FährNews Aktuell – Issue November 2023

Hello and welcome to the November 2023 issue of FährNews Aktuell. Today’s top topics include the following:

• EPSILON to Unity Line – will the Ferry finally switch to the Polish shipping company after a year’s delay?
• News on the Rostock-Nynäshamn connection – will the route be resumed at the beginning of 2024?
• La Méridionale orders newbuildings – how CMA CGM is renewing its fleet
• We also have some hot announcements for you that you absolutely cannot miss. So make sure you stay tuned until the end so you don’t miss anything!

---

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

1 VIKING CINDERELLA is reflagged and rerouted

[1] From March 2024, Viking Line will withdraw its VIKING CINDERELLA from the pure cruise service, i.e. the primarily tourist use of the ferry route between Stockholm and Mariehamn, in order to be able to put it into service on the Helsinki-Mariehamn-Stockholm route instead. In this context, the ship will be reflagged and will therefore sail under the Finnish flag from March 2024.

Since 2003, Viking Line has operated cruises between Stockholm and Mariehamn with the VIKING CINDERELLA. The change of flag will not result in any redundancies for the staff of Viking Rederi Ab on the VIKING CINDERELLA. The employees of the VIKING CINDERELLA will be offered continued employment on the ship after the reflagging under the terms of the Finnish collective agreement.

In spring 2024, a new cruise service departing from Stockholm will be launched as part of a joint venture between the shipping companies Viking Line and Gotlandsbolaget. This will give Viking Rederi employees the opportunity to express their interest in working on the ship that will then be deployed, which previously sailed as the BIRKA STOCKHOLM. The BIRKA STOCKHOLM will sail under the Swedish Ferries and will be subject to Swedish collective bargaining conditions. Based on the agreement between Viking Line and Gotlandsbolaget, Viking Rederi will provide the service personnel and Destination Gotland the nautical crew on the joint ship.

2 EPSILON to Unity Line

[2] The Polish shipping company Unity Line will most likely receive a new Ferry with the EPSILON. The charter of the Ferry, which previously operated for Irish Ferries between Dublin and Holyhead and between Dublin and Cherbourg, ended with its last departure on November 11, 2023. The ship is owned by Euroafrica Shipping Lines.

[3] This company provides part of the tonnage of the state-owned Polish ferry operator Unity Line and also used to own shares in the shipping company. However, it is now wholly owned by the Polish state.

[2] However, the EPSILON will now presumably [3] join the Ferries GALILEUSZ, COPERNICUS and JAN SNIADECKI already operating for Unity Line. Euroafrica Shipping Lines acquired the ship last year with the plan to put it into service for Unity Line as early as the end of 2022. Now the plan finally seems to be becoming a reality.

[4] Built in 2011 as the CARTOUR EPSILON for Caronte & Tourist, today’s EPSILON is 186.5 meters long, 25.6 meters wide and offers space for up to 400 passengers and freight on 2860 loading meters. It is not yet clear which of the two Unity Line routes the EPSILON will serve.

[2] Unity Line operates a total of seven ships on the routes between Świnoujście and Ystad and between Świnoujście and Trelleborg.

3 First new building for Unity Line launched

Let’s stay with Unity Line for a moment.
[5] The first of a total of three newbuilds for the Polish shipping companies Unity Line and Polferries was launched at the beginning of November. Two Ferries are destined for Unity Line, one for Polferries, whereby the Ferry that has now been launched is one of the two Ferries intended for Unity Line.

[6] The ships being built at the Remontowa shipyard in Gdańsk will be equipped with four LNG dual-fuel engines and a battery pack and will reach a speed of 19 knots.

[5] The Ferries will be 195.6 meters long, 32.2 meters wide and offer 4100 loading meters of space for freight. They can also carry up to 400 passengers. The first ship is scheduled for completion in 2025.

4 No Rostock-Nynäshamn connection in 2024

In December 2022, we reported in FährNews Aktuell that Hansa Destinations would cease operations on the route between Rostock and Nynäshamn at the beginning of January 2023. At the time, Hansa Destinations expressed its willingness to continue operating the route from 2024. However, this has now come to nothing.

