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Sep 06
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 36 | No Comments

At SMM in Hamburg, Knud E. Hansen revealed a concept design for the new Grimaldi RoPax vessels.  

Grimaldi Group has just launched the tender for nine new ships: three for Finnlines (similar to the last two of the ‘Superstar’ series recently delivered), two for Minoan and three for Grimaldi Euromed. 

A signature is expected end of 2024, beginning of 2025.

Sea trials have been successfully completed on the newly built ro-pax ferry GNV POLARIS, the first of four vessels commissioned by the MSC Group to Guangzhou Shipyard International.  

The delivery is scheduled to take place before the end of the current year and then the GNV POLARIS will be deployed on the regular link between Spain mainland (Valencia and Barcelona) and the Balearic Islands.   

GNV POLARIS (as the sister ship GNV ORION, already launched earlier this year) is 218m long with a capacity for 1,785 passengers and 3,100 lane metres of freight. 

Two more sister ships will follow and will be LNG-powered. 

Aug 31
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 35 | No Comments

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard held a keel laying ceremony for the second of CLdN’s new G9e vessels at their shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. 

This new ship will feature two conventional main engines along with two large 6 MW shaft generators, which can be used for power generation or electric propulsion. The design offers a high degree of flexibility, allowing for future integration of new fuels, fuel cells, and battery technology.  

Compared to CLdN’s largest vessels currently in operation, Celine and Delphine, the new ships will reduce CO₂ emissions by 40% while maintaining the same cargo capacity. 

The delivery of both vessels is scheduled for the first half of 2025. 

The picture shows representatives from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, DNV (the classification society), and the Anglo-Eastern Technical Services Site Team, who are overseeing the process on behalf of CLdN. 

Source: CLdN on Linkedin 

P&O Ferries started running their ‘Turn-up and Go’ space charter with Irish Ferries on the Dover-Calais route, meaning ships will always be fully loaded for freight at peak, allowing freight to clear the port up to 25 per cent faster.  

The agreement is good for the customers (no waiting) and it also lowers the carbon footprint of the cross-Channel route by always fully loading the vessels. 

During the trial period, which began on 8th July, more than 12,000 freight vehicles were transferred between the two operators. 

 

A brand new 144,000 square meter port terminal was inaugurated at the Port of Gothenburg. The investment, amounting to approximately 60 million EUR, has been under construction for the past six years and was made to meet the increased transportation needs of Swedish industry. 

 Named “Arendal 2”, the terminal is also part of the port’s strategy to concentrate its terminal operations in the outer port area, further from the city center, and with direct connections to the port’s road and rail infrastructure as well as the local growing industrial cluster. 

Source and photo: Port of Gothenburg  

Aug 24
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 34 | No Comments

The construction of Scandlines‘ zero direct emissions ferry, the E/V Futura, has reached its final phase at the Cemre shipyard. The ferry recently underwent significant work in a floating dock, where its hull and thrusters were cleaned and painted, enhancing its energy efficiency. Precision measurements were also taken to ensure the ferry’s automatic mooring system and charging connections work seamlessly in the ports of Rødby, Denmark, and Puttgarden, Germany.

The E/V Futura is now at the fitting-out quay for the final installations and tests, including the critical Sea Acceptance Tests (SAT). Once these are completed, the ferry will be delivered to Scandlines, with plans to begin operations later in 2024, marking a significant step towards the company’s goal of achieving zero emissions on the Puttgarden-Rødby route by 2030. 

MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO will return to Zeebrugge. She was on charter to CLdN, returned to the Med, left the Moby fleet and has now been renamed LONGSTONE.  

She will be chartered by P&O Ferries (based upon port information).  

She is due in Tilbury for berthing trials on the 25th of August, followed by Zeebrugge on the 26th and Hull for berthing trials on the 27th on River Terminal 1. 

Photo: Mike Louagie 

CLdN’s PEREGRINE is currently operating between Melbourne (Victoria) and Burnie (Tasmania) for StraitLink. She has been chartered to cover refits of other vessels. She has been temporarily reflagged to Australian flag.  

Photo: Mike Louagie 

Åland’s regional government has, on August 22, signed a letter of intent with Finferries regarding the creation of a joint company, with the aim of operating traffic in the Åland archipelago. The parties intend to acquire a joint 50/50 owned company whose name would be “Ålands Skärgårdsrederi Ab” with the marketing name “Axferries”. The company shall be in Mariehamn. 

