GNV confirmed a 12-month charter of A-Ships Managements’ RoPax GOLDEN BRIDGE.
Recently, the large ship was dry docked at the Perama repair zone and changed her livery. She is expected to be introduced on Barcelona-Ibiza on 31 January 2022.
On 15 January 2022, Seajets’ HSC RAPID LINK JET and HSC CHAMPION JET 1 entered the large Spanopoulos group dry dock for schedules and annual repairs. RAPID LINK JET was purchased in October 2019 from the Bridgemans Trinidad LP and since December 2019 was laid up at Ambelakia Salamis. The repairs and dry docking reveal that the ship is preparing for service in the domestic market for the summer season 2022.
Seajets owns 17 High Speed Craft and serves 33 islands with 330 connections.
The fleet capacity is for 20,000 passengers and 3,500 private cars.
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
Hai You Shipping (Taiwan) ordered her first CoCo Yachts designed and Glow Marine of Singapore-built fast ferry, a Coastal Cruiser 400.
The Coastal Cruiser 400 is specially designed for Hai You Shipping, and features a reversed bow, a length over all of 42.80m, and a beam of 10.3m. The hull is specially designed for high-speed sailing in rough weather, while maintaining comfort and efficiency. The propulsion exists of four MTU 12V2000M86, each driving one Hamilton HTX-52 waterjet through a ZF 3050 gearbox. Auxiliary power will be provided by two Kohler 99kW generator sets. The aluminium construction is designed for sailing in waves up to 4m and the vessel is fully compliant to the rules and regulations of ROC and CR for high-speed passenger ships sailing in Taiwan coastal waters.
The Coastal Cruiser 400 will have a service speed of 35 knots, and a range of approx. 350 NM.
On 15 December 2021, the keel laying ceremony for two electric ferries for Riveer (Gorinchem) took place at Alumare, Poland. The two vessels are due to enter service early 2023 and will sail on the river De Merwede between the cities of Gorinchem, Sleeuwijk, Werkendam and Hardinxveld-Giessendam.
The ferries are designed by CoCo Yachts B.V. of The Netherlands after Riveer contracted them to design a fully electric ferry. The only requirements that Riveer gave the designer was that the ferry had to be 100% emission-free and that at least the current timetable of the ferry service had to be maintained with some allowance for battery charging.
This resulted in a 35.3m full aluminium double-ended catamaran, able to carry 100 passengers and 100 bicycles. After a long and intensive tender procedure, Holland Shipyards Group of The Netherlands has been awarded to build the ships.
The ferry company BluNavy has just welcomed in its fleet the ropax unit ANTONELLO DA MESSINA chartered in from Siremar (jointly controlled by Caronte & Tourist and Liberty Lines).
After some tests the ship started covering the Piombino – Porto Ferraio route offering 4 roundtrips per day and operates ‘in combination’ with the ferry VESTA.
ANTONELLO DA MESSINA has been chartered to replace the ferry ACCIARELLO which is expected to be refitted.
740 pax | 70 cars | 16 knots speed | 71m | Built 1989 Shipyard Nuovi Cantieri Apuania
Photo: Mattia Montanelli
Throughout 2021, ForSea has sailed between Helsingborg-Helsingör according to the normal timetable regardless of the pandemic’s.
Freight traffic trends
- +8.5% freight compared to 2020
- +3.5% freight compared to 2019
- This can be seen as an effect of changed consumption patterns, as more and more orders are placed online.
Passenger traffic trends
- Shorter trips, preferably by car or train before air travel.
- Holidays nearby, or touring” between Sweden and Denmark.
- +12% passengers compared to 2020.
- +13% increase in sales in the onboard shops compared with the normal year 2019
Environmental trends
- Targets for reduced CO2 levels set for the year 2030 will be met as early as 2022.
- Ferry AURORA continues to sail with battery operation.
- The upgrade of TYCHO BRAHE’s batteries is expected to be completed shortly.
