FährNews Aktuell – Issue September 2023

Hello and welcome to the September issue of FährNews Aktuell in 2023. This month once again saw many exciting developments in the ferry sector. These include the insolvency of Holland Norway Lines, the discontinuation of a Fjord Line route and a tragic accident in the port of Piraeus.

So stay tuned until the end to make sure you don’t miss anything!

 

https://youtu.be/40rld5eydXU?si=azzSuVqoRLsMy1AT

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

1 VICTORIA I returns to the Tallinn-Helsinki route

[1] Tallink Grupp has announced the return of the popular cruise service on the Tallinn-Helsinki route. From October 12, 2023, the VICTORIA I will return to the popular route between the two Nordic capitals.

[2] In addition to the VICTORIA I, the two shuttleFerries MEGASTAR and MYSTAR also operate. These take two hours to travel between the two ports, while the VICTORIA I takes three and a half hours.

The cruise service therefore consists of a longer stay on board and the option of staying on board overnight. On an overnight trip, the crossing takes a total of thirteen and a half hours.

[1] With the deployment of the VICTORIA I, the company is increasing the number of daily departures between the two capitals back to pre-pandemic levels.

[2] This means that Tallink offers 16 daily departures between Tallinn and Helsinki.

[1] “Passenger numbers on the Tallinn-Helsinki route have been growing steadily, and there is demand from customers for the cruise service to return. I am pleased that we can meet this demand,” says Paavo Nõgene, CEO of Tallink Grupp.

2 FINNSIRIUS put into service

[3] On September 13, 2023, the FINNSIRIUS was christened in Naantali as the first of the two Finnlines Superstar ships. Tiina Ahola, representative of the Ahola Group, acted as godmother.

[4] The Ahola Group is a Finnish transport company that specializes in sustainable transport solutions and the digital development of the transport business, among other things.

[3] The naming ceremony honored the long-standing cooperation and commitment of Finnlines and the Ahola Group, which together maintain a large part of the Finnish trade. Tom Pippingsköld, President and CEO of Finnlines, emphasized at the naming ceremony that Finnlines is one of the most important Finnish companies and thus a trusted pillar in Finnish import and export. With the implementation of the green investment program, the company has taken a big step forward and can now offer more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for freight customers and private travelers, the CEO said. They are proud to be the main transporter of Finland’s imports and exports as well as emergency supplies for many years to come, he concluded. The green investment program represents a 500 million euro investment by Finnlines and includes both RoPax and RoRo vessels. Three new RoRo hybrid vessels were put into service in summer 2022. The FINNSIRIUS is the first of the two Su-perstar RoPax vessels, which, with a cargo capacity of 5,200 lane meters and a passenger capacity of 1,100, are the largest vessels in the Finnlines fleet. The second ship, the FINNCANOPUS, is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2023.

The FINNSIRIUS joins the Finland-Sweden line between Naantali, Långnäs and Kapellskär from Finnlines The maiden voyage departed from Naantali on September 15, 2023. The FINNCANOPUS is expected to join the FINNSIRIUS next year and will then serve the same route. The FINNSWAN, which is currently still in service, will then switch to another Finnlines route.

3 EUROPALINK back under the Swedish flag

Let’s stay with Finnlines for a moment. With the commissioning of the FINNSIRIUS, the EUROPALINK, which previously operated on the Finland-Sweden line, was freed up.

[5] This now switched back to the Travemünde- Malmö connection. On September 18, 2023, the Finnish flag was replaced by the Swedish flag as part of a reflagging ceremony. The EUROPALINK is now part of the Swedish merchant fleet again. This is particularly relevant in the event of a crisis in order to guarantee Sweden’s security of supply.

Finnlines wants to use the EUROPALINK to increase capacity between Germany and Sweden and at the same time increase passenger comfort, says Antonio Raimo, Line Manager of Finnlines.
For the EUROPALINK, 100 new jobs will have to be filled locally under the Swedish flag, as Thomas Doepel, CEO of Finnlines Ship Management AB, explains.

