Almost one week after the grounding near Ios, ro-pax ferry BLUE STAR PATMOS was refloated. After discharging the cars and trucks in Ios, she will sail to the Piraeus area, for repairs.
In the press and social media Blue Star Ferries has been praised for the professional way of handling the incident.
Grimaldi Group’s boss Emanuele Grimaldi says the acquisition of 50.3% of Hellenic Seaways (HSW) by Attica Group, is against the European competition rules. A complaint will be filed to the ‘Directorate General Competition’ of the European Commission.
Grimaldi Group, already owning 48.53% of HSW was hoping to become the majority shareholder. Until Attica made an agreement with Piraeus Bank (40.5%) and some smaller shareholders, in August. With this acquisition Attica, already operating Blue Star Ferries and Superfast Ferries, is doubling its fleet. Grimaldi, who also controls Minoan Lines (95%), sees this as a threat to fair competition.
Geneva-based shipping company MSC has signed a letter of intent with Guangzhou Shipyard International for four new ro-pax ships, plus four options, says a Fairplay report.
Although an official confirmation has not been given yet, it is believed that the ro-pax ferries will start to be delivered in 2019 to MSC’s subsidiary GNV. The 3,000 lane metre, 2,500-passenger overnight ferries would be LNG-ready.
MSC, who also own Italian ferry company SNAV, acquired the last remaining shares of GNV in January 2016, making it a 100% MSC subsidiary.
GNV operates 10 ro-pax ferries, on 15 routes in the Western Mediterranean.
The ‘Construcciones Navales del Norte shipyard’, known as ‘La Naval,’ has asked the commercial court for protection against its creditors. It has accumulated €80 million losses in 2015 and 2016.
The management said to the staff that the intention is to find a solution to the financial crisis the yard finds itself in.
In July it was reported that the two largest shareholders would abandon their shares, in favour of Manuel del Dago, one of the other shareholders. So far this did not materialize and now the century-old yard is for sale.
Three dredgers and one LNG ferry for Balearia are under construction, or on (firm) order.
Last year, La Naval delivered the Dutch CNG-powered ferry TEXELSTROOM.
The decision to install a new Board at the state-owned ferry operator Jadrolinija still hasn’t been taken. CEO Alan Klanac’s four-year mandate expired already in May but has been extended.
Croatian sources report that up to twenty candidates were in the running to replace Mr Klanac.
Jadrolinija is in an important phase of its history, with several routes being tendered out to other operators, and with the need to renew tonnage.
Tallink Grupp has revealed the new look of its two customer brands Tallink and Silja Line. The logos of the two individual brands will remain the same, the changes made focusing rather on a more modern look and feel of the group’s digital channels, marketing and campaign materials and wider visuals.
The new visual identity will be gradually rolled out across the group over the next 12 months.
Stena Line launched a two-month coffee campaign to support the Mercy Ships charity, in their efforts to deliver free, world-class health care to people in need in the developing world.
A key part of the campaign will see Stena Line customers being given the opportunity to choose to buy coffee or tea in a special Mercy Ships mug, where 20 eurocent will be donated directly to Mercy Ships.
The number of ro-ro units shipped in Gothenburg during H1 totalled 291,000 (+7%), and 137,000 new cars were exported or imported (+14%). The latter is largely due to the success of Volvo.
Mainly the ro-ro trade between Sweden and Belgium is going from strength to strength. On August 17, DFDS added a 4th vessel –ARK GERMANIA– on the route to Ghent. This brings the number of DFDS departures each week to eight in both directions.
The Port of Gothenburg now has 20 calls by vessels from Belgium each week, operated by DFDS, CLdN and SOL Continent.
Red Funnel should be allowed to bulldoze its existing terminal, nearby buildings and properties in Cowes, Isle of Wight. The Court’s decision came after an appeal against Isle of Wight Council refusal.
Red Funnel wants to build a much-needed, modern ferry terminal. East-Cowes suffers from lack of space, with traffic congestion as a result.
The first idea was to add houses, retail and a hotel, but Red Funnel had to scale down the plan. The company said a new terminal layout will be presented end of September.
Environmental NGO ‘Robin des Bois,’ founded in France in 1985, published its Q2 report about shipbreaking.
From the five ‘recycled’ ferries two are well-known European veterans.
ATLAS is the former GELTING SYD, STELLA SCARLET (Meyer Werft, 1974).
SVETI STEFAN II will best be remembered as the PRINS HAMLET, operating on Hamburg-Harwich. She was built in Rendsburg in 1973. She later operated for DFDS, Stena Line and Polferries, before going to the Adriatic Sea for Montenegro Lines.
A well-known ro-ro who ended up on the beach of Aliaga is the former NORKING, BORE KING, built in 1980. She operated a long time for P&O and North Sea Ferries.