January 10, 2019
- MARIA ROSARIO, once well known as the PURBECK, sank on the afternoon of 31 December 2018 at the pier in Puerto La Cruz. The vessel is owned by Venezuelan company La Nueva Conferry. She will be sold for scrap. In August, the TALLINK AUTOEXPRESS II ship sank and was refloated 40 days later. In September it was the turn of ROSA EUGENIA to take a dip.
- The 29m midbody section needed to lengthen Grimaldi’s CRUISE ROMA has arrived at the Fincantieri yard in Palermo. The cruiseferry will shortly be arriving to get the surgery done. The extra section will create an extra 600 lane meters, 80 beds, 450 reclining seats, and a new buffet restaurant. CRUISE BARCELONA will follow.
- LE RIF, once Sealink’s GALLOWAY PRINCESS still hasn’t entered service. After an endless refurbishment in Naples and La Spezia, the vessel arrived under tow on 8 January in Genoa at the ship repair yard. Is the ship still in the hands of Detroit World Logistics Maritime? That is unclear.
- Trasmediterránea will no longer be using the small ferry NURA NOVA on the Ciutadella (Menorca) and Alcúdia (Mallorca) route, after she has been sold to Gestour, to be used out of Naples. Which ship will replace her, has not been announced yet.
- A-Ship Management’s PRINCE ( the 1974-built PRINSESSAN BIRGITTA) is being chartered to Ventouris Ferries for service on the Bari-Durres run.
- P&O Ferries charters ro-ro NEPTUNE DYNAMIS to cover for some winter overhauls.
- Ro-ro QEZBAN suffered an engine room fire while transiting Dardanelles on 8 January. The fire was quickly extinguished and the ship went at anchor. She is working on the route Lavrio (Greece) and Yalova (Turkey) for EKOL Logistics.