Finnlines Plc’s fully owned Swedish subsidiary, Rederi Aktiebolaget Nordö-Link, has purchased the ro-pax EUROPALINK from the Grimaldi Group. The last few years this ferry was active in the Mediterranean, although she is a sister of the Star-class ro-pax ferries (FINNSTAR, FINNMAID, FINNLADY, NORDLINK).
She will be fitted with scrubbers and get an upgrade of her public spaces in mid-March. She will then sail under Swedish flag on the Malmö–Travemünde route.
Finnlines’ lengthening programme is progressing well according to plan. The second vessel, FINNWAVE, is 30 metres longer, adding 1,000 lane metres of garage deck.
The total capacity is now 4,192 lane metres. She is back in service on the Uusikaupunki/Turku–Travemünde route.
By the end of May, a further two vessels, FINNSUN and FINNSKY, will be lengthened. Finnlines has an option to lengthen two additional vessels. Which ones have not yet been decided yet.
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Remontowa S.A. shipyard in Gdansk has finished the first lengthening project for Finnlines. FINNTIDE (2012) has been lengthened by 30m in less than two months, adding 1,000 lane meters of garage deck.
After the modification she has a capacity of 4,213 lane meters.
The lengthening is part of Finnlines’ Energy Efficiency and Emission Reduction Investment Programme, which was launched this year. Through this EUR 70 million investment programme, the Company will lengthen four of its “Breeze series” ro-ro vessels with options for two more ships. The whole lengthening programme will be completed by May 2018.
FINNTIDE has returned to the normal operation on Uusikaupunki/Turku–Travemünde route on 26 November 2017. The next vessel to be converted leaves for the shipyard on 28 November 2017.
Photo: Remontowa
Finnlines can look back with great satisfaction on the first three quarters of the year.
The January–September 2017 result improved by almost 12%, and was the best nine-month result in Finnlines’ history.
- Revenue EUR 404.5 (361.1) million, +12%
- EBITDA EUR 120.5 (114.3) million, + 5.4%
- Result EUR 67.9 (60.9) million, +11.5 %
Continuing the positive news, Q3 was Finnlines’ best ever quarter - Revenue EUR 145.2 (130.4) million, +11.4 %
- EBITDA EUR 50.7 (49.6) million, +2.2%
- Result EUR 32.5 (30.3) million, +7.0%
Finnlines sees the recovery of Finland’s economy as one of the explanations for its success, apart from the different actions to strengthen its competitive position. The growth of 10% is reflected in the export and import volumes.
In response to growing demand, Finnlines will be expanding its fleet.
- EUROPALINK, actually in the Med on Livorno-Palermo, will be rejoining Finnlines early next year on Malmö–Travemünde.
- NORDLINK, now on Malmö-Travemünde, will be redeployed on the Naantali–Kapellskär route via Långnäs.
Infographic © Finnlines
Finnlines Plc has sold the ro-pax vessel FINNEAGLE to the Grimaldi Group following a strategy “to optimise the use of Finnlines’ vessels and routes in order to improve its profitability.”
The 1999-built FINNEAGLE was chartered out to the Grimaldi Group from June 2017. The delivery of the 2,459 lane meter vessel to the Grimaldi Group will take place this month. She is currently in drydock in Gdansk.
Photo: FINNTIDE (for lengthening) and FINNEAGLE in Gdansk © Jakub Bogucki
The Port of Naantali has started to extend an existing quay from 178m to 228m in order to create additional vessel handling infrastructure.
This will support Finnlines’ plans to expand its traffic between Finland, Åland and Sweden, enabling Finnlines larger vessels to enter the port.
The €4m construction work has started in September 2017 and the works should be ready before May.
Photo © Port of Naantali