Fincantieri and Faist Electronics, a Faist Group company specializing in the development and supply of complete energy storage systems), have founded Power4Future, a joint venture dedicated to the production of lithium-ion batteries.
The expected cumulative production is expected to exceed 2GWh in five years.
Stena Line has officially taken delivery of its RoPax STENA SCANDICA, on Friday 18th June. The vessel is the first of two Visentini vessels that are being lengthened and modernised at Sedef Shipbuilding in Turkey.
STENA SCANDICA will start operating on Nynäshamn-Ventspils, beginning of July. [Stena Line Route Map]
CEO Niclas Mårtensson
“Taking delivery of the large, modern and efficient vessel Stena Scandica is a major milestone for Stena Line and enables us to continue to grow together with our customers in the Baltic Sea. During the year we will increase capacity with 30 % on the Nynäshamn-Ventspils route, and 40 % on the Liepaja-Travemünde route”.
(CEO Niclas Mårtensson)
Some highlights:
Baltic Sea expansion: Adding 40 % capacity on Travemünde-Liepaja in 2021
As part of the ongoing expansion in the Baltic Sea, Stena Line will relocate the two vessels currently sailing on Nynäshamn-Ventspils, STENA LIVIA and STENA FLAVIA, to the route Liepaja – Travemünde. The vessels will increase the freight capacity on the route by 40 % and shorten the crossing time from 27 to 20 hours. This will enable a reliable transport service with a fixed timetable with 12 weekly departures, six in each direction.
Actv, the ferry company owned by the Municipality of Venice, provider of sea transport services, has just launched a public tender to find companies interested at designing and building 12 vessels to be deployed in the lagoon.
The entire contract is worth EUR 18.65 million, but it’s split in two: the first is worth EUR 5 million and is for five small ferries able of accommodating roughly 200 persons each, the second contract is for building 7 boats to be deployed on the longer distances.
The expiring date for submitting the offers is July 16th.
Fast Ferries’ EKATERINI P. returns -after two years- to the Hellenic Coastal Shipping, faster and fully refurbished. Having been equipped with a new set of main engines (2xΜΑΚ-8Μ32C diesel) as well as pitch propellers, the popular ship managed to make 21,2 knots during her sea trials (June 22, 2021).
On July 5, 2021, she will be introduced on the new Rafina-Tinos-Mykonos-Naxos-Koufonisi line.
On June 17, SAOS FERRIES announced the purchase of the former Japanese Ferry MISHIMA (2001) of Mishima Mura.
The 89m ship was replaced in April 2020 by the newbuilding FERRY MISHIMA and served the Kagoshima-Takeshima-Iwojima-Kuroshima line.
According to the Greek Ferry operator the ship will be converted before enter service in order to comply with the European standards.
On Friday, June 18, Holland Shipyards Group saw ferry SANDØY leaving the yard, bound for Norway. This fully electric ferry has been built for Brevik Fergeselskap.
The vessel is entirely powered by battery power (1,300 kWh). In addition to electric propulsion, another unique feature is a TES (thermal energy storage) system to provide heat.
Corsica Linea has reintroduced DANIELLE CASANOVA after a nine-month interruption. The route Marseille – Tunis has been restarted.
Tickets for Ponte Ferries’ fast ferry catamaran service to Sicily went on sale Wednesday 23 June. HSC ARTEMIS will operate daily return trips from Malta to the Sicilian port of Augusta from August 6.
Zero-Emission ‘Flying Ferries’ for Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is exploring the potential for a new high-speed, sustainable and more efficient form of ferry travel called a seaglider. The concept, an all-electric, wing-in-ground effect vehicle (WIG), is under development in the United States through Boston-based start-up REGENT (Regional Electric Ground Effect Nautical Transport).
Brittany Ferries has signed a letter of intent which could see seagliders with a 50-150 passenger capacity sailing between the UK and France by 2028. REGENT expects the first commercial passengers to travel on smaller electric craft by 2025.
Seagliders combine the convenience of passenger ferries with the comfort of hydrofoils, the aerodynamic efficiency of hovercraft and the speed of aircraft. With the potential to connect existing ferry ports, the craft are expected to fly at speeds of up to 180 mph – six times faster than conventional ferries – with a battery-powered range of 180 miles.
The voyage from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, for example, could be covered in as little as 40 minutes.
Stena Line will be operating a new temporary weekend service between Holyhead and Belfast, 25 June – 18 July.
STENA ESTRID will provide the service which will accommodate a mix of freight and leisure traffic, with a crossing time of 8 hours.
Stena Line is currently experiencing very high demand on its Belfast routes to Cairnryan and Liverpool so the addition of the temporary service will provide much needed additional capacity to and from Northern Ireland.
Furthermore, with present travel restrictions between Britain and Ireland in place, this new route will provide an additional travel option for people who might be considering ferry travel for the first time or who wish to visit Britain, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Stena Line needs more terminal capacity in Killingholme because of increased market demand of unaccompanied freight on Europoort RoRo service. However, Killingholme cannot cater.
As a result, Stena Line will move its Europoort RoRo service to the nearby Port of Immingham commencing January 1, 2022.
Stena Line’s other North Sea route on the Humber, the Hoek van Holland-Killingholme RoPax service, will remain and continue in Killingholme.
Current RoRo Vessels on Europoort-Killingholme: POL MARIS and HATCHE.
