- Former ferry VÄSTERVIK, which has been bought by Inter Shipping, is in the Perama drydock until the end of November. The vessel is going to operate on the Algeciras – Tanger Med link as from early spring.
- Traghetti delle Isola decided to charter European Seaways’ GALAXY for the Trapani (Sicily) – Pantelleria service. Pantellaria is an island 100km southwest of Sicily. She replaces the LAMPEDUSA, which has engine issues.
- In January TT Line’s PETER PAN will be sent to Bremerhaven for lengthening (by 30m). During the two-month shipyard stay, the ferry is also to receive a new fuel-efficient bulbous bow. As a stop gap solution TT Line will charter DFDS’ PATRIA SEAWAYS. As the former TT TRAVELER she is a familiar ship on the routes between the continent and Sweden.
- High-speed ro-pax monohull AELOS KENTERIS I will be sold by auction on December 6. She belonged to the fleet of bankrupt NEL Lines.
- Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told the delegates of the national maritime conference “Les Assises économie de la Mer” in Le Havre that France would ask the IMO to add the Mediterranean to the list of Emission Control Areas.
Watch the moment the GLEN SANNOX was launched from the slipway at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow. She will serve CalMac’s Ardrossan – Arran ferry route. She is going to be the first LNG ferry in the UK to run on liquefied gas and was launched by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on November 21.
The ferry is designed to carry 127 cars or 16 HGVs or a combination of both and up to 1,000 passengers. The vessel is due to be delivered in Winter 2018/2019.
Photo © Stòras Mara Cailleanach Earranta (CMAL)
Global Boat Shipping (GBS), part of the EMS-Fehn-Group, has loaded the fast ferry HALUNDER JET on cargo vessel PALABORA, in the German port of Emden.
ICG published a trading update, covering carryings for the year to date to 11 November 2017.
- Ro-Ro freight: 247,700 (246,500) =+0.5%
- Cars: 385,100 (376,800) = +2.2%
- Passengers: not included in the update.
Trading update with financial information for the first ten months of 2017.
- Consolidated Group revenue: EUR 288.9 million = +3.1%
- Ferries Division total revenues: EUR 184.4 million = +1.4%
Remarks
- In the period since 30 June carryings grew at 1.6% underperforming market growth rates as the division has focused on higher yielding accompanied freight traffic in advance of the introduction of the new ferry W.B. YEATS.
- The Euro value of the division’s Sterling originating revenues have been affected by weaker Sterling but this has been partly mitigated by offsetting improvement from Sterling based costs.
- Higher bunker costs.
- Freight is pushing the DFDS figures to record levels, while the passenger volumes stay the same.
- Strong performance for freight on North Sea routes: volumes up 8%
- Revenue DKK 3,922 (3,799) +3.3%
- EBITDA DKK 976 million (972 million) +0.4%
- EBIT DKK 742 million (738 million) +0.5%
- Profit before tax DKK 714 Million (732 million) -2.6%)
- The Group’s revenue growth for 2017 is now expected to be around 3% compared to previously around 4%, excluding revenue from bunker surcharges.
- At the Q&A session, DFDS CEO Niels Smedegaard said there were no plans for new cruise ferries. Current vessels can continue for 10 years if needed.
The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) put a very interesting document online: the annual overview of marine casualties and incidents.
Damen Shipyards Group has entered into a share purchase agreement with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) for the acquisition of its majority share in Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries, in Romania, on the Black Sea coast.
Damen already owns a shipyard in Romania, in Galati on the banks of the River Danube. It is currently the group’s largest shipyard.
The acquisition will provide Damen with capacity to cater for the largest maritime vessels and structures.
In its revised earnings forecast for the 2017 financial year, Viking Line’s assessment is that operating income for 2017 will decline, compared to operating income for 2016.
The reasons are:
- Pressure on passenger prices and volumes because of the competition.
- Higher bunker prices.
- The expected revision in Finland’s restitution law for 2017 has been delayed, and it is uncertain whether this can be carried out so that it will affect consolidated earnings for 2017.
Nordland Fylkeskommune (=county) has ordered two fuel-efficient high-speed catamarans from Brødrene Aa, a contract worth NOK 200 million.
The carbon-fibre passenger-only vessels will be used on Bodø-Svolvær (Lofoten) and Bodø-Sandnessjøen routes, currently operated by Torghatten Nord.
Ownership of the crafts will be in the hands of the local authorities. An operator will be chosen by a tender process.
First vessel to be delivered in December 2018.
Photo © Brøderne Aa / Polarkonsult
Scandlines Helsingborg-Helsingör saw continued growth in cargo traffic, which made the management to decide to increase capacity by expanding ferry HAMLET’s sailing schedule by five hours daily as from December. The expansion will make it possible to transport an additional 40,000 trucks per year.
Q3
- Number of departures 12,800 = status quo
- Trucks: 102,600 (98,000) = +5%
- Cars: 457,000 (473,000) = -3%
- Passengers: 2.54 million (2.5 million) = -3%
In October, HH Ferries received the final authority approvals for TYCHO BRAHE’s charging stations. This ferry is already sailing in both battery and hybrid operations, while charging procedures are being adjusted.
The electrification of AURORA will follow before the turn of the year.
Photo © HH Ferries