As from Wednesday (4 May), EUROCARGO CAGLIARI will join the sisterships EUROCARGO ALEXANDRIA and EUROCARGO GENOVA on the line (3,850 lane metres or 250 trailers each)
In total, the service will provide eight sailings per week from each of the three ports.
Trasmed GLE, a ferry company part of Grimaldi Group, publicly protested against the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands for the alleged unfair competitive conditions in favour of the competitor Baleària.
The company headed by Ettore Morace complained about the fact that its vessel VOLCAN DEL TEIDE was obliged to wait for a berth off the port of Alicudi because of ferry NAPOLES.
As a consequence, Trasmed’s vessel had to berth one hour and a half later than scheduled. The case will be taken by Grimaldi Group’s subsidiary to the competent authorities for the antitrust in Spain.
After the first summer season under control of the new owner, Grimaldi Group, Trasmed GLE’s fleet will undergo an important refitting program.
CEO Ettore Morace told Ferry Shipping News that all the ropax units controlled by Grimaldi (CIUDAD DE PALMA, VOLCÁN DEL TEIDE, VOLCÁN DE TIJARAFE and CIUDAD DE GRANADA (photo)) will be refurbished . The investment is worth EUR 30 million.
Ropax CIUDAD DE MAHÓN is to be put up for sale soon.
Roro EUROFERRY EGNAZIA has been chartered-in by Trasmed Gle, from Grimaldi Euromed.
The refitting program will take shape in the coming months in a shipyard located in the West Mediterranean Sea (Italy, Spain or Malta) and include mainly the restyling of internal spaces, installation of scrubbers and some investments in IT.
According to an article published in the Greek Mononews there will be further developments for the future of ANEK LINES and the Hellenic Coastal Lines in general. The basic points underlined are:
Antonio Armas and Emanuele Grimaldi (on the horse) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the sale of certain assets and property rights of the Spanish group in Spain, as a first step for a collaboration.
Grimaldi Group will acquire:
Not ferries but deep-sea roro’s: The Neapolitan Group ordered six new roro multipurpose vessels to Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd (Ulsan).
Explaining to a local media the reorganization of the short sea network between Italy and Greece, Grimaldi Group revealed the project to launch new lines from the the port of Brindisi to the small islands of Corfù, Zante (Zakynthos) and Kefalonia.
The ropax link between Brindisi and Corfù had been already operated in the last few years, during the summer season.
Guido Grimaldi, commercial director of the short sea routes, specified that they are studying the project but all depends on the lifting of travel restrictions.
New freight activity on Algeria, Spain and Ireland.
“The pandemic makes diversification necessary, says Corsica Ferries Sardinia Ferries’ CEO Pierre Mattei.
Toulon – Algeria – Cartagena
Since several months a Corsica Ferries ship connects Toulon with Algeria for the export of new cars. The ferry is chartered by Toulon-based TAS.
As published earlier, CORSICA MARINA SECONDA (right on the picture) started to take trucks on the way back (from Cartagena to Toulon), avoiding the Sunday road ban and improving the environmental footprint.
Irish Sea
Pierre Mattei confirmed that MEGA EXPRESS FOUR (left on the picture) has been chartered for two months by Irish Ferries, for the routes from Ireland to the UK and to France.
How it is: a daily Ropax service Ancona – Igoumenitsa – Patras
How it will be: 5 ropax and 2 roro vessels
Ancona – Patras: 6x/week
Ropax 1: EUROPA PALACE (1,600 pax / 270 cars / 135 trailers)
Ropax 2: ZEUS PALACE (1,380 pax / 100 cars / 120 trailers) end of March (until then CRUISE BONARIA)
Ancona – Igoumenitsa: 7x/week
Ropax 3: FLORENCIA (950 pax / 160 cars / 135 trailers)
Ropax 4: CORFU (950 pax / 160 cars / 135 trailers)
Brindisi – Igoumenitsa: 7x/week
Ropax 5: EUROFERRY OLYMPIA
Venice – Bari – Patras: freight only 3x/week.
Roro 1
Roro 2
Grimaldi Group explains its strategy after some articles in the Greek press suggested a war
declared by the Grimaldi Group on the Italy-Greece Adriatic route, related to overcapacity on Piraeus – Crete.
Adriatic Sea
“The pandemic and the new market conditions asked for a radical reorganisation of its Adriatic services. Grimaldi split Ancona – Igoumenitsa – Patras into 2 services (Ancona – Igoumenitsa and Ancona – Patras).”
Grimaldi Group also removes its passenger service from Venice to Greece and dismisses its Brindisi-Patras ropax service by leaving only one vessel on Brindisi – Igoumenitsa.
Through this move the Grimaldi Group confirms its strategy of “competing in a serious and responsible way, sometimes removing tonnage if necessary, but always aiming at offering top quality services to its customers.” Adjusting capacity to the market conditions, or what the company wants to say is that there is one ship too much on the Piraeus – Crete line.
Crete
Its brand Minoan has 3 vessels: KNOSSOS PALACE and FESTOS PALACE on Piraeus – Heraklion and KYDON PALACE on Piraeus – Chania.
Competitor Attica – ANEK joint venture operates with 4 vessels: BLUE HORIZON and KRITI 1 on Piraeus-Heraklion land BLUE GALAXY and ELYROS on Piraeus – Chania.
Attica – ANEK joint venture should sail with 3, not 4 ships, says Grimaldi Group.