Photo: Håkan Fagerström, CEO of Finferries, Infrastructure Minister Camilla Gunell and Fredrik Pettersson, head of the Infrastructure Department during the press conference. 

Source: Åland Landskapsregeringen 

Stena Line reports a negative development for this year’s summer traffic between Sweden and Denmark, especially among Swedish, but also Danish passengers. In July, 14 percent fewer passengers travelled between Gothenburg-Fredrikshamn and Halmstad-Grenå compared to the previous year. However, the trend seems to be turning around and Stena Line expects to reach its budget targets in the coming months. 

Source: Stena Line (in Swedish) 

Aug 09
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 32 | No Comments

On August 8, Tallinn-based BLRT Grupp celebrated the commissioning of its new large floating dock. The new floating dock, designed for ship maintenance, repair, and modernization, is capable of servicing all Handysize vessels and some Handymax vessels, ranging from tankers to passenger ships. 

The 180-meter-long, 30-meter-wide floating dock with a lifting capacity of 10,000 tonnes was completed at the HAT-SAN Shipyard in Turkey at the end of May this year. 

Source: BLRT Grupp on Linkedin 

Baleària has teamed up with Iberia Express, leader in flights between Madrid and the Balearic Islands, to offer the airline’s passengers an exclusive onboard promotion: on Madrid-Ibiza flights, Baleària ship tickets can now be purchased for the Ibiza – Formentera route at a lower rate than on the website. 

Source: Baleària 

Echandia has been selected to supply maritime battery systems for San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program—the first zero-emission high-speed ferries in the USA. 

The REEF Program will initially deploy three 150-passenger and two 400-passenger battery electric ferries, set to transform water transit in the Bay Area by 2026. SF Bay Ferry and its REEF integration team is also working on designs for a new electric charging float for the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal. The float will have energy storage via battery banks to allow for rapid charging during dwell times at the terminal. 

Source: Echandia on Linkedin 

Aug 02
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 31 | No Comments

This summer, Wasaline’s AURORA BOTNIA was painted with a new tagline: “A masterpiece of co-operation – towards a sustainable world.” 

In an era of environmental challenges, achieving sustainability requires joint efforts from all sectors of society. Wasaline collaborates with various stakeholders, including Wärtsilä, Liquid Wind, and Umeå Energi, to develop environmentally friendly technologies and future fuels. 

Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline, states, “Co-operation is crucial; no one can tackle future challenges alone. Our partnerships with Vaasa and Umeå are also vital.” 

Source: Wasaline 

Baleària adds a new weekly service to Algeria. The shipping company opens a weekly connection between Alicante and Oran, which reinforces the three current connections between Valencia and Mostaganem. 

Jul 26
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 30 | No Comments

Polferries’ new Varsovia arrived in the Baltic, with a maiden call in the Swedish port of Ystad on July 19th. 

Photo: Port of Ystad 

CLdN have now sold another Kawasaki–class RoRo vessel. The Celestine has become the Jabal Ali 11. 

Once a year, the Scandlines fleet must carry out an ISPS drill in cooperation with external forces, as required by German authorities. At the beginning of July, the hybrid ferry Schleswig-Holstein, in collaboration with the Bundeswehr’s SAR helicopter, conducted a spectacular ISPS drill in the Fehmarn Belt. 

Source: Scandlines Linkedin 

Thursday 25th July was the first call of CLdN’s new Baltic connection in partnership with Transfennica. The RoRo Kraftca is now on her way to Finland and Estonia after having unloaded and loaded cargo at CLdN’s Albert II terminal in Zeebrugge. 

July 19th, Rauma shipyard celebrated the launch of the Spirit of Tasmania V with traditional ceremonies.  

The vessel’s godmother is Barbara Baker, the 29th Governor of Tasmania.  

The vessel is the second of two car and passenger ferries ordered from the shipyard for Tasmania.  

Jul 12
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 28 | No Comments

South Korea’s KT Marine held a welcoming ceremony for its new vessel, a Damen Fast Ferry 4212 named Hamel. The company placed its order for the vessel earlier this year. The rapid delivery is the result of Damen’s serial construction of vessels for stock. 

Hamel will transport up to 423 passengers at speeds of up to 40 knots. She will operate a route between Yeosu Harbour and Geomundo Island.  

