FährNews Aktuell – Issue May 2024

Hello and welcome to the May issue of FährNews Aktuell in 2024. The top topics of this episode are presented by ferry-guide.com, where you can easily book Ferries online:

• Double capacity at Viking Line – How the shipping company is gearing up for the summer
• SPIRIT OF BRITAIN chartered out and sold – What’s next for the cross-Channel ferry
• And: Nine new ships for the Grimaldi Group – Which of the shipping companies will benefit most from the newbuilding program

The top topics of the May issue of FährNews Aktuell were presented by ferry-guide.com, the simple online booking platform for your ferry crossing. But here we go with the May issue of FährNews Aktuell. Be sure to stay tuned until the end so you don’t miss any news!

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And here is the entire May issue of FährNews Aktuell for you to read again:

1 Double capacity on Helsinki-Tallinn route

[1] As in previous years, Viking Line will once again offer additional capacity on the route between the Finnish capital Helsinki and the Estonian capital Tallinn this summer. Well over half a million Finns are expected to want to travel to Estonia this summer with Ferry. In order to meet this demand, Viking Line will deploy the VIKING CINDERELLA and the GABRIELLA in addition to the VIKING XPRS, which is scheduled to operate on the route. Viking Line will thus be able to offer three daily departures in each direction during the high season, with four departures in each direction on Fridays. The additional departures will almost double the capacity of Viking Line on the route in the period from June 19 to August 11, 2024.

2 Third Øresundslinjen-Ferry to be electrified

[2] Following the electrification of the Ferries TYCHO BRAHE and AURORA, Øresundslinjen is now preparing to convert the third Ferry, the HAMLET, to run on batteries, which in turn will be charged using wind and solar energy. Molslinjen has selected the Swedish manufacturer Echandia as its battery supplier.

[3] The battery system will be delivered in the first half of 2025 and is designed for a minimum service life of 10 years without the battery having to be replaced. The batteries of the Ferry can be recharged in the two ports of Helsingør and Helsingborg in an average of 11 minutes. With the approx. 8,000 annual departures of the HAMLET, which will be fully electric in future, 95 percent of all 41,000 annual departures on the route across the Öresund between Helsingør in Denmark and Helsingborg in Sweden will be powered by clean green electricity. This will reduce the total climate impact of the route to less than 1500 tons of CO2 per year.

[2] Before the conversion of the first two Öresund ferries in 2016, the route had an annual emission of 37,800 tons of CO2. Echandia is also supplying the battery packs for Molslinjen’s two new electric ferries, which are intended for the subsidiaries Alslinjen and Samsølinjen.

Over the next few years, Molslinjen also plans to convert the fast ferries across the Kattegat to an environmentally friendly battery-electric drive.

3 Torghatten North wins two tenders

[4] Torghatten Nord has won both the tender to operate the Festvåg-Misten ferry service in the north of Norway and [5] for the first time a tender in Sweden for the service from Strömstad to Koster.

Electric ferries are to be used on both routes in the future.

[4] A new 60-passenger electric ferry is planned for the route in northern Norway, [5] and two new electric ferries are to be built for the route in Sweden.

4 Autonomous Ferries for Torghatten

Let’s stay with Torghatten for a moment.

[6] The Norwegian ferry company Torghatten and Kongsberg Maritime have signed a contract to develop a system for self-driving Ferries on the Flakk-Rørvik route. The car ferry service is part of the Norwegian highway network and connects the city of Trondheim with communities on the Fosen peninsula.

As part of the strategic cooperation between the two companies, the sister ferries LAGATUN and MUNKEN, built in 2018, will be equipped with technologies from Kongsberg Maritime, including automatic docking, automatic crossing, collision avoidance and situational awareness. The new systems are designed to reduce fuel consumption, improve safety and punctuality and optimize staffing on the Ferries in accordance with maritime regulations.

