Shippax News Bulletin – 15
Shippax News Bulletin – 15
- In association with Interferry
Dear Subscriber,
Please find below a selection of news bits published on our website this past week, sorted by date of publishing.
We are very excited to announce that more than 400 delegates are now registered for our conference in May, which is truly amazing given all circumstances. Join us?
Wish you a Happy Easter!
Attica Group recovered ground in 2021
Spiros Paschalis is CEO of Attica Group © Attica Group
The 2021 full-year financials for Attica Group shows that a 20% increase in revenue compared to 2020 was achieved, ending at EUR 348 million. EBITDA grew by 4% to EUR 42 million, while consolidated losses improved to EUR 13 million (EUR 49 million).
The company was still negatively affected by covid restrictions during the year. Also, the increase in fuel prices affected the results, although some were hedged.
The Group’s cash and cash equivalents stood at EUR 97 million compared to EUR 80 million at the end of 2020, while the total debt amounted to EUR 481 million (EUR 430 million).
Condor Ferries to start new high-speed passenger hydrofoil service between Belfast and Bangor in 2024
Condor Ferries will be using the Artemis eFoiler™ Ferry Concept © Artemis Technologies
Channel Islands-based ferry operator Condor Ferries, better for its conventional and high-speed services from Portsmouth and Poole to the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, and France, is to move into unchartered waters in 2024 when it will start a new pilot high-speed passenger hydrofoil service for commuters between Belfast and Bangor, in Northern Ireland.
Norwest Ship Management AS acquired MINI STAR
MINI STAR © Norwest Ship Management
Six months after the acquisition of LINK STAR from Godby Shipping, Norwest Ship Management AS have announced that they also acquired its sistership MINI STAR. The combined ro-ro & sideloader vessel was taken over in Izmit, Turkey on 8 April.
The 1988-built and 4,452 dwt MINI STAR is now preparing for trade after changing ownership, management, flag and rebuilding to prepare her for the project & wind market.
Increased passenger numbers helped Rederi AB Gotland’s 2021 full-year financials
GOTLAND HORIZON, developed by Rederi AB Gotland, Destination Gotland and Gotland Tech Development. If realized, it will be Sweden's first large-scale hydrogen-powered vessel for both passengers and freight
A 40% increase in passengers to 487,601 made the Group's revenues increase by SEK 326 million to SEK 2,337 million (SEK 2,011 million). Operating profit decreased by SEK 18 million to SEK 124 million (SEK 142 million) due to a weaker tanker market.
Profit after financial items decreased to SEK 150 million from SEK 159 million.
Indonesia’s PT Kim Seah Shipyard to build a 35m Catamaran for Guadeloupe
Incat Crowther 35 for CTM Deher © Incat Crowther
Incat Crowther announced the commencement of construction of a 35m Catamaran for CTM Deher of Guadeloupe in the French West Indies. The Incat Crowther 35 is being built by PT Kim Seah Shipyard Indonesia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore’s publicly listed Penguin International Limited, using Incat Crowther’s Digital Shipbuilding solution. The newbuild ferry will carry 316 passengers over two decks in two distinct classes.
IOMSPC’s newbuilding ro-pax MANXMAN hits the water in South Korea
© IOMSPC
The first new ferry to be built for the Isle of Man Stream Packet Co (IOMSPC) since 1998, the diesel-battery hybrid ro-pax MANXMAN was floated out at South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) during the first week of April.
When delivered in early 2023, the 133m MANXMAN, costing GBP 78 million, will replace the 1998-built BEN-MY-CHREE on the ferry operator’s Douglas to Heysham route, with BEN-MY-CHREE being relegated to relief vessel duties.
Although much of the specifications of MANXMAN are still under wraps, the new ferry, which is 8m longer than the vessel she will replace, but still meets the maximum vessel size to access the port of Heysham, will be able to carry 949 passengers, 319 more than BEN-MY-CHREE, and offer an extra 495m2 space for cars and freight vehicles.
