Scandlines orders new onshore charging solution from NES

By | 2023 Newsletter week 50 | No Comments

Scandlines has contracted Norwegian Electric Systems AS (NES) to deliver an onshore charging system to the ferry operator’s berth in Puttgarden, Germany. In April 2022, NES already signed a contract to deliver the shore power solution in Rødby on the Danish side of the route.

“With a battery pack of ten megawatt-hours, equivalent to the combined capacity of about 150 electric cars, the ferry’s battery capacity will be among the world’s largest on a ship. Rapid charging is essential for the ferry while it is unloading vehicles and should take about 12 minutes. Imagine charging 150 electric vehicles with one charger in 12 minutes only. While fast charging a car is one thing, handling this amount of energy is quite another matter,” says Jan Klokk, VP Sales at NES.

Scandlines to electrify two ferries for the Fehmarn Belt link

By | 2023 Newsletter week 50 | No Comments

In recent years, Scandlines has cemented its position as a green frontrunner with a wide range of initiatives, including the new FUTURA ferry. Now the plan is to electrify two ferries on the Fehmarn Belt.

Scandlines is investing in the following:

  • Large energy storage system on board both ferries
  • Charging facilities on board
  • Solar panels on board both ferries

The total investment in electrification of the Fehmarn ferries amounts to EUR 31 million. The German Ministry of Transport has awarded the project financial support as part of a funding programme covering sustainable modernisation of coastal vessels to reduce emissions, covering up to 40 percent of the conversion costs.

Scandlines expects to sign a contract on the conversion in early 2024. Subject to the final delivery time of equipment, the ferries will be converted in the beginning of 2024 till 2025.

Launching of Scandlines’ new zero direct emissions ferry FUTURA

By | 2023 Newsletter week 48 | No Comments

25 November 2023, Scandlines’ new zero direct emissions freight ferry was traditionally launched from the Turkish Cemre Shipyard.

The ferry will be named FUTURA at a naming ceremony in connection with its deployment on the Fehmarn Belt in 2024.

With 10MWh, FUTURA will have the world’s largest lithium-ion battery bank to date. (to compare: luxury icebreaker LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT has 4.5MWh in total)

Scandlines CEO Carsten Nørland emphasises that Scandlines definitely plans to keep on sailing for many, many years to come, also after the opening of the Fehmarn Belt fixed link.

Scandlines’ new zero direct emissions ferry approaching launching

By | 2023 Newsletter week 37 | No Comments

At the Cemre shipyard and at the ferry terminals in Puttgarden and Rødby, everything is currently being prepared for the deployment of Scandlines’ new zero direct emissions freight ferry.

“PR24” will be launched in Q4.

The ferry terminals in Puttgarden and Rødby must also be prepared. Scandlines is currently installing a new and stronger ramp to the upper car deck in ferry Berth 3 in Rødby, as the PR24 will be transporting lorries on both the upper and lower deck. At present, a large crane is removing the current 59m ramp to the upper car deck.

When the ferry starts operating on the Fehmarn Belt in 2024, the world’s largest battery system of 10 MWh can be charged in just 17 minutes in Rødby. With green power, of course.

In 2019, Scandlines invested in a 50 kV / 25 MW power cable to Rødbyhavn. This cable has now been extended approximately 1.2 kilometres to the new transformer between ferry Berth 2 and 3. The supplier NES (Norwegian Electric Systems) is expected to begin the installation of the transformer, control and switchgear equipment and charging station for the new ferry in the autumn.

Now Scandlines is investing in a 30 kV / 15 MW power cable including transformer and charging station for the port of Puttgarden. As of 2025, this will reduce the charging time to just 12 minutes in each port and allow the ferry to cover the 18.5 km between Puttgarden and Rødby in 45 minutes with zero direct emissions.

Scandlines generated higher revenue and results after car and shopping traffic rebounded in 2022

By | 2023 Newsletter week 26 | No Comments

 Scandlines continued to make headway in 2022 as the impact of COVID-19 eased and travel restrictions were lifted early in the year.

Traffic volume grew significantly driven by a rebound in leisure and shopping traffic as well as continued strong traction in the freight business.

Against this backdrop, Scandlines increased revenue (+42%) and earnings (+101%) and continued to improve its competitive offering with long-term investments in fleet and facilities.

+65% Cars

+68% Pax

+5% Freight

+49% Revenue from BorderShops (even though shopping activity remained significantly lower than before the outbreak of COVID-19. Factors such as increased fuel prices, general inflation pressure and a weak SEK play here a role here).

Outlook

Modest growth is expected in leisure and shopping traffic volumes, which are seen to be somewhat impacted by a general economic slowdown.

Bus travel is expected to gradually return to previous levels.

The steadily growing freight traffic volume is expected to continue the positive trajectory – however at a modest level.

Management expects revenue and profits to increase moderately in 2023 subject to the level of economic slowdown.

The full annual report and the sustainability report for Scandlines Infrastructure ApS can be downloaded here.

Geopolitical and macroeconomic context weighs heavy on quarterly Port of Antwerp-Bruges figures – Status quo for roro

By | 2023 Newsletter week 16 | No Comments
  • The total throughput of Port of Antwerp-Bruges amounted to 68.7 million metric tonnes in the first quarter, a drop of 4.5% compared with the same period last year.
  • This decline is due to the still complex geopolitical and macroeconomic context, which has led to a decline in the container segment and significant shifts in cargo flows.
  • Roro traffic is maintaining the status quo, but within the new-car segment there is a resurgence. The first quarter of 2023, saw 904,901 new cars shipped in and out, up 7.2% from 2022. Throughput of all transport equipment has grown by 4.3%, while unaccompanied cargo (excluding containers) is showing a decrease (-2.4%.) The share of these volumes related to the United Kingdom fell by 5.6% in the first quarter, while traffic to and from Ireland increased by 14.2%.

