellenic Coastal Shipping and changed her flag from Cyprus to Greece.   She is currently at Neos Molos (Piraeus) undergoing preparations to enter service this summer.

SANTA IRINI will sail on the Heraklion – Santorini line from 1 May to 30 October 2023. www.panellenic.com/en

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos (Arxipelagos.gr)

Mar 17
Love0

Superfast I scrubber conversion

By 2023 Newsletter week 11

SUPERFAST I is the latest of the Attica Group’s fleet to undergo scrubber conversion.

The ship has been at Perama Repair Zone since 28 February with the conversion now well underway. She will subsequently be dry docked for scheduled annual repairs until 28 April.

The large ro-pax will be out of service until 1 May when she will return to her daily service on the Patras – Igoumenitsa – Bari line.

Photos: Kostas Papadopoulos

Baleària’s new CAP DE BARBARIA is nearing completion at Armon Vigo, SA Shipyards.  The ferry will sail between Ibiza and Formentera this summer

Photo: Baleària

Mar 10
Love0

Andros Queen conversion nearly complete

By 2023 Newsletter week 10

The major conversion of the Golden Star Ferries’ latest acquisition ANDROS QUEEN (former SILVER QUEEN) into a luxury day ferry is in full progress.

The ship has been at Perama Repair Zone since April 2022 and is expected to be completed by May.

ANDROS QUEEN is due to be introduced on the Rafina – Andros-Tinos-Mykonos line at the beginning of June. The cost of her impressive conversion, according to her operator, is EUR 20-25 million.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Mar 10
Love0

Gotlandia delivered to Seajets

By 2023 Newsletter week 10

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

Mar 10
Love2

Seajets’ Superstar II arrived in Greece

By 2023 Newsletter week 10

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