[7] As the Swedish newspaper Helagotland reports, Destination Gotland, the parent company of Hansa Destinations, will not resume the route between Germany and Sweden in 2024 either.

5 Lots of prizes to be won in the ferry-guide.com Advent calendar

Our partner ferry-guide.com is organizing an Advent calendar from 01 December 2023. You have to answer simple questions about the sponsor of the day on the ferry-guide.com website. Then enter your name and email address and you’ll be entered into the prize draw. The winner will then be drawn by the system. But the most important question: what can you actually win? In addition to non-cash prizes in the form of merchandise from the shipping companies, there are also travel vouchers to be won. The absolute highlight, however, is the main prize: a mini cruise between Kiel and Gothenburg with Stena Line. From our own experience, we can say that the route is really worthwhile. So be sure to take part in the Advent calendar! Anyone who is at least 18 years old and resident in Germany, Austria or Switzerland can take part in the competition. You can find the link to the competition in the video description. The organizer of the Advent calendar and the competition is ferry-guide.com.

6 ÖRESUNDSLINJEN offers charging stations for electric cars on board

[8] ÖRESUNDSLINJEN is the first shipping company in the world to offer owners of electric cars on its two battery-powered Ferries TYCHO BRAHE and AURORA the opportunity to quickly and fully recharge their car with green electricity on a battery ferry. On the 20-minute journey across the Öresund between Helsingør in Denmark and Helsingborg in Sweden, electric cars can thus achieve a range gain of up to 250 kilometers. As the number of electric cars is constantly increasing, the company has decided to offer this service, which combines several advantages. Kristian Durhuus, CEO of MOLSLINJEN, to which ÖRESUNDSLINJEN has belonged for a year, explains that the charger is so powerful that the owner of an electric car can save a whole hour by spending 20 minutes at Ferry. In addition to the shorter charging time, the travel time and kilometers over the Öresund Bridge would also be saved. In addition, you don’t have to spend time searching for a charging station that might already be occupied by someone else, but can instead enjoy a break on board, he continues.

Only green electricity from renewable sources with the highest classification flows into the batteries of the two Ferries TYCHO BRAHE and AURORA. Now ÖRESUNDSLINJEN is taking the next step in the green transformation and allowing the electricity to flow into car batteries. Charging at Ferry also saves valuable travel time.

Four chargers are installed on each of the electric ferries AURORA and TYCHO BRAHE, offering eight electric cars a simultaneous charging option on each departure. This means that up to 260,000 electric cars can be charged on the Öresund route every year.

[9] Booking a space for an electric car on the two Ferries is free of charge, only a normal ferry ticket needs to be booked. Passengers only pay for the electricity consumption during the ferry journey. The cost per kWh is SEK 6.75 or DKK 4.55, which is equivalent to around 60 cents.

7 Fjord Line ends service on Sandefjord-Strömstad prematurely

[10] The OSLOFJORD of the Norwegian Fjord Line AS completed its last crossing between Sandefjord and Strömstad on October 24, 2023, earlier than expected. The reason for the early end of the connection was the successful “sell-out trips”, during which the remaining stock in the stores sold out faster than expected.

As we reported in the September issue of FährNews Aktuell, the OSLOFJORD is now likely to be sold. However, it is not yet known to whom.

8 STENA FORWARDER goes into service

[11] At the beginning of November, the STENA FORWARDER began her new charter assignment for Stena Line Irish Sea, operating between Birkenhead and Belfast.

The STENA FORWARDER is the former FRIJSENBORG, which Stena RoRo purchased from Visemar Di Navigazione for USD 37 million.

9 FährNews is looking for the most popular ferry company in 2023

Once again this year, we are looking for your favorite ferry company of the past year as part of the FährNews Community Awards. Can Stena Line defend its title or will there be a new number one? For the first time, 64 shipping companies from all over the world are now in the competition. Unlike last year, this time the competition will take place on our Instagram account. You will have the opportunity to select your favorite of two shipping companies in stories and vote them through to the next round. In a total of six rounds with 63 encounters, you will determine your favorite ferry company.

