Dec 02
Love0

Fjord1 starts testing electric ferries across the Tysfjord

By 2022 Newsletter week 48

Fjord1 took over the operation of the national road ferries across the Tysfjord in Nordland today (1 December 2022), and will soon have the world’s longest electric ferry connection.

The new ferry contract between the Statens Vegvesen and Fjord1 covers both national road 827 between Drag and Kjøpsvik and E6 between Bognes and Skarberget.

The contract runs until 2032.

According to the contract, all the ordinary ferries across the Tysfjord must be operated with electricity. Now starts the test period between Drag and Kjøpsvik, which hosts the country’s – and the world’s – longest electric ferry connection.

Fjord1 put in three vessels, which have been rebuilt to be suitable for electric ferry operation.

Ferries LOTE and GLUTRA are already in place on the E6 between Bognes and Skarberget. However, the ferry quays are not adapted to electric operation yet, due to delays in the delivery of a new power line to Bognes. The ferry quays must be fully rebuilt and ready for electric operation by the autumn.

Thus, FANNEFJORD will be the first to launch electric operation across the Tysfjord when the vessel is completed in the new year. With a crossing of 14.8 kilometres, this is the world’s longest electric ferry connection.

In the meantime, the reserve ferry SULAFJORD will take the traffic between Drag and Kjøpsvik.

Dec 02
Love0

Construction started for the first RoPax ordered from MSC for GNV

By 2022 Newsletter week 48

Guangzhou Shipbuilding International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, started the construction of the first of two (with option for further two) RoPax ships ordered last year by MSC and set to be operated by Grandi Navi Veloci.

The vessel has a length of 218m, a width of 29.6m, 3,100 lane metres capacity and a service speed of 25 knots.

There are 299 cabins on board and it can accommodate 1,500 passengers. It will be equipped with multiple themed restaurants, bars, lounges, children’s entertainment areas and other leisure and entertainment venues.

The first and second units of this series will be equipped with energy-saving and emission reduction devices such as SCR systems and waste heat recovery systems, while the third and fourth will be powered by an LNG dual-fuel propulsion system.

Dec 02
Love0

Grimaldi strengthens its presence on the RoPax lines between Italy and Greece

By 2022 Newsletter week 48

Two events in the ports of Bari and Brindisi have been planned for the next week to celebrate some interesting news from Grimaldi Group on the Italy to Greece maritime services.

The Naples-based ferry group will introduce a fourth RoRo (still unidentified) on the route already linking the ports of Venice, Bari and Patras, thus increasing the frequency which is expected to become daily compared to the current three rotations per week.

Furthermore, Grimaldi Group will also present the already launched extension to Patras of the ferry link already operated between Brindisi and Igoumenitsa. The ferry EUROPA PALACE will follow the vessel named IGOUMENITSA already deployed on the line.

EUROPA PALACE has a capacity of 1,800 passengers and 2,600 lane metres garage.

Dec 02
Love1

MOBY LEGACY launched

By 2022 Newsletter week 48

On 1 December 2022, MOBY LEGACY was launched at the GSI shipyard in Guangzhou.

It is the sister vessel of MOBY FANTASY, which is expected in Italy the coming months.

Both vessels will serve the Livorno-Olbia route (Sardinia).

MOBY LEGACY: 237m long | 32m wide | GT 69,500 |2500 passengers | 550 cabins | 3,800 lane meters | 1,300 cars or 300 trucks | Engine power 10.8 megawatts | Cruising speed 23.5 knots

Dec 02
Love0

SMYRNA DI LEVANTE completed her winter service on the Thessaloniki-Izmir line

By 2022 Newsletter week 48

Levante Ferries announced that its winter sailings on the Thessaloniki-Izmir line will be completed on December 4, 2022.

The company introduced its RoPax SMYRNA DI LEVANTE in the above line on October 10, 2022 and made 40 trips, laying the foundations for seamless passenger and commercial connectivity between the two countries.

According to the company, this two-month service of the line was useful for the quick restart of the 2023 summer season routes. Levante Ferries will inform about the exact date of the summer season sailings with a future announcement.

Nov 25
Love0

Green light to Moby and Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione’s rescue plan by the Court of Milan

By 2022 Newsletter week 47

Moby S.p.A. announced that “by Decree dated today, November 24th, the Court of Milan declared the homologation of the Composition Plan proposed by the Company and its subsidiary, CIN S.p.A. (Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione). With this Decree, the Court rejected the only action in opposition brought by Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A., ordering it to pay the judicial costs in favor of Moby and CIN”.

Green light also to the Gianluigi-Aponte-controlled MSC Group to take directly a 49% stake in Moby in exchange of EUR 150 million, of which EUR 81 million will be used to partially repay the debt of 180 million with Tirrenia in Amministrazione Straordinaria (bad company controlled by the Italian economic development minister born when the former public Tirrenia was sold in 2012).

Nov 25
Love3

Viking Line becomes the largest individual shareholder of compatriot Rederiaktiebolaget Eckerö

By 2022 Newsletter week 47

November 18, 2022 – Viking Line Abp acquired 17.1 % of the shares in Rederiaktiebolaget Eckerö for EUR 30/share, a total of EUR 10,269,300.

Viking Line received information that a larger stake in Rederiaktiebolaget Eckerö was for sale. To ensure that the share ownership stays on Åland, Viking Line chose to acquire the post.

Rederiaktiebolaget Eckerö is the parent company of the Eckerö Group, which consists of four business areas:

  • Eckerö Linjen operates car ferry traffic between Eckerö and Grisslehamn with ropax ECKERÖ.
  • Eckerö Line operates car ferry traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn, with FINLANDIA and FINBO CARGO.
  • Eckerö Shipping owns roro TRANSPORTER (on charter to DFDS) and inactive passenger vessel BIRKA STOCKHOLM.
  • Williams Buss has high-class buses for public transport and tourism travel.

The Group’s head office is located in Mariehamn.

During the year 2021, the annual turnover amounted to approx. 123 million euros and the group transported approx. 1.4 million passengers and approx. 166,000 freight units on its own routes.

Nov 25
Love0

Rederiaktiebolaget Eckerö Q3: Increased turnover and improved profitability

By 2022 Newsletter week 47
  • +70% passengers 919,687
  • -9% freight units 38,680
  • +43% turnover EUR 59.6 million
  • EBITDA EUR 12.8 million (was 5.8)
  • EBIT Operating profit amounted to EUR 9.5 million (EUR 2.5 million), corresponding to a margin of 16.0% (5.9%)
  • Result EUR 5.2 million (EUR 1.7 million)
  • Cash flow for the period was EUR 3.9 million (EUR 1.7 million)

Outlook

The fourth quarter has started with volumes in line with pre-pandemic levels.

The high bunker prices, the high inflation and the volatile Swedish krona create uncertainty. 30% of the estimated bunker consumption during the rest of the year is price-guaranteed.