Delphine gains rotor sail

By | 2023 Newsletter week 8 | No Comments

DELPHINE has become the first vessel in the CLdN fleet to receive a rotor sail wind propulsion system.

Improving the ship’s fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, the ship returns to service from Zeebrugge on 27 February.

DELPHINE has a freight capacity of over 8,000 lane metres and was already very fuel efficient.  With two 35m x 5m rotor sails, current emissions of 28 grammes of CO2 emitted per tonne of cargo shipped per km travelled will be reduced by 10%.

The rotor sails, which can be installed on new vessels or retrofitted on existing ships, incorporate a modernised version of the Flettner rotor, a spinning cylinder that uses the Magnus effect to harness wind power to add forward thrust to a ship. The solution is fully automated and detects whenever the wind is strong enough to deliver fuel and emission savings, at which point the sails start automatically. The sails are also tiltable, allowing the vessel to pass under bridges and maintaining operational flexibility.

CLdN will work with the Maritime Technology Division at Ghent University to study the performance of the sails on the DELPHINE in the coming months.  The results of the project will determine roll out on existing and newbuild vessels.

Photo: CLdN

CLdN to further increase capacity on North Sea routes to and from eastern England

By | 2023 Newsletter week 6 | No Comments

CLdN has announced a further increase of capacity for customers on its North Sea routes to and from eastern England. The additional capacity will be provided by the charter of the TUNDRALAND, a modern ro-ro vessel with a cargo capacity of 2,800 lane metres.

The vessel will be introduced into the CLdN network on 13th February 2023, allowing increased tonnage to be redeployed onto the Zeebrugge & Rotterdam / UK routes.

In response to increasing customer demand for unaccompanied freight services to and from the UK, CLdN will also provide a service delivering cargo from Zeebrugge to the Port of Tilbury. (remark: P&O Ferries have a service between Zeebrugge and Tilbury, with 9 departures a week from each port – check the P&O Freight website)

CLdN Expands Services Between Santander, Liverpool And Dublin

By | 2023 Newsletter week 4 | No Comments

As announced in December 2022, CLdN started its upgraded service from Santander to Dublin and Liverpool

The new twice-weekly schedule from Santander to Dublin doubles capacity on this service in response to growing demand. The increased frequency means quicker turnaround times for customers and the ability to deliver cargo more flexibly throughout the week.

The upgrade has been facilitated by CLdN company Seatruck Ferries starting operations from its new premises within Dublin Port on 23 January, adjacent to CLdN. Spanish cargo for the UK market is now trans-shipped in Dublin onto the Seatruck Ferries regular shuttle service to Liverpool, into their dedicated terminal.

CLdN expands services between Santander, Liverpool and Dublin.

By | 2022 Newsletter week 50 | No Comments
  • In January 2023 a new twice weekly schedule from Santander to Dublin will double capacity on this service, in line with the growing demand.
  • From this date Spanish cargo for the UK market will be transhipped in Dublin onto the Seatruck Ferries regular shuttle service to Liverpool.
  • To enable these transhipments but also to accommodate growing market demand, Seatruck Ferries are at the same time deploying an extra vessel, SEATRUCK PENNANT, onto their successful Dublin – Liverpool route.
  • “This change will benefit customers using both services with increased capacity, simplified customs procedures and logical through shipment options. Thanks to the very low carbon footprint of the combined unaccompanied RoRo fleet (~37 g/ton_km in 2021), shipping with CLdN and Seatruck Ferries is a much greener solution compared with landbridge or road transport,” says the CLdN press release. “As end customers demand more sustainable shipping solutions the importance of longer sea crossings which reduce road mileage will become ever more important.”

Seatruck Ferries is now part of the CLdN family

By | 2022 Newsletter week 45 | No Comments

On November 10, CLdN completed the agreement to acquire all Seatruck Ferries Holding Ltd shares from Clipper Group of Denmark.

This follows the approval of the proposed merger given by the Irish competition authority on 28 October 2022.

CLdN CEO, Florent Maes, says: “We are excited to welcome the Seatruck colleagues into the CLdN family. By combining and leveraging each other’s strengths, we will continue improving the service for both Seatruck and CLdN customers.”

“Through Seatruck’s long-term presence in the ports of Heysham and Warrenpoint and in our key hubs of Dublin and Liverpool, we expand the group’s network and are determined to invest and add capacity to our shipping lanes which serve these ports.”

“Seatruck’s imminent move to a terminal adjacent to ours in Dublin will offer our customers seamless transhipment opportunities from the start of 2023, allowing direct access to the group’s Iberian, Irish, UK and continental European markets.”

CLdN to acquire Seatruck Ferries from Clipper Group

By | 2022 Newsletter week 38 | No Comments
  • CLdN to acquire all shares in Seatruck Ferries Holding Ltd. from Clipper Group.
  • After approval from the Irish competition authorities, expected before end of year.
  • With 8 purpose-built vessels, Seatruck Ferries is the leading RoRo operator on the Irish Sea, transporting close to 20% of the region’s seaborne cargo volumes.
  • The parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction price.
  • The divestment of Seatruck Ferries allows Denmark-based Clipper Group to devote all financial and managerial resources to further strengthening its global dry cargo business.
  • After closing, the Seatruck operation will continue to run under the Seatruck Ferries brand with the existing management team lead by Alistair Eagles.
  • Joint impacts of COVID-19, Brexit and driver shortages are expected to accelerate growth in the unaccompanied trailer sector.

Interislander confirms purchase of roro VALENTINE

By | 2022 Newsletter week 37 | No Comments

Interislander has confirmed it will buy the former CLdN roro VALENTINE to provide resilience and secure freight capacity heading into the busy summer and Christmas period.

Interislander leased the roro in November 2021 to provide freight capacity across Te Moana-o-Raukawa Cook Strait while repairs were undertaken on the KAIARAHI gearbox.

KiwiRail has exercised the purchase option, buying the ship from Gotland Shipping (see our news from 2 December 2021).

CLdN and DFDS to cease the slot charter agreement

By | 2022 Newsletter week 21 | No Comments

CLdN and DFDS have agreed to cease the slot charter agreement to allow both parties “to focus on their customers’ needs.”

Going forward, CLdN will operate the full capacity of the additional sailings introduced in January this year on the direct route Rozenburg vv Killinghome.

Terminating the call at Vlaardingen will allow for a later departure from Rozenburg, answering customers’ requests for just in time deliveries for example refrigerated cargoes, in addition to faster turnaround of equipment.

Tallink Grupp sells cargo vessel SEA WIND and reorganises cargo vessel operations on Muuga-Vuosaari and Paldiski-Kapellskär routes

By | 2022 Newsletter week 17 | No Comments

Tallinn Swedish Line Ltd sold roro SEA WIND (1972) and delivered her to the new owners, 26 April 2022.

As a result of the sale, Tallink Grupp has reorganised its cargo operations on the Muuga-Vuosaari and Paldiski-Kapellskär routes. (schedules)

  • REGAL STAR will now operate on the Muuga-Vuosaari route in the former SEA WIND schedule
  • SAILOR will continue to operate on the Paldiski-Kapellskär route with extra departures