And you can also win something from us. We will publish another post on Instagram with all the details of the FährNews Community Award. If you want to take part in the competition, follow us on Instagram, like the post and write a comment in which you mark your favorite shipping company. You’re already in the draw. There is a FährNews surprise package to be won, but we won’t say any more. Anyone who is at least 18 years old and resident in Germany can take part in the competition, but anyone with an Instagram account can vote. You can also find the exact terms and conditions of the competition in the video description.

10 NORBAY chartered to Irish Ferries

[12] P&O Ferries has confirmed the chartering of its Ferry NORBAY to Irish Ferries. The charter has an initial term of six months with the possibility of a longer charter thereafter. The crew of the NORBAY will continue to be employed on the ship during the charter.

Owen Barry, Director of Maritime Operations at P&O, said that following the charter, the NORBAY could either continue to operate at Irish Ferries, be reintegrated into the P&O Ferries fleet, giving the company great flexibility on other routes, or other charter options could be considered given the high market demand for this type of vessel. This would not only provide permanent employment for the ship’s crew, but also good opportunities for additional revenue within the company.

Until now, the NORBAY was one of two ships operated by P&O Ferries on the Liverpool-Dublin route. P&O Ferries will now only operate one ship on the route until the end of the year, when the route will be discontinued due to a lack of berths in the port of Liverpool.

Irish Ferries will operate the ship between Dublin and Holyhead.

11 PATRIA SEAWAYS arrive in Algeciras

[13] The DFDS-Ferry PATRIA SEAWAYS arrived in the port of Algeciras as planned on November 11, 2023. There, the 32-year-old ship will undergo an inspection before entering service on the FRS route between Algeciras and Tangier Med, which was recently acquired by DFDS.

[14] Built in 1991, the PATRIA SEAWAYS has a capacity of 243 passengers and 1710 loading meters of space for cargo. She has a maximum speed of 17 knots.

12 La Méridionale orders new buildings

As we reported in the June issue of FährNews Aktuell, the CMA CGM Group took over the French shipping company La Méridionale in the middle of the year. In the course of the takeover, the construction of new Ferries for the Corsica service was already announced. Now CMA CGM is going one step further and announcing details of the newbuild for the first time.

[15] The two new buildings will be 180 meters long and 30.8 meters wide. They will each offer space for up to 1000 passengers and 2000 loading meters of space for rolling cargo such as cars, motorhomes or trucks. The two newbuildings will each have a total of 264 cabins in seven categories, 21 of which will be suites with balconies.

CMA CGM is investing 400 million euros in the Ferries being built at the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling Weihai. Newbuildings for DFDS, Finnlines, Grimaldi, Stena Line and TT-Line have already been built at the same shipyard.

[16] The newbuilds will each be powered by two engines with a total output of 21,000 kW. The engines are multi-fuel capable and will primarily run on conventional LNG, but alternative fuels such as biogas and synthetic methane may also be used in the future.

A battery pack with a capacity of 13 MWh ensures emission-free operation in port, which is particularly useful in the port of Corsica due to the lack of shore power solutions.

Both newbuilds are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2027 and will then be integrated into La Méridionale’s route network to the island of Corsica under the French flag.

The design published by La Méridionale comes very close to the project abandoned by de SNCM in 2013. At that time, the state ferry company was to order a 180 m long, LNG-powered Ro-Pax with an exterior designed by Stirling Design International from the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire.

13 Strategic changes at Adria Ferries

[17] As reported in the last issue of FährNews Aktuell, the Italian shipping company Adria Ferries has acquired the Ferry CRUISE SMERALDA. The RoPax-Ferry, renamed AF Mia, was transferred to the Croatian Lenac shipyard in order to technically improve the ship and give it the shipping company’s colors.

