Jul 21
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Majority of voting creditors said yes to Tirrenia Cin’s debt restructuring plan

By 2022 Newsletter week 29

Moby Spa announced that “following the agreements reached with the main creditor of its

subsidiary CIN Spa, Tirrenia di Navigazione in Extraordinary Administration (Tirrenia in

A.S.), the Paraconcordatario Agreement was signed on July 14, 2022, the effectiveness of which is subject to the homologation by the Court of Milan.”

With the vote favourable expressed by Tirrenia in AS on the CIN Composition Plan both the

majority of voting creditors up to 96% and the majority of the voting classes of creditors were obtained, Moby specified.

Jul 21
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Farewell to Vittorio Morace, founder of Ustica Lines (today Liberty Lines)

By 2022 Newsletter week 29

Vittorio Morace, founder, and former chairman of the ferry company Liberty Lines (ex Ustica Lines), died at the age of 81.

He was born on May 21st, 1941, and during his career he has been probably the most important shipowner of highspeed vessels.

He started buying his first cargo ship in the 70’s and few years later was appointed managing director of Alilauro. In the 80’s he moved to Spain and there inaugurated the highspeed link to and from the Canary Islands. In the last decade of the past century, he was called from Carlo Rodriquez to take the helm of SNAV.

At the end of the ‘90s, Vittorio Morace founded Ustica Lines which is today the largest company in Italy active with highspeed craft to and from Sicily but also on the routes linking Italy to Croatia and Greece.

His sons Ettore Morace is CEO of the Spanish company Transmed Gle (part of Grimaldi Group) while Gianluca Morace heads BluNavy in Italy.

Jul 21
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Talks between Westerschelde Ferry and the Province of Zeeland about new ferries

By 2022 Newsletter week 29

Westerschelde Ferry, the Dutch ferry company linking Breskens and Vlissingen in the River Scheldt estuary, and the provincial authorities, have started to talk about new ferries.

In fact, the replacement was only scheduled for 2033 but to continue to offer reliable services, new ferries will be needed sooner.

The company operates two passenger/bicycle ferries: PRINSES MAXIMA and PRINS WILLEM ALEXANDER.

Jul 21
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Port of Antwerp-Bruges: slight growth in the first half of the year

By 2022 Newsletter week 29
  • The total throughput of Port of Antwerp-Bruges was 147.2 million tonnes in the first six months of this year, an increase of 1.4% compared to the same period last year.
  • Given the current geopolitical and macroeconomic context, this slight growth, despite a decline in the container segment due to ongoing global congestion problems, confirms its strengthened position as a unified port.
  • Container throughput is down 9.8% in tonnes and 6.2% in TEU compared to a strong first half in 2021. With globally disrupted container liner shipping, vessel delays and high volumes of import cargo, the container trade continues to face operational challenges. Moreover, the throughput of containers related to Russia decreased by 39% due to the conflict in Ukraine.
  • Conventional general cargo grew strongly by 22%.
  • Roro traffic saw an increase of 8.9%. RoRo traffic to the United Kingdom and Ireland shows significant growth, with 3.8 million tonnes and 0.6 million tonnes respectively, up 6.8% and 47%. The number of new and used cars shows a slight growth of 2.5% and 1.7%, while the number of trucks decreased by 19%.
Jul 21
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Anek Lines’ PREVELIS returned to her classic ferry line service

By 2022 Newsletter week 29

Following an incredible sequence of events, it was eventually decided that Anek Lines’ PREVELIS will continue to serve on the Piraeus-Sitia-Kasos-Karpathos-Diafani-Chalki-Rodos and Piraeus-Santorini Anafi subsidized lines since July 22, 2022.

The former Japanese-built ferry stopped sailing on July 11 after 12 years of service on the above line and was about to be replaced by the Sea Speed Ferries’ RoPax OLYMPUS.

However, OLYMPUS failed to pass the Hellenic Ministry of Shipping inspections and never sailed. A sad development that forced the Ministry to find an immediate solution by re-activating Prevelis, at least for the rest of the summer season 2022.

Jul 21
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Will a Tallink cruise ferry end up in The Netherlands?

By 2022 Newsletter week 29

Dutch media suggest that a Tallink vessel will be used as accommodation for refugees.

This cruise ferry would arrive end of August in Velsen-Noord (a town opposite IJmuiden).

There was an earlier plan to charter VICTORIA I for the same purpose, but much to the surprise of Velsen-Noord and the COA (Central organisation for asylum seekers).

A letter of intent was sent to Tallink on June 30 by COA and Sleepships, the company that was asked to organise the charter. However, no contract was signed and Scotland snapped the VICTORIA I.

The charter would last until 1 March 2023.