Hamel is the seventh Damen Fast Ferry, and the fifth Fast Ferry 4212, to be delivered to South Korea in recent years. 

Source: Damen 

Ruby Express is the name chosen for the fourth vessel for the company L’Express des Iles, a company in the FRS Group. She’s the former Algeciras Express. 

A new side roro access ramp has been installed last week. In July the vessel will sail to the Caribbean for her new role. 

On May 2024 the Danish Molslinjen announced that its HSC Max Mols has been sold to a Mediterranean ferry operator. According to information the ship will be delivered in the end of 2024, while many suggest that she was probably sold to a Greek ferry operator without having any Greek information at the moment. The ship served for many years the Aarhus-Odden route but also been on the Rønne – Ystad route (Bornholm route). Max Mols was built in Australia (1998/Incat).  

Photo: Wikipedia 

According to Greek press (Source: Kathimerini), rumour has it that Attica Group is in advanced discussions with Chinese shipyards to build eight ships by 2029. The company’s goal is to decarbonize its fleet by 2030. The specific investment plan includes:  

  • 2 E-Flexers announced last week that will be introduced in the Adriatic service by 2027. 
  • 2 larger AERO High-speed craft for the Saronic Island service 
  • 4 more ships for Cyclades, Dodecanese and North Aegean run (2 medium-size ferries, 2 high-speed ferries).  

Finally, the 3 ships that will be released from the Adriatic service (SUPERFAST XI, SUPERFAST III and HELLENIC SPIRIT) will serve the domestic market. 

Jul 05
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 27 | No Comments

At Guangzhou Shipyard International, China, the keel laying ceremony took place for the third new RoPax vessel commissioned by GNV. The LNG-fuelled new ship, already renamed GNV VIRGO, will have a capacity for 1,785 passengers, 420 cabins, and 2,780 lane metres. It is scheduled for delivery before the end of 2026.  

The fourth unit, still to be named, will also be dual-fuel LNG, while the first two under construction at GSI in China are fitted with scrubbers.  

GNV Polaris will be delivered before the end of the current year and GNV Orion in 2025. 

Bridgemans Services Group have renewed their agreement with Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Works and Transport (MOWT) for RoRo Cabo Star to continue to connect Port of Spain and Scarborough until January 2026. 

The vessel has been an integral support to the Trinidad and Tobago economy since starting the regularly scheduled sea bridge service between the Port of Spain and the Port of Scarborough seven years ago, in 2017.  

Cabo Star now makes approximately 288 round trips between the ports on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago annually, reliably transporting approximately 66,000 vehicles, 5,500 trucks and trailers, 2,500 containers and 4,100 flatbeds each year.   

Source: Bridgemans 

Baleària’s new fast ferry Margarita Salas’ is carrying out its natural gas sea trials. 

Soon she will be ready to sail between Barcelona, Ciutadella de Menorca and Alcudia, Mallorca. 

Photo: Baleària 

On Friday 28 June 2024, the keel laying ceremony of the first of the two all-new NewMax hybrid vessels took place in China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in WeiHai, China.  

Stena Futura, the chosen name for this ship, is one of two NewMax hybrid vessels that will play a key role in Stena Line’s journey to sustainable fuel as they will both be able to operate on methanol fuel. 

Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express have increased their activity on the route between Huelva and the Canary Islands with a fourth weekly connection in both directions between July 1 and September 30. The additional departure is necessary to meet the high demand expected for this summer period, both for passengers and freight. 

Source: Port of Huelva 

On June 29, HSC Hellenic Highspeed left Greece, chartered to Africa Morocco Link for the summer season of 2024. The ship is expected to enter service on the Algeciras – Tanger Med route on July 6, and she will remain until the end of the season. 

Photo: Attica Group 

It is reported that Finikas Lines’ Finikas Highspeed (ex Sfakia Pionner/Oniyouzu) has been introduced on the Corfu – Agioi Saranda (Albania) route on July 1, 2024. The ship was initially purchased by the Cretan based Anendyk Seaways on February 2019 for the Sfakia-Gavdos route. However, she remained laid up at the port of Souda (Crete) until March 2024 and sold to the Albania-based Finikas Lines. 

Photo: Finikas Lines 

Greek Saronic Ferries has chosen Swedish Nowhere Networks as supplier of high-speed internet for its fleet consisting of five ships operating in the Saronic region of Greece. 