Norway’s Havila Voyages hit by Russian sanctions on its four coastal cruise ships ordered from Turkey’s Tersan Shipyard
HAVILA CAPELLA was delivered in November 2021 © Tom Gulbrandsen
The fall-out from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is affecting many industries, including that of the cruise market. Norway’s Havila Voyages has been hit by the various sanctions being imposed on Russian oligarchs and companies with regard to its newbuilding order for four diesel/battery hybrid 15,500 gt 640 passenger capacity cruise vessels on order at Turkish shipbuilder Tersan Shipyard, which have been financed by a Russian bank.
Virtu Ferries signs Letter of Intent with Seachange for electric ro-pax hydrofoils
© Seachange
Virtu Ferries has signed a Letter of Intent with Seachange, Auckland, New Zealand, for their Foil 40 electric ro-pax hydrofoil with plans to start operating the vessel between both Valletta, Malta and Pozzallo, Sicily, and Valletta and Gozo.
Manufactured from carbon composite, the fully electric Foil 40 by Seachange will be the first hydrofoil capable of carrying both passengers and vehicles. The 40-meter vessel with a capacity for 250 passengers and 200 lanemetres for vehicles and freight, equivalent to 40 cars, will cruise at a speed of 45 knots. The first Foil 40 vessel is expected to be in service by 2025.
With six meter long struts lifting the hulls out of the water, and advanced control algorithms, the Foil 40 will allow for sailings in sea conditions with a swell of up to five meters, offering great seakeeping and a smooth ride.
Baleària resumes its connections with Morocco
POETA LOPEZ ANGLADA © Frank Lose
Baleària has reopened passenger transport between the Peninsula and Morocco after more than two years of border closures. On 12 April, Baleària resumed the operation of its Algeciras-Tangier Med and Almería-Nador lines only for passengers, and it is expected that vehicles will also board as of 18 April. As of 17 April, Baleària will also resume its service between Séte and Nador.
New Grimaldi Savona-Porto Torres line close to the start
ZEUS PALACE © Grimaldi Lines
The Grimaldi Group is getting ready for the launch of its new Savona-Porto Torres ro-pax line. The ferry ZEUS PALACE will sail on the new route, departing for the first time from Porto Torres on 16 May. The new maritime link will enhance the network of connections offered by the Neapolitan company between Sardinia and mainland Italy for the benefit of passengers and transport companies.
Baleària renews the engines of the fast ferry RAMON LLULL to provide greater eco-efficiency and reliability to the Dénia-Formentera route
RAMON LLULL © Kai Ortel
Baleària will renew the four engines of the fast ferry RAMON LLULL, which regularly operates the Dénia-Formentera route, achieving greater eco-efficiency and reliability. During the works that will start in mid-May and until the beginning of June, the company will add the fast ferry JAUME III to this line.
The fast ferry JAUME III, which has a length of 81 meters and capacity for 655 people, has different accommodations in seats, a shop, a cafeteria, services for people with reduced mobility and an area for pets, among others.
Tallink Grupp to continue operating Tallinn-Stockholm route with one vessel until the end of 2022
BALTIC QUEEN becomes the only vessel on the Tallinn-Stockholm route in 2022 © Frank Lose
Tallink Grupp has announced that it has decided not to add a second vessel to the Tallinn-Stockholm route in 2022 as originally planned. The route will continue to be operated by the company’s vessel BALTIC QUEEN and the departures from Tallinn and Stockholm will take place every other day.
Debut month was a success for the new VIKING GLORY
VIKING GLORY © Viking Line
The response to Viking Line’s new flagship, VIKING GLORY, has been overwhelming and the number of bookings, which currently exceeds 350,000, has exceeded all expectations. In its first month in service, Viking Line has already reinforced its market share to over 70% on the Turku-Åland-Stockholm route as more than 70,000 passengers sailed on the new vessel in March. In addition nearly 280,000 passengers have booked a trip and are waiting for their turn.