- Calculations for 2022 show an expected reduction of 71% CO2 emissions compared to 2016.
- New for the year are CO2 equivalents for all food served in restaurants and cafés. Thus, everything becomes measurable and the opportunity to produce more sustainable food is created. In addition, guests can easily compare the different offerings and make their own, active environmental choices.
“We leave 2021 with a positive feeling and look forward to 2022 “, says Kristian Durhuus, CEO of ForSea (photo).
Baleària presented at the FITUR fair the first diesel-battery-electric ropax ferry, with zero emissions in port and during manoeuvring.
The vessel will also be a test lab for the use of green hydrogen (100kW). The shipping company participates in the European Green Hysland project, whose objective is to turn Mallorca into the first green hydrogen hub in southwestern Europe.
To be built by Armón, Vigo
Interior: Oliver Design
Delivered summer 2023
Crossing time: 1 hour
Pax: 350 | Trucks: 14
Length 83m | Width 15m | Speed 12.5 knots
From the point of view of passengers, the design prioritizes exterior accommodations, focused mainly on the summer market, with terraces at different levels where you can enjoy views of the sea during the journey and with services focused on the pleasure of travelling: chill-out areas, a large bar with space for a DJ and a shower area to cool off.
Oma Baatbyggeri has signed a contract with Norled AS for two hybrid battery-electric ferries. Soon, a contract with Florø Skyssbåt AS will be signed for another one.
All three ferries will operate route package 2 (RP2) in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.
The RP2 ships are based on the well-known Combi-catamaran concept from Oma Baatbyggeri, which started in 2001 and can now be found along the entire long Norwegian coast.
The boats have the capacity to carry a truck of 20 tonnes, alternatively 7 passenger cars, in combination with 70 passengers.
The RP2 boats are delivered with hybrid battery-electric propulsion systems. This means a 100% electric operation in most of the routes they will operate.
Service speed is 22-25 knots, and the length of the vessel is 30 meters.
With this order, Oma Baatbyggeri ensures good employment until November 2023.
Friday 14 January 2022. Vauban Infrastructure Partners announced the closing of the Odin Project for the acquisition, by an entity controlled by an investment fund managed by Vauban, of Boreal Holding AS and its subsidiaries from Everbright Overseas Infrastructure Investment Fund LP (“EOIIF”), a fund sponsored and managed by China Everbright Limited (“CEL”) (HKG: 0165).
This acquisition strengthens Vauban’s investment footprint in the mobility sector as well as its presence in the Nordics region.
Boreal is one of the largest operators in the Norwegian public transportation market. It operates contracts granted by public transport authorities in four key segments of car ferries, fast ferries, light rail and nationwide buses.
The transaction is the fourth investment managed by Vauban Infrastructure Partners in the Nordics region after the acquisition of stakes in Oslofjörd Värme (a Norwegian district heating company), Loiste Group (a Finnish multi utility company) and Borealis Data Center (an Icelandic data centre) respectively in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Virtu Ferries announced the purchase of a new High-Speed Ferry for the Mgarr, Gozo to Valletta, Malta route.
This €7 Million investment indicates Virtu’s commitment to the Gozo route.
The HSC GOZO EXPRESS, will be registered under the Malta flag and was designed by lncat Crowther.
HSC GOZO EXPRESS has an overall length of 42.2 meters, with a carrying capacity of 322 passengers, in airconditioned lounges on two decks and outside seating for 40 passengers on the upper deck.
She is powered by four MTU 12V2000 M72 engines and four Rolls Royce water jets and is capable of a maximum speed of more than 38 knots, and a service speed of 35 knots.
She successfully completed sea trials in December 2021 and is expected to be delivered to Virtu Ferries by mid-March 2022.
HSC GOZO EXPRESS will replace the SES SAN PAWL and will operate alongside the SES SAN FRANGISK.
SAN PAWL will be redeployed on the company’s Venice to Croatia route under the banner of Venezia Lines.