According to Alberto Rossi, Managing Director of Adria Ferries, the AF MIA is expected to start its service between Ancona and Durres in Albania at the end of November or beginning of December. The AF MIA will replace the ageing AF FRANCESCA, which will then be put up for sale, making it likely that it will be scrapped.

According to Rossi, the third ship in the Adria Ferries fleet, the AF CLAUDIA, is to be chartered out. The AF CLAUDIA was previously in operation on the Ancona-Durres and Bari-Durres routes.

14 Developments at the Attica Group and ANEK Lines

[18] At its meeting on Monday, October 23, 2023, the Board of Directors of Attica Group approved the plan to acquire ANEK Lines. ANEK Lines shareholders will receive shares in Attica Group for their shares, taking into account a certain key. There are no changes for the current Attica shareholders, who held a certain number of shares before the takeover of ANEK Lines.

[19] The Attica Group will hand over the ships BLUE GALAXY and BLUE HORIZON to ANEK Lines. The BLUE GALAXY will be given a new name in December and will operate together with the ELYROS on the Piraeus – Chania route.

[20] The BLUE HORIZON will operate the route from Piraeus to Heraklion under its new name LEFKA ORI. The BLUE HORIZON is currently in Perama for the application of her new livery and renaming. Photos of the all-white LEFKA ORI can already be found on various Greek news portals. The name LEFKA ORI has already been used once for an ANEK Lines ship, namely for the sister ship of the BLUE GALAXY, today’s KYDON.

[21] The Attica Group will also invest EUR 31.3 million in the modernization of ANEK Lines ships. Specifically, EUR 20 million will be made available for the installation of exhaust gas cleaning systems on two ANEK Lines ships, while a further EUR 11.3 million will be spent on modernizing the fleet.

The Attica Group estimates that the company will save EUR 9.5 million by converting the two ships to scrubbers.

The merger of the Attica Group and ANEK Lines will create the second largest ferry company in Europe in terms of passenger capacity. The ANEK Lines brand will continue to exist under the umbrella of the Attica Group.

15 A special announcement

We would like to use the end of this issue to make a very special announcement. With the publication of this video, our own FährShop goes online. Here you can buy merchandise in the FährNews design as well as products with silhouettes of Ferries of well-known shipping companies. However, this always requires the approval of the shipping companies, so at the time of production of this video we cannot yet say for sure when the designs will go online.

To mark the launch of the store, you will receive a 15% discount on all items for the first two weeks. So it pays to be quick.

The store can be found at www.faehrshop.de.

If you have ideas for new designs, would like to see your own designs in our store or simply have suggestions for improvements, please use the comment function here on YouTube or send us an email to info@faehrshop.de.

But that’s it for the November issue of FährNews Aktuell in 2023. 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!

If you haven’t had enough FährNews yet, we can recommend the latest issue of FährNews Aktuell. Among other things, it dealt with the MARCO POLO accident, the end of a recently opened route at Stena Line and an accident on the ECKERÖ. Take a look and see you soon!