5 SPIRIT OF BRITAIN chartered and sold

[7] The SPIRIT OF BRITAIN of the shipping company P&O-Ferries, which belongs to DP World France SAS, will become part of the fleet of Irish Ferries under a bareboat charter contract, which includes the pure provision of the ship without crew.

[8] The SPIRIT OF BRITAIN, which entered service in 2011, is 213 meters long, 30.8 meters wide and offers space for up to 2,000 passengers and 3,746 loading meters for vehicles. Since entering service, it has been operating on the route between Calais in France and Dover in England.

[7] The Spirit of Britain will now continue to operate on the Dover – Calais route.

The vessel was purchased from Irish Ferries for a total amount of EUR 89.4 million, which will be settled through a combination of a two-year bareboat charter at a price of EUR 20,000 per day and a purchase obligation of EUR 74.8 million at the end of the charter period.

The acquisition of the SPIRIT OF BRITAIN will enable Irish Ferries to transfer one of the three ships currently operating on the Dover-Calais route to its route between Rosslare in Ireland and Pembroke in Wales. The NORBAY, also chartered by P&O Ferries, will then be replaced there.

The SPIRIT OF BRITAIN is ready for immediate delivery and is expected to enter service with Irish Ferries in June.

6 Irish Ferries and P&O Ferries agree space charter

[9] The route between Dover and Calais is served by both Irish Ferries and P&O Ferries, among others. Both shipping companies have now signed a joint space charter agreement. The agreement stipulates that customers who have booked their crossing with one of the two shipping companies will be offered the next available departure on arrival at the port, regardless of which shipping company operates it.

The agreement, which initially applies to freight customers, means that all cargo on the quayside will be shipped on the next available departure of the respective shipping company. This will ensure that capacity on board the Ferries is fully utilized, reducing port congestion, lowering the carbon footprint of the Channel route and leading to efficiency gains.

As part of the agreement, both shipping companies plan to extend the agreement to passengers so that they can benefit from greater flexibility in travel times, shorter waiting times in ports and fewer delays if they miss planned crossings. This applies in particular during peak periods with high capacity utilization at Ferries.

7 Stena Line increases freight capacity on RoRo ships

[10] On behalf of Stena Line, Stena RoRo has signed a conversion contract with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai for the installation of an additional cargo deck, an increase in thruster capacity and preparations for shore power supply on board the STENA FORETELLER and STENA FORERUNNER. The cargo capacity will be increased by 30 percent, and the ships will be equipped for future efficiency requirements after the conversion. The conversion of the two ships will be completed in the course of 2025.

8 STENA SUPERFAST VII and VIII get methanol propulsion

Let’s stay with Stena Line for a moment.

[11] After Stena Line successfully converted the STENA GERMANICA to methanol propulsion in 2015, two more ships are now to follow with the STENA SUPERFAST VII and VIII. As part of the project, two of the four main engines on each ship will be converted to run on methanol. The other two engines can still be operated with the classic MGO, marine gas oil. The ships’ bunker, storage, fuel supply and support systems will also be converted to methanol.

The two Ferries operate on the route between Cairnryan in Scotland and Belfast in Northern Ireland.

If you want to find out more about methanol as an alternative fuel, then take a look at our FährNews Future issue. You can find the video in the info card at the top right or in the video description.

9 Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express strengthen route between Canary Islands and Huelva

[12] Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express strengthen their connection between the Canary Islands and Huelva in the summer months . Specifically, three to four weekly trips will be offered in each direction between July 1 and September 30. This doubles the number of departures on offer compared to the same period last year.

This is in addition to the three weekly departures that we already reported on in the January issue of FährNews Aktuell.

[12] The route is served jointly by the SICILIA, which has a capacity for 1,000 passengers and 400 vehicles, and the MARIE CURIE, which can accommodate more than 800 passengers and 600 vehicles. The increase in departures enables Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express to meet the high demand expected for the summer, both from passengers and for the transportation of freight between the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands.