Spring reception by Scandlines in Berlin: Consumers are attaching more and more importance to climate-friendly travel

By | 2023 Newsletter week 16 | No Comments

On April 19, 2023, Scandlines held a reception in the German capital. CEO Carsten Nørland and other company representatives welcomed around 60 guests from politics, business and the public in the Käfer roof garden restaurant in the Bundestag.

The central topic of the evening was the “Green Agenda” of the German-Danish company. Scandlines has been investing heavily in environmentally friendly technologies for more than a decade, most recently in rotor sails on the Rostock-Gedser route and center propellers weighing tons to optimize fuel consumption. With the construction of the first zero-emission ferry for the Scandlines fleet and the planned electrification of the Puttgarden-Rødby route, the shipping company is now setting the next milestones on the way to the future.

Guest speaker Dieter Janecek, Federal Government Coordinator for Maritime Business and Tourism, emphasized in particular the changed demands of travelers for whom climate and species protection are becoming increasingly important.

CEO Carsten Nørland also responded to the wishes of Scandlines passengers and noted an increase in travel traffic going north: “In 2022, more and more passengers from Germany decided to travel north for shorter and longer stays. I hope that in the future we can convince even more people that you don’t have to fly halfway around the world to have a great short break or a great summer holiday.”

Photo: Jochen Zick/Scandlines

Scandlines’ new zero direct emission freight ferry is taking shape.

By | 2023 Newsletter week 1 | No Comments

Two-thirds of the steel plates for PR24 have now been cut at the Cemre shipyard in Turkey, and the ferry currently consists of eight sections which have already been placed on the bedding. Another 16 sections are under construction.

In close cooperation with the Scandlines site team, the yard is developing a 3D model of the ferry. The model enables users to digitally move around the ferry while simultaneously ensuring that construction drawings and the 3D model are continuously being updated with correct and revised information as the construction of the ferry progresses.

Swiss battery manufacturer Leclanché has started producing the record-breaking battery bank for the new ferry. With a capacity of 10 MWh it will be the largest lithium-ion battery installation on a ferry to date.

When the ferry starts operating on the Fehmarn Belt in 2024, it can charge in just 17 minutes in Rødby. With green power, of course.

Scandlines completes investment project in low-noise thrusters

By | 2022 Newsletter week 41 | No Comments

As the last of the four hybrid ferries operating between Puttgarden (Germany) and Rødby (Denmark), the double-ended ferry PRINSESSE BENEDIKTE has just had four new thrusters installed.

The new thrusters are far more efficient and thus energy-saving than the previous push thrusters.

Accordingly, Scandlines completes a EUR 13 million investment project in upgrading the Fehmarn ferries and at the same time significantly reduces its environmental impact.

The 16 new thrusters as well as the new thruster control system for the bridge of each vessel have been delivered by Kongsberg Maritime.

Data for Scandlines’ thruster project:

Before: push thrusters with propeller drive at the back (Contaz 35)

Now: pull thrusters with propeller drive at the front (Azipull 120 FP)

Weight: 25 tons each

Diameter: 3.2 metres

Number: 16

CO2 reduction: up to 15 percent

Investment: more than EUR 13 million

Scandlines improved performance in a challenging market in 2021

By | 2022 Newsletter week 17 | No Comments
  • Scandlines navigated market volatility and the impact of COVID-19 in 2021 and maintained margins thanks to a dedicated team effort and strict cost control.
  • Scandlines solidified its position as a green front-runner with a long-term investment in a new emission-free freight ferry and ambitions of making the Puttgarden-Rødby route emission free by 2030 and realising its zero-emission vision by 2040.
  • Traffic continued to fluctuate substantially in 2021 following political decisions to impose and lift travel restrictions in Scandlines’ markets in response to developments in COVID-19.
  • Based on a gradual rebound in traffic volume compared to 2020, Scandlines grew revenue by 20% to EUR 328 million and maintained the EBITDA margin at 41% following tight cost control measures and efficiency enhancements.
  • The two ferry routes generated revenue of EUR 260 million (2020: EUR 216 million) in 2021 as COVID-19 certificates were introduced, improving travel options, and government-imposed travel restrictions impacted fewer months of the year.
  • Full-year traffic figures increased by double digits across all categories compared to 2020, but volumes remained significantly lower compared to 2019 except for the freight business, which continued to deliver consistent growth throughout the year, ensuring the strongest performance ever.
  • The BorderShops saw higher activity in 2021 compared to 2020 and grew revenue by 19% to EUR 68 million.
  • Profit from ordinary activities (recurring EBITDA) grew by 59% to EUR 133 million (2020: EUR 84 million) corresponding to a recurring EBITDA margin at a pre-COVID-19 level of 41% despite earnings remaining significantly lower than before the outbreak of the pandemic.

Outlook

  • Car, passenger, and shopping traffic is expected to rebound strongly in the wake of COVID-19 with bus travel gradually returning to previous levels.
  • The strong freight traffic performance is expected to continue throughout the year.
  • Due to the continued high degree of uncertainty and very low visibility, management is currently not in a position to provide precise financial guidance for 2022.