The Kattegat’s three fast ferries have been busy like never before in the autumn holidays.
A new record has been set.
After the first year, FRS draws a positive conclusion about the takeover of the Elbfähre Glückstadt Wischhafen.
Future
FRS Elbfähre has developed a concept paper that sets up the future of the ferry line with green mobility for northern Germany.
“Transitioning to low-carbon fuels will be essential to secure the long-term future of the industry. Methanol offers not only immediate, and urgently required, benefits but the only clear pathway to a sustainable future,” says Stena.
Proman and Stena are committed to jointly developing a Retrofit & Supply solution, enabling both Stena’s vessels as well as third party vessels to experience the immediate environmental benefits and greenhouse gas emission reductions delivered by methanol.
Ferry Shipping News already wrote about this report from XRTC Consultants. Below you can now access the English version of this study.
Seaspan became the first Canadian marine company to pilot the use of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by its LNG-powered fleet. Seaspan expects that data from the pilot will confirm that, by using RNG, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by upwards of 85 per cent versus traditional diesel fuel.
Seaspan has worked closely with FortisBC Energy Inc. to secure a source of certified carbon neutral RNG.
When bacteria break down organic waste from sources such as landfill sites, agricultural waste and wastewater from treatment facilities, it produces a biogas mostly made of methane. FortisBC captures and purifies this biogas to create RNG, a certified carbon neutral energy source, preventing the release of methane into the environment.
Two veteran ferries have been sold for scrap, reportedly for US$ 525 LT LDT.
MASARRAH, 1977 (ex ST. COLUMBA, STENA HIBERNIA, STENA ADVENTURER, EXPRESS APHRODITE)
MAHABBAH, 1972 (ex CASSIOPEIA, IONIAN STAR, SUPERFERRY…)
The Mull & Iona Ferry Committee have been undertaking an extensive public consultation on what the users want from their new ferries.
The completed Specification of User Requirements (SUR) was delivered to the Government department that manages the ferry system, Transport Scotland.
Extract:
“The central criticism has been that whilst communities needed a larger number of smaller vessels, what was delivered is a small number of very large vessels. Take for example the Loch Seaforth, operating between Ullapool and Stornoway – islanders on Lewis wanted two smaller vessels, because they could see that would give them higher capacity, more sailings, and more reliability. Instead they got one large ferry, that delivers just two departures per day, and then runs an overnight freight service that used to be operated by a separate vessel.”
The Department of Vendée and the Pays de la Loire Region presented the new ropax cargo ferry operated by the Compagnie Yeu Continent and which provides the daily connection between Fromentine and Île d’Yeu.
In August 2022, the new vessel will replace INSULA OYA II on the Fromentine – Yeu Island route.
Length 55m | 391 passengers | 40% cargo carrying capacity, 154 tonnes |Shore power
A part of the ferry is being built by Kership and will be assembled by Piriou.
Brittany Ferries will benefit from an exceptional state subsidy of 45 million euros, as well as the waiver of debts for a total of 16 million euros. This was announced by the French prime minister Jean Castex.
Jean-Marc Roué, president of Brittany Ferries, has welcomed the French government’s announcement.
For over a year, Brittany Ferries has warned the French state of its deteriorating financial situation as it has battled the Brexit and Covid crises. In particular, the closure of passenger services on the English Channel, a direct consequence of travel restrictions put in place by various European governments to control the Covid pandemic, has had a massive impact.
Support first came to the company last year in the form of government-backed loans issued by French banks to the tune of €117m. The company was further supported by the regions of Brittany and Normandy. It was therefore able to rely on its resilience for nearly two years, in the face of the double storm of Brexit and Covid.
However, significant accumulated losses made it impossible to resort to further loans to guarantee a return to growth. Brittany Ferries, which is the largest employer of French sailors as well as being a vector of economic and tourist development of the Brittany and Normandy regions, had no other recourse than seek reimbursement for the damage suffered as a direct consequence of the forced closure of passenger services.
Norled has been awarded a contract for the operation of fast ferries in Kinn, Bremanger, Stad, Vik, Høyanger, Sogndal and Lærdal municipalities, from 2024 to 2036.
The contract has clear requirements related to a CO2 cut of at least 52%.
Norled wants to introduce battery technology on fast ferries.
Torghatten Nord has won a 10-year contract for an electric ferry service on the Bognes-Lødingen route with a design from Norwegian Ship Design.