Sources

• [1] “VIKING CINDERELLA reflagged under Finnish flag”, Shippax. Accessed November 20, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.shippax.com/en/news/viking-cinderella-reflagged-under-finnish-flag.aspx
• [2] J. Ashmore, “Ropaxs’ Chartered to Irish Ferries to See Epsilon Exit Service While Norbay Debuts on Ireland-France Route”. Accessed November 21, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://afloat.ie/port-news/ferry-news/irish-ferries/item/61183-ropaxs-chartered-to-irish-ferries-to-see-epsilon-depart-service-while-norbay-debuts-on-ireland-france-route
• [3] “Świnoujście Snapshot – Part 3 – Unity Line – niferry.co.uk”. Accessed November 21, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.niferry.co.uk/swinoujscie-snapshot-part-3-unity-line/
• [4] “M/S CARTOUR EPSILON (2011)”. Accessed November 21, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/cartour_epsilon_2011.htm
• [5] R. Jagielski, “New Ferry from Świnoujście to Sweden: Ship to be built in Poland”. Accessed: November 21, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.ostsee-zeitung.de/lokales/vorpommern-greifswald/usedom/neue-ferry-von-swinemuende-nach-schweden-schiff-wird-in-polen-gebaut-YI2O4JMT3JA7JFA5KRB74MOWWE.html
• [6] “The first of three ro-paxes for Polskie Promy launched at the Remontowa Shipyard”, Shippax. Accessed November 21, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.shippax.com/en/news/the-first-of-three-ro-paxes-for-polskie-promy-launched-at-the-remontowa-shipyard.aspx
• [7] Accessed November 21, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://helagotland.se/bli-prenumerant/artikel/jdddw4vj/ga-1m1kr_s_23
• [8] “10.11.2023 – Grøn færgestrøm kan spare en time på 20 minutter”, MOLSLINJEN. Accessed: November 19, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.molslinjen.dk/kontakt/presse/pressemeddelelser/10112023-groen-faergestroem-kan-spare-en-time-paa-20-minutter
• [9] “Laddning av elbil”, ÖRESUNDSLINJEN. Accessed November 19, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.oresundslinjen.se/priser/laddning-av-elbil
• [10] sandra, “End of Sandeford – Strömstad for Fjord Line”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed November 21, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/end-of-sandeford-stromstad-for-fjord-line/
• [11] “STENA FORWARDER commenced Stena Line Irish Sea employment”, Shippax. Accessed November 20, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.shippax.com/en/news/stena-forwarder-commenced-stena-line-irish-sea-employment.aspx
• [12] “P&O Ferries confirms time charter for NORBAY with Irish Ferries”, Shippax. Accessed: November 20, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.shippax.com/en/news/po-ferries-confirms-time-charter-for-norbay-with-irish-ferries.aspx
• [13] J. C. D. Lorenzo, “El veterano “Patria Seaways”, al servicio de FRS en el Estrecho”, Puente de Mando – Juan Carlos Diaz. Accessed November 20, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.puentedemando.com/el-veterano-patria-seaways-al-servicio-de-frs-en-el-estrecho/
• [14] “DFDS Lisco”, Wikipedia. June 14, 2023. Accessed: November 20, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=DFDS_Lisco&oldid=234599302
• [15] sandra, “Owner of La Méridionale orders two high-end Ro-Pax vessels for Corsica”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed: November 19, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/owner-of-la-meridionale-orders-two-high-end-ro-pax-vessels-for-corsica/
• [16] “La Méridionale unveils new upcoming ro-pax pair”, Shippax. Accessed November 19, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.shippax.com/en/news/la-meridionale-unveil-new-upcoming-ro-pax-pair.aspx
• [17] sandra, “Strategic changes within Adria Ferries’ fleet”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed November 19, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/strategic-changes-within-adria-ferries-fleet/
• [18] sandra, “Attica Board approves merger with ANEK”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed November 19, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/attica-board-approves-merger-with-anek/
• [19] “Αλλαγή εποχής για το ‘Blue Horizon’: Το βάφουν στα χρώματα της ΑΝΕΚ και αλλάζεει όνομα”, The TOC. Accessed November 19, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://www.thetoc.gr/koinwnia/article/allagi-epoxis-gia-to-blue-horizon-to-bafoun-sta-xromata-tis-anek-kai-allazei-onoma/
• [20] Θ. Παινεσάκης, “Χανιά | Θυμάστε ποιό ήταν το πρώτο ‘Λευκά Όρη’ της ΑΝΕΚ – Δείτε ποιο πλοίο είναι σήμερα… [ΕΙΚΟΝΕΣ]”, Kriti360.gr. Accessed: November 19, 2023. [Online]. Available at: https://kriti360.gr/chania-thymaste-poio-itan-to-proto-quot-leyka-ori-quot-tis-anek-deite-poio-ploio-einai-simera-eikones/
• [21] sandra, “Attica Group Will Invest EUR 31.3 Million on Anek Lines’ Vessel Upgrades”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed November 19, 2023 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/attica-group-will-invest-eur-313-million-on-anek-lines-vessel-upgrades/

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