May 09
Love1

HSC GOLDEN EXPRESS, to Fast Ferries or to Golden Star Ferries?

By 2019 newsletter week 19

Τhe recent “alliance” between Fast Ferries and Golden Star Ferries proved to be a short-lived one.

On October 2018, they purchased the HSC EXPRESS (5.903gt/1998) from the Nordic HSC, together, and agreed to reconciliate and face up together their common rival, the Seajets. They intended to rename the ship GOLDEN EXPRESS and to introduce her on the Rafina-Syros-Mykonos-Paros-Naxos-Koufonisia-Amorgos run. However, plans failed.

It remains to be seen which partner will finally take over the ship, which currently undergoing repairs refurbishment works at Perama.

May 09
Love0

Renewed NISSOS KEFALONIA Back in Active Service

By 2019 newsletter week 19

On April 23, 2019 the revived KEFALONIA (3.924gt/1975) of Levante Ferries was finally introduced on the Kyllini – Zakynthos – Kefalonia (Poros) run. The Japanese-build ferry was purchased on November 2018 from the collapsed Kefalonian Lines and since then she has been completely refurbished and renovated externally, internally and mechanically.

May 09
Love0

Eckerö Acquires Ro-Pax To Cope with Increased Cargo and Car Traffic on Finland – Estonia

By 2019 newsletter week 19

News from the Eckerö side:

  • Rederi Ab Eckerö has signed a letter of intent to acquire P&O Ferries’ ro-pax EUROPEAN ENDEAVOUR.
  • The sturdy Spanish-built vessel will be chartered her out to subsidiary Eckerö Line, for a new twice-daily service Helsinki Vuosaari – Tallinn, to cope with the increased cargo and passenger car traffic.
  • Finnish flag.
  • 2,130 lane metres / 366 pax.
  • Crossing time 3 hours.
  • The ferry will start operating from Helsinki’s Vuosaari to Tallinn’s A terminal in summer.
  • Vuosaari is a place east of Helsinki. Having the service operating from this terminal will help to reduce the traffic congestion in the centre of Helsinki.
  • Eckerö will continue to operate ro-pax ferry FINLANDIA from the terminal in Helsinki.

(the photo was taken in 2005, when the vessel operated for Norfolkline on Dunkerque – Dover)

News from P&O Ferries:

  • Ro-ro vessel MISTRAL, which has been covering the Liverpool – Dublin route during the refit season, will remain on the route so there will be no immediate change to the frequency of the P&O sailings.
  • MISTRAL = 1,625 lane metre / 12 drivers.
  • Other ships on P&O’s Liverpool – Dublin service: NORBANK/NORBAY
May 09
Love0

New CEO for Trasmediterranea

By 2019 newsletter week 19

Francisco Oviedo Raposo (Madrid, 1971) has been named CEO of Trasmediterranea, the centennial shipping company that has recently been acquired by Grupo Armas.

The new CEO has extensive experience in the sector and has been linked for more than twenty years to the maritime port sector. Oviedo has been director of Ports of OHL Concesiones during the last ten years and before CEO of Boluda Corporación Marítima.

He holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration and a master’s degree in Commercial Management and Marketing (ESIC). He has a solid background in finance and has led important investment and divestment processes, legal reorganization and refinancing in companies in the sector.

May 09
Love0

Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrum Is Taking Delivery of Its Newbuilt Catamaran RÜM HART

By 2019 newsletter week 19

German island ferry operator W.D.R. takes delivery of catamaran ferry RÜM HART for operations in the Wadden Sea.

  • Catamaran boasts modern, comfortable accommodation for an efficient transport of up to 250 passengers (150 in winter).
  • Design was developed by Conoship International.
  • Challenge was service speed 16 knots in shallow waters, even against the tide.
  • Shipyard: Thecla Bodewes Shipyards in Harlingen, The Netherlands.
  • Namegiving ceremony 15 May, in Wyk.
  • She will be on charter to Adler-Schiffe GmbH & Co. KG, a German operator specialised in day excursions and Wadden Sea passenger transport.
May 09
Love0

FERRY PORTS

By 2019 newsletter week 19

First Sod Turned For Port Of Ystad’s New Berths

May 2, the Polish vice Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Waterways together with local political representatives turned the first sod in Port of Ystad’s anticipated building project. The ceremony marked the official start of the building of the Port’s new ferry berths, an extensive infrastructural project co-financed by the EU.

On Thursday afternoon, May 2, the Polish vice Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Waterways Grzegorz Witkowski together with Ystad’s chair of the Municipal executive board, Kristina Bendz, turned the first sod in Port of Ystad’s new building project,

The name of the EU project is ”Cargo Capacity Upgrade and LNG Bunkering Swinoujscie – Ystad maritime link”. In addition to the building of two new ferry berths, the project encompasses an LNG powered vessel for the Polish shipping company Polferries, and an LNG bunkering ship for the port of Świnoujście.

Caption: Kristina Bendz, chair of the Municipal executive board of Ystad, and Poland’s vice Minister Grzegorz Witkowski broke ground for the building of Port of Ystad’s new ferry berths.

May 09
Love2

New Headquarters For DFDS

By 2019 newsletter week 19

DFDS and the pension fund investor PensionDanmark signed an agreement to build a new head office for DFDS in Copenhagen.

It will be built at Marmorvej near the Copenhagen – Oslo route’s terminal.

The new headquarters will give the opportunity to gather all head-office staff and functions in the same building, and at the same time offer great and modern facilities.

The new head office will be constructed by PensionDanmark and rented by DFDS.

It will be a building offering six floors and 12,500 square meters for 700 people with offices, meeting rooms, fitness facilities, car and bike parking and a big auditorium, among other things.

DFDS plans to move in 2021.

May 09
Love0

FINANCE

By 2019 newsletter week 19

Tallink Grupp: Cargo Revenues Continued to Increase, But Overall Revenue for Q1 Was Down

The group reports an unaudited net loss of EUR 25.3 million (net loss of EUR 19.6 million in Q1 2018) and an unaudited total revenue for the quarter of EUR 178.9 million, which is a 2.9% decrease compared to the same period last year.

At the same time, the group’s cargo business continued to increase both in volume and revenue in the first quarter of 2019. The transported cargo volumes increased in total by 2.7%, the cargo revenues increased by 1.5% or EUR 0.4 million and amounted to EUR 29.6 million in the first quarter.

In the Q1 the group made significant investments into the upgrade of its existing fleet with EUR 25.3 million invested mainly into the technical dockings of seven vessels.

Paavo Nõgene, CEO of AS Tallink Grupp said: “The challenging period of dockings is now behind us. Our vessels are fresh, modern and ready to offer our customers new and memorable experiences. We are ready and prepared for the next two quarters of our annual high season and our whole team here at Tallink Grupp will work extremely hard to improve the results of the next months and quarters of 2019.”