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Tag: UK | Ferry Shipping News

Sep 15
2

Finnlines to launch a new freight service from Finland to Sheerness, UK

By | 2024 Newsletter week 37 | No Comments

Finnlines is set to launch a new freight service from Finland to Sheerness, with further connections available to Belgium, Spain, and Ireland.  

The first arrival will take place on 23 September 2024.  

The new service is part of Finnlines’ strategy to improve service sustainability and route network, and it will be operated with three Finneco-class vessels calling Sheerness/London Medway once a week. 

 

Southbound route: Helsinki / Kotka–Sheerness–Antwerp / Zeebrugge–Bilbao / Vigo. 

Northbound route: Bilbao / Vigo–Zeebrugge / Antwerp–Hanko–Helsinki / Kotka. 

Remark: Travemünde is no longer included in this route map 

Sep 15
2

UK expands Electronic Travel Authorisation (visa)

By | 2024 Newsletter week 37 | No Comments

EU tourists will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK from April 2, 2025. Citizens from many other countries need it as from January 8, 2025. 

EU citizens also need a passport to enter the UK since October 1, 2021. Before this date, EU citizens could enter the UK with a national identity card. However, after Brexit, the UK changed its entry requirements, and an ID card is no longer sufficient for most EU citizens.  

Now an ETA will become an extra requirement. It will cost £10 (€12) and will be valid for two years, or until the expiration date of the passport. 

More about the ETA:

Jun 02
0

Spliethoff launches high speed Con-Ro liner service between Europe and the US East Coast

By | 2023 Newsletter week 22 | No Comments

Spliethoff is starting a monthly Con-Ro liner service from Belgium and the UK to the US East Coast from June 1. The very fast transit time of around 14 days from port to port makes this newly introduced service unique in the market.

Deploying a state-of-the-art Con-Ro vessel able to combine Ro-Ro and containerised cargo, the new service will call at Antwerp, Bristol and/or Marchwood and Baltimore, MD, Gloucester, NJ, and Morehead City, NC, in the US.

The service will be executed by the specialist Con-Ro vessels of Spliethoff Group’s sister company Transfennica. (640 TEU + 3,000 lane metres).

May 05
4

UK delays Customs Controls until 2023

By | 2022 Newsletter week 18 | No Comments

Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency announced that the new controls for EU-UK movements, which were previously due to take effect on the 1st of July 2022, have been delayed until further notice.

The following import border controls which were planned for introduction from July 2022 will now not be introduced:

  • A requirement for further Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks on EU imports currently at destination to be moved to Border Control Post (BCP).
  • A requirement for safety and security declarations on EU imports.
  • A requirement for further health certification and SPS checks for EU imports.
  • Prohibitions and restrictions on the import of chilled meats from the EU.
Jul 01
2

The Start of a Hot Summer on the Channel (but where are the passengers?)

By | 2021 Newsletter week 26 | No Comments

PRIDE OF BURGUNDY – P&O Ferries fifth ship on its Dover-Calais route – arrived on 28 June at the Port of Dover, returning to service after being laid up (and even for sale).

The P&O ship arrived the day before the start of Irish Ferries on Dover-Calais, with presently one ship: ISLE OF INISHMORE. Irish Ferries operates up to 10 sailings a day.

PRIDE OF BURGUNDY’s return follows P&O Ferries’ freight space sharing agreement with DFDS on the Dover-Calais route.

Passenger travel is still limited due to Covid-related restrictions. Belgium, France and Spain are “amber list” zones, which requires travellers to go in quarantine when arriving in the UK.

France allows vaccinated travellers from the UK, with a PCR-test.

If not vaccinated you can only travel to France if you have pressing grounds for travel, including tests and quarantine. [France Diplomacy]

Brittany Ferries is suffering from the lack of passengers. In 2 years, the company will have transported only 25% of passengers compared to the usual traffic – and this even though passenger transport represents 80% of its activity. CEO Christophe Mathieu told politicians that “the 2021 season is going to be as catastrophic as that of 2020.” [Source France Bleu]

May 27
2

Brittany Ferries Will NOT Open A New UK – Portugal Route This Summer

By | 2021 Newsletter week 21 | No Comments

The decision to re-open Spain to British tourists, combined with falling Covid cases and rapidly rising vaccination rates in the country, means opening a new Porto route is no longer commercially viable.

Brittany Ferries hope and expect Spain to be placed on the UK’s green list at the first review in early June and for that reason they took the decision to shelve the plan.

Last week, Spanish authorities confirmed the country would open for tourism from Monday 24 May and that Brits would not need to take a PCR test before arrival.

“We have been overwhelmed by messages of support from existing passengers, new customers and via social media urging us to sail to Porto,” said CEO Christophe Mathieu. “Portugal? Never say never.”

Feb 18
1

Brittany Ferries Sees Vaccination-Led Travel Corridors As A Solution

By | 2021 Newsletter week 7 | No Comments

As government hits its target for 15 million Covid vaccinations in the UK, Brittany Ferries says now is the time for a re-think on travel corridors.

“Vaccine roll-out is moving apace in the UK, thanks to the NHS, volunteers and support of the armed forces,” said Christophe Mathieu Brittany Ferries CEO. “While France and Spain are a little behind, the ramp-up is gaining significant momentum. We all believe that vaccines are the way out of this dreadful crisis.

So by spring we think there will be a clear case for the adoption of vaccination-led travel corridors – or in our case sea lanes – that allow holidays to go ahead this summer and for hope to return.”

Read more: Brittany Ferries newsroom
Nov 19
0

IN THE MEDIA

By | 2020 Newsletter week 47 | No Comments

Success in shipping as we know, is all about timing. In a Brexit and Covid world with RoRo values falling, this may present buying opportunities considering the average life of a RoRo is just over 30 years.

Essentially, freight capacity has been bought by the UK Government for the first 6 months of 2021 for vessels to call regularly into Felixstowe, Harwich, Hull, Newhaven, Poole, Portsmouth, Teesport and Tilbury as a hedge against likely congestion at gateway Dover and a hard Brexit. However, with all of Europe likely to be grappling with suppressed demand from Covid-19 for the best part of 2021, combined with an impressive armada of newbuild deliveries confirmed to hit European waters over the next 24 months – was it really necessary – noting the UK is the number one demand market for straight ramp RoRo trade?

Source: ECS 2XL
Aug 20
0

FERRY SHIPPING

By | 2020 Newsletter week 34 | No Comments

UK Quarantaine Measures Force Brittany Ferries to Lay Up Ships

Following the imposition of quarantine on travellers returning from France and the effect this has had on reservations, Brittany Ferries has been forced to change its schedules.

The following ships and route amendments have now been confirmed:

ARMORIQUE will be laid up from 31 August. She currently serves the Plymouth to Roscoff route.

PONT-AVEN will replace her Plymouth – Roscoff from 10 September with three return trips per week. PONT-AVEN will also continue to operate one return sailing from Plymouth to Santander and from Roscoff to Cork during the week.

BRETAGNE will be laid up from 7 September. She currently serves the Portsmouth to St Malo route.

ETRETAT will not resume crossings as planned. CONNEMARA will continue to operate the Cherbourg and Le Havre rotations from Portsmouth, but will no longer serve Spain.