Read more on Nowhere Networks 

Jun 28
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 26 | No Comments

MSC-controlled GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci) celebrated the launching at Guangzhou Shipyard International of the newly-built GNV ORION, second of four new ro-pax ships commissioned by the Geneva-based MSC Group.

The delivery will take place during the summer 2025 while the first unit (renamed GNV POLARIS) is scheduled for delivery before the end of the current year.

GNV POLARIS and GNV ORION will be 218m long with a capacity for 1,785 passengers and 3,100 lane metres of freight.

Two more sister ships will follow and will be LNG-powered.

Liberty Lines, a company owned by the Morace family, has taken delivery of the second high-speed craft named CRISTINA M, sister ship of the VITTORIO MORACE, built by Astilleros Armon shipyard in Navia, Spain.

With a length of 39.5 meters and a capacity of 251 passengers, it is the second HSC hybrid fast unit under construction. It is equipped with two MTU-Rolls Royce hybrid engines, allowing it to operate entirely in electric mode within ports before recharging the batteries while sailing at 30 knots in open sea.

CRISTINA M is the second of the 9 innovative fast hybrid ships that will join the fleet by 2026 and 2027 and be deployed on the routes to and from Sicily.

Polferries has announced the start of ticket sales for their new ship, the Varsovia. Replacing the Cracovia on the Świnoujście-Ystad route from July 27, 2024, the Varsovia will offer daily departures.

Polferries RoPax Cracovia will leave the Świnoujście-Ystad line on July 1, 2024 and will be employed in the Mediterranean Sea for the next year. Charterer unknown.

As the construction of Spirit of Tasmania IV nears completion, the ship took to the open seas for the first time on a five-day trial run from Rauma Marine Constructions Oy in Finland.

It is reported that Africa Morocco Link chartered Virtu Ferries’ HSC Maria Dolores mid-June. The ship is operating on the Tarifa – Tanger Ville route along with Morocco Express 1, which was recently introduced following the successful agreement between Stena and Attica Group. HSC Maria Dolores was active on the above route, chartered (2022-2023) by the collapsed Moroccan Intershipping and then laid up at Valletta (Malta). She was built in Australia (2006).

Photo: Austal

Magic Sea Ferries reported that its HSC Cat 1 (1994), will be introduced on the Lavrion-Kea-Kythnos-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos route on July 4, 2024.

Last summer, she served on the Mandoudi (Evia) – Sporades line. She was built in Japan (1994). Her carrying capacity is for 1000 passengers and 200 cars.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Jun 21
1

IMAGE CARDS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 25 | No Comments

Godby Shipping’s RoRo Midas has been time-chartered by CMA CGM until December 2026.

Before, Midas will undergo class renewal docking in Turkey. After the dry dock, Midas will replace Mimer (photo) in the Caribbean.

Subsequently, Mimer will go for her class renewal docking and will then be available for new opportunities.

Godby Shipping estimates that the dry docking of both vessels will extend their lifespans by approximately 10 years.

Last week, DFDS took part in the opening of Milence’s third truck charging park in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. This new facility, featuring ten powerful CCS chargers with a capacity of up to 400 kW each, supports 20 parking spaces for electric trucks. It is the largest charging park in Europe and the first in Belgium, providing significant support for DFDS’s position as Europe’s largest electric heavy-duty truck fleet operator.

Source: DFDS on Linkedin

Irish Ferries’ new Oscar Wilde started operating on Calais-Dover. The vessel is well-known on this route. She was the Spirit of Britain and operated for P&O Ferries since 2011.

Irish Ferries will have this vessel together with Isle of Inishmore and Isle of Inisheer on the English Channel.

Attica Group’s RoPax Superfast XI has been undergoing annual maintenance at the Perama repair zone since May 20, 2024. The popular red ship was also dry docked and is expected to return to her Adriatic service (Patras-Igoumenitsa-Ancona route) on June 30, 2024. She was built in Germany in 2002. Her carrying capacity is 1,820 passengers and 650 cars (1,920 lane meters). She can ply at 28 knots.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Salamis Lines’ RoRo Akritas is also at the Perama repair zone for her scheduled annual repairs and dry docking. The ship left her Lavrion (Greece) – Limassol (Cyprus) service on June 6 and is expected to return to service on June 22, 2024. She was built in Finland in 1982.

Photo: Dimitris Mendakis