From July 1, there will be departures from Huelva to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with the exception of the Wednesday trip, which will only provide a connection to Tenerife. Departures from the islands take place on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays, with two trips from Tenerife on Thursdays.

The service operated by Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express between the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands has been a strategic alliance for the maritime connection between the islands and the peninsula for more than five years. Since its inception, the service has transported more than one million meters of cargo and more than 155,000 passengers between Huelva and the Canary Islands, consolidating an important route for the transport of goods.

If you would like to use the routes between the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands yourself, then book your ticket for Ferry with our partner ferry-guide.com. Here you can also see all the alternative crossing options directly when booking, should a departure not fit into your schedule, for example. You will also receive a price overview of the individual shipping companies during the booking process. At ferry-guide.com you can book online at Ferries. You can also find the link to ferry-guide.com at the top of the video description or at the end of the video.

10 new ships for Finnlines, Minoan Lines and Grimaldi Euromed

[13] The Grimaldi Group is working on a major order for nine new RoPax vessels for its short sea shipping networks worth over EUR 1 billion.
Like the FINNSIRIUS and FINNCANOPUS, the ships are expected to be built in China. The Naples-based shipping company is still discussing the details of the propulsion system. Grimaldi wants to ensure the best possible solutions in terms of innovation and sustainability, the reduction of consumption and the possible use of traditional marine diesel as well as methanol and biofuels.

Three ships in the newbuilding program are earmarked for Finnlines, which have emerged from the “Superstar” ships FINNSIRIUS and FINNCANOPUS that have just been delivered, and two more are planned for Minoan Lines. The remaining three newbuildings are to go to Grimaldi Euromed and will have a capacity of 3,000 passengers and 3,000 loading meters.

The purchase price per ship is expected to be around EUR 150 million. The tender for the shipyards is expected to be published next summer and the signing of the construction contract is planned for next fall.

[14] Minoan Lines received its last newbuild as part of a charter contract in 2009/2010 with the ships CRUISE OLYMPIA and CRUISE EUROPA. However, both ships are now sailing for Grimaldi Lines again.

11 Siem demands return of the MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO

[15] The MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO, a ro-ro ship belonging to the Moby Group, was moored by Siem in the port of Sète. Siem is the owner of the MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO, which was built and delivered in 2017 by the then insolvent Flensburger Schiffbau Werft, also part of the Siem Group. The RoRo ship was chartered to Fratelli Onorato Armatori, a Moby Group company, for 12 years with a purchase option. Together with her sister ship ALF POLLAK, the MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO currently serves routes between Turkey, Greece, Italy and France under charter for DFDS.

[16] The company Fratelli Onorato Armatori commented on the events by referring to the valid, twelve-year charter contract. The company had duly paid all scheduled charter fees and had kept the Siem Group promptly informed of all company developments that had occurred over the years.

In September 2023, Siem initiated arbitration proceedings in London to demand the return of the MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO and her sister ship.

According to available information, the Norwegian company’s request was based on a clause in the ship’s bareboat charter contract, which guaranteed the owner Siem the possibility of taking back possession of the ship if the Onorato family fell below the threshold of 77.4% of the capital invested in the Moby Group. This happened when Gianluigi Aponte’s MSC Group acquired a stake in the company last summer. Arbitration proceedings were therefore initiated last fall, which ended in a defeat for the Onoratos, who have so far paid 58.3 million euros of the charter rates totaling 128.9 million for twelve years.

According to an official statement from the Onorato Group, the seizure, which took place in the last few days, is exclusively related to the ongoing proceedings and has no impact on the Onorato Group.

Fratelli Onorato Armatori concluded by stating that the company considers this initiative to be unnecessarily burdensome and purely instrumental and will defend itself before all appropriate bodies in Italy and abroad, also demanding compensation for the losses.

