Rauma Marine Constructions Signs Letter Of Intent For A New Ro-Pax Ferry For Vaasa-Umeå

By 2019 Newsletter week 3

Rauma Marine Constructions Signs Letter Of Intent For A New Ro-Pax Ferry For Vaasa-Umeå

Now it is official: Finnish shipbuilding company Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has signed a letter of intent with Kvarken Link for the construction of one ro-pax ferry. The LOI was signed in October 2018 but has only been announced now.

Some details:

  • Route Vaasa (Finland) – Umeå (Sweden)
  • Order value EUR 120 million
  • Final agreement to be signed in early 2019
  • Vessel running on dual fuel, diesel + LNG/ biogas + batteries, connected to azimuth pods
  • 800 passengers
  • Freight capacity of 1,500 lane metres on 2 cargo decks, drive through
  • ice class 1A Super
  • Delivery will take place latest 30 April 2021

Kvarken Link is owned by the city of Umeå and the city of Vaasa, both of whom serve as guarantors of the financing.

RMC’s first newbuilding is HAMMERSHUS, from Molslinjen. She began operating in September. In comparison, the new ferry between Vaasa and Umeå will house more cabin space, as well as a more varied restaurant offering, to name just a few extra touches.

Norled Will Have The World’s First Hydrogen-Electric Ferry

By 2019 Newsletter week 3

The world’s first hydrogen (H2)-electric ferry will be constructed by Norled. The Norwegian company won the tender for the development, construction and operation contract, issued by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.

The development contract was won in fierce competition with Fjord 1 and Boreal. The requirement was that at least 50 per cent of the energy is covered by hydrogen.

  • Design from LMG Marin
  • 80 cars, 299 pax
  • Route Hjelmeland – Skipavik – Nesvik
  • In operation 2021

The picture below shows Ingvald Løyning (CEO norled, on the left) and Terje Moe Gustavsen (Director, Norwegian Public Roads Administration).

David Macbrayne Group Ltd Appoints New Group CEO

The Board of David MacBrayne Limited has announced on 15 January the appointment of a new Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Duncan Mackison. He will start on 1 March 2019.

Dunan Mackison is a former Royal Marine Commando Officer and, more recently, was Managing Director of Serco Defence, where he had responsibility for managing aviation and maritime contracts for the Ministry of Defence.

Mr David McGibbon, Chairman of David MacBrayne said, “Looking ahead, the Group faces many challenges. We will continue to deliver ferry services to the Clyde and Hebrides through our subsidiary company, CalMac Ferries Limited. In addition, we will also be addressing the forthcoming tender process for the new contract to deliver ferry services to the Orkney and Shetland Islands, a process which has already begun.”

FERRY PORTS

By 2019 Newsletter week 3

The Ports Of Caen-Ouistreham, Cherbourg And Dieppe Merge Into Ports De Normandie

Three French ferry ports based in Normandie have decided to join forces.

In fact, Caen-Ouistreham and Cherbourg were already united in ‘Ports Normands Associés’ (PNA).

Dieppe was added to these two ports, to create ‘Ports de Normandie’.

Chairman is Hervé Morin, former chairman of PNA.

MD is Philippe Deiss, also former MD of PNA.

Together, the three ports have six ro-ro berths, and see some 200,000 freight units per year, ferried across by DFDS (Transmanche Ferries), Brittany Ferries and Irish Ferries.

Color Line’s Freight-Only Vessel Introduced On Oslo-Kiel

By 2019 Newsletter week 3

Color Line has started to operate the freight-only ferry COLOR CARRIER on the route Kiel – Oslo as of 11 January 2019.

On the occasion of its inaugural call, the Lord Mayor of Kiel, Dr Ulf Kämpfer, Port of Kiel Managing Director Dr Dirk Claus and the Executive Manager of Sartori & Berger, Jens Broder Knudsen, welcomed the captain and handed over the traditional inaugural plaques.

The 1,775 lane meter ro-ro ferry offers three roundtrips a week complementing the daily departures of the large cruise ferries.

The freight ferry is an additional growth momentum for the port of Kiel and enables the resumption of intermodal transshipment at the Norwegenkai terminal. The aim is to transship as much cargo as possible via rail.

In order to ensure smooth handling processes for the additional cargo units, the operating area on the Norwegenkai terminal has been expanded by 10,000 m2 already some time ago.

FINANCE

By 2019 Newsletter week 3

Strong Year For Eckerö Line, With Strong Year End

Increased Passenger Volume For Eckerö Line In 2018

  • +3.3% passengers
  • +4.0% cars

The year ended with record volumes for both November and December.

  • +7.5% passengers in November (compared to November last year)
  • +7.3% passengers in December

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

By 2019 Newsletter week 3

With Nine New Ro-Paxes Set To Launch, Discover Ferries Sees A Bright Future

The ferry industry is continuing to invest for the future and plan for growth with nine new passenger vessels set to launch from 2019, says the industry body Discover Ferries. Half of Discover Ferries’ 12 members are introducing new additions to their fleets from next year, following the launch of two new ferries this year.

TECHNOLOGY

By 2019 Newsletter week 3

Trasmediterranea: Successful Pilot Go-Live!

In December 2018, the new Carus ePoS system on board was implemented on board Trasmediterranea’s ferry CIUDAD DE IBIZA. Final testing was carried out to see how the system would work in a live environment on the fully-booked ferry.

Juan Manuel Caballero, CIO and CTO of Trasmediterranea, said: “We have put our knowledge and experience into building the best in class Hotel Management System for ferry and cruise in the market.

This has been more than one year working with CARUS in order to have a smart POS and Hotel Management system that can cover the full passenger travel experience. CARUS POS allows us to manage our passengers’ needs from a 360º view”.

IN THE MEDIA

By 2019 Newsletter week 3

Cross-Channel Firms Challenge UK Brexit Ferry Decisions

The CEOs of Eurotunnel and Port of Calais have objected to the emergency contracts awarded by the UK government to Brittany Ferries, DFDS and Seaborne Freight to provide additional ro-ro capacity in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, threatening to take legal action.

SHORT NEWS

By 2019 Newsletter week 3
  • Belfast’s Harland and Wolff Shipyard has been chosen for Stena Line’s Irish Sea ferry refits
  • The 10-week upgrade schedule will see five Stena Line vessels dry docked consecutively to facilitate refurbishment and maintenance works.
  • DFDS’ SUECIA SEAWAYS had a boiler issue last week. The black smoke led to some thinking she was on fire, which made it to the local press.
  • DFDS’ OPTIMA SEAWAYS suffered a stern door hydraulic failure this week, when arriving in Karlshamn from Klaipeda. Lorries and cars could not be offloaded, and the next sailing had to be cancelled. DFDS offered hotel accommodation to the customers booked on the cancelled crossing.
  • Tallink’s ISABELLE, active on the route Stockholm-Riga, was damaged last week in a storm. Her bow suffered quite some damage. Maritime Administration of Latvia inspectors declared the ferry safe after repair works and inspection.
  • Finnlines’ EUROPALINK collided with the dock at Travemünde, on 8 January, due to strong gusts of wind. The pier at the Skandinavienkai was slightly damaged, as well as the stern of the ship.
  • Balearia’s fast catamaran JAUME II is to move to Balearia Caribbean. The HSC will replace the company’s current ferry, the JAUME I, sailing between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Freeport, Grand Bahama, in two and a half hours.
  • There is to be a TV dramatisation of the NORMAN ATLANTIC disaster in the Canadian ‘Disasters at Sea’ series.
  • P&O Ferries’ SPIRIT OF BRITAIN has been reflagged from British to Cypriotic flag