Positive development at ForSea and volumes similar to before the pandemic
AURORA AF HELSINGBORG © ForSea
ForSea’s record weekend in February is followed up in March with a continued rise and new record figures. With eased restrictions on both sides of the strait, the journey continues to be maintained. At ForSea, there is an increase in all customer groups, regardless of whether the trip is an excursion during the day or a transport.
Facts - First quarter 2022
• Approximately 90% of passengers compared to 2019
• Over 200,000 passengers during March 2022
• Over 65,000 cars during March 2022
• Over 44,000 trucks during March 2022
• 50% higher sales in stores on board in March, compared with 2019
• 3,000 shrimp sandwiches sold in the cafés
• 7,000 guests in the restaurant
• 85 seasonal employees are recruited for the summer
UK government launches UK SHORE to take maritime ‘back to the future’ with green investment
Thousands of ships, cruises and vessels will become greener and cleaner with GBP 206 million investment to support zero emission sailing and skilled maritime jobs, as part of the UK government’s shipbuilding strategy.
DFDS monthly volume report: passenger recovery on track
The number of passengers continued to increase in March as travel restrictions were rolled back. The number of passengers increased more than four hundred percent to 134k equal to 49% of the number of passengers in March 2019, the latest comparable month pre-Covid-19. Volumes primarily increased between Norway and Denmark as well as on the Channel. For the last twelve months 2022-21, the total number of passengers was 1.1m compared to 1.0m in 2021-20 and 5.1m in 2019, the latter being the latest pre-Covid-19 year.
Ferry – freight: For the last twelve months 2022-21, the total transported freight lane metres increased 5.9% to 43.6m from 41.2m in 2021-20.
Chantiers de l‘Atlantique will build UTOPIA OF THE SEAS, the new Royal Caribbean ship
A new adventure begins: Construction on the sixth ship in Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis Class is now underway in Saint-Nazaire, France. The cruise line revealed the name of the upcoming ship, UTOPIA OF THE SEAS, at the steel cutting ceremony that took place in the Chantiers de l‘Atlantique shipyard. Come spring 2024, the first Oasis Class ship powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas) will be a bold evolution of the class of ships that changed the industry more than a decade ago.
Berg Propulsion builds its business for Türkiye and beyond
Berg Propulsion has opened new offices in Istanbul to reinforce its presence in Türkiye and the surrounding region and provide closer support to local customers. The operation is taking responsibility for a range of activities, including new sales, contract management, product support and service. It is led by Mustafa Müslüm, who has been appointed General Manager, Berg Propulsion Eurasia.
Scandlines orders onshore ferry charging system from NES
Scandlines has awarded Norwegian Electric Systems AS (NES) a contract to deliver an onshore charging system to the ferry operator’s berth in Rødby, Denmark, for the newbuild zero emission ferry.
Norwegian maritime supplier NES, which specializes in sustainable energy design and smart control, will provide the complete onshore ferry-charging system for the Rødby ferry berth and connect the equipment to the onshore grid system.
eMethanol set to deliver dramatic reductions in CO2 production compared to fossil marine fuels
eMethanol producer Liquid Wind has undertaken a lifecycle assessment which concludes that eMethanol produced from renewable energy sources can have carbon equivalence up to 94% lower than fossil fuels.
On April 8, 2022, the Estonian ministry of defense issued a press release "The European Commission supports the Estonian military mobility project with 31 million", in which it was announced that Estonia had received a positive response from the EstMilMob military mobility project, which aims to improve transport connections to Tapa over the next five years. The total cost of the project is 62 million euros, half of which is funded by the European Union. As part of the project, AS Tallinna Sadam (hereinafter: Tallinna Sadam) will build a new 310-meter quay with a 10-hectare area beyond the quay in Paldiski South Harbor.
Jesper Mikkelsen Heilbuth will take up the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on July 1, 2022, and join the shipping company's executive board, reporting to CEO Carsten Nørland.
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