It is very likely that the Danish shipping company DFDS, sub-charterer of the two ro-ro ships in question, will also decide to assert claims for damages against Fratelli Onorato Armatori for the damage caused by the failure of the ship.

12 PREVELIS back in service with new ANEK Lines colors

[17] The tireless worker, as PREVELIS is known among Greek ferry enthusiasts, returned to service on the Piraeus-Chios-Mytilene route on May 10, 2024, after undergoing a complete overhaul at the Elefsis shipyard following the merger with the Attica Group. The ship was previously in service for the Dodecanese line for 12 years until May 2023 and was then chartered briefly by Aegean Sea Lines for the Piraeus-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos-Santorini route from June 30 to August 3, 2023.

[18] It was replaced by the NISSOS RHODOS after 15 days, according to data analyzed by Marinetraffic. There was a storm of protest from passengers on the first voyage, who complained about the long journey time of 14 hours from Piraeus to Mytilene, the age of the ship and the conditions inside.
The PREVELIS is currently replacing the BLUE STAR CHIOS, which has undergone annual maintenance. It is therefore currently operating on the Piraeus-Thira-Anafi-Kasos-Karpathos-Diafani-Chalki-Rhodos-Sitia-Heraklion route. This also led to complaints from the mayors of Karpathos and Kasos because the PREVELIS is slower and therefore only manages three departures a week instead of four, unlike the BLUE STAR CHIOS.

13 ASTERION II on the North Aegean – Dodecanese route

[19] From June 3 to September 9, 2024, Superfast Ferries will operate the ASTERION II on Sunday afternoons on the Piraeus – Samos (Vathi) – Patmos – Leros – Kos – Symi – Rhodes route, while the Ferry will operate on the Piraeus – Chios – Mytilene route on the other days of the week.

In addition, the ASTERION II will make two trips in the opposite direction every weekend on the North Aegean line mentioned above.

The ASTERION II is currently operating on the Piraeus-Heraklion route and will replace the KRITI II.

[20] However, the future of Kriti II is uncertain.

With the decision of the Attica Group on May 21, the KRITI II of ANEK Lines will finally be withdrawn from Greek shipping, as she will temporarily moor alongside her sister KRITI I in Drapetsona and await her fate there. Her place on the Heraklion – Piraeus route will be taken by the ARIADNE until September. The ASTERION II will then return to this route in September. According to information from chaniaships.com, the KRITI II could also be used as a ro-ro ship, i.e. for the pure transportation of cargo.

But that’s it for the May issue of FährNews Aktuell in 2024. Did you like the issue? Then please leave a Like. If you have any other comments or requests, please write us a comment. We look forward to your feedback!
To book your ferry crossing, you can now click on the link to ferry-guide.com. Otherwise, feel free to subscribe! If you haven’t had enough FährNews yet, we can recommend the last issue of FährNews Aktuell. Among other things, it dealt with a newly opened route at Finnlines and the planned deployment of battery-powered ships by DFDS. Enjoy and see you soon!

Sources

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• [12] “Balearia and Fred. Olsen Express reinforces its route between the Canary Islands and Huelva this summer”, Shippax. Accessed: May 17, 2024 [Online]. Available at: https://www.shippax.com/en/news/balearia-and-fred-olsen-express-reinforces-its-route-between-the-canary-islands-and-huelva-this-summer.aspx
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• [19] sandra, “Asterion II on the North Aegean – Dodecanese route”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed: May 27, 2024 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/asterion-ii-on-the-north-aegean-dodekanese-route/
• [20] ChaniaShips, “Τέλος εποχής το ΚΡΗΔΤΗ ΙΙ από την ελληνική ακτοπλοΐα.”, Chania Ships. Accessed: May 27, 2024 [Online]. Available at: https://www.chaniaships.com/post/τέλος-εποχής-το-κρητη-ιι-από-την-ελληνική-ακτοπλοΐα

You can find this and other episodes of FährNews Aktuell on the FährNews YouTube channel.