The EUROPALINK was built in 2007 at the Italian shipyard Fincantieri and has so far served various ports in Sweden, Germany, Finland, Poland, Italy and Greece. However, the EUROPALINK has a very special relationship with Malmö, as the Malmö-Travemünde route was the ship’s first deployment from 2007 to 2009. The EUROPALINK then returned to the route between 2018 and 2021. Finnlines currently also operates the FINNTRADER, FINNPARTNER and FINNFELLOW in addition to the EUROPALINK on the Malmö-Travemünde route.

[6] The CRUISE SMERALDA, which operated the Travemünde- Malmö route over the summer, is now back in the Mediterranean.

Nothing is officially known about the whereabouts of Ferry, but a sale of Ferry is suspected.

It is also not known when Finnlines will open its new route between Świnoujście in Poland and Malmö; rumors suggest October of this year. We will of course keep you up to date with any new developments! If you don’t want to miss any of this, subscribe to this channel and activate the bell so you’ll be informed as soon as there’s anything new.

4 Financial support for Gotland Ferries

[7] In order to counteract the high freight and ticket prices for ferry traffic to and from Gotland, the Swedish government is planning to provide SEK 33 million in financial support for GotlandFerries. The prevailing economic and geopolitical situation, combined with increased inflation, has contributed to a further increase in freight and ticket prices for ferry traffic to and from Gotland.

The high prices have had a negative impact on the economic situation of Gotland’s residents. The proposed support offers better conditions for limiting or avoiding further price increases for ferry passengers, according to the Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, Andreas Carlson.

The government’s proposal for financial support of SEK 33 million for 2023 for GotlandFerries must now be approved in accordance with EU state aid rules.

The Swedish government intends to submit this proposal to the Swedish parliament as part of the amending budget for 2023 due in the fall.

5 Early end to the season for FRS Baltic

[8] The SKÅNE JET of the shipping company FRS Baltic ended its season prematurely on 17.09.2023. The fast ferry was originally scheduled to continue operating on the route between Sassnitz and Trelleborg until the end of October.

FRS Baltic has now announced that an essential spare part for the SKÅNE JET’s engines will unfortunately not arrive in time before the originally planned end of the season due to delays in the international supply chains. Without the spare part, FRS Baltic will not be able to keep its service promise to enable the crossing between Germany and Sweden in 2.5 hours and fears delays and unplanned cancellations, especially in bad weather, as the company will no longer have full power in one of the four propulsion engines.

It was therefore with a heavy heart, but with a view to the quality of the offer and the associated customer satisfaction, that the decision was made to end the 2023 season early.

Customers who have booked departures in September or October will be informed separately and notified of their compensation options.

The new timetable for 2024 will be published at the beginning of October and the booking portal for 2024 will go live shortly afterwards.

6 New Scandlines Ferry before launch

[9] The zero-emission Scandlines newbuild with the working title “PR 24” will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2023. The ship will then moor at the fitting-out quay, where the final work on the newbuild will be completed.

Meanwhile, the conversion of the ports of Puttgarden and Rødby continues to progress. A new, stronger ramp to the upper deck in ferry bed 3 in Rødby is currently being installed for the new construction. This will enable trucks to access the upper deck of the new freight ferry in future.

The PR24 will be equipped with the world’s largest battery system of 10 MWh. When the Ferry goes into service on the Fehmarnbelt in the course of next year, the newbuild can be charged within 17 minutes in the port of Rødby. In order to reduce the charging time to 12 minutes and enable a crossing time of 45 minutes, a 30 kV / 15 MW cable route with a medium-voltage switchgear and charging station is now also being installed in the port of Puttgarden. This will go into operation from 2025.

If you want to see the construction work on the Danish side for yourself or if you simply fancy visiting Denmark again, then book your Scandlines ticket via ferry-guide.com. Compared to booking at the counter in the port, you save 5% and can use any departure on your chosen departure day.

7 ForSea becomes Øresundslinjen

The ferry connection between Helsingør in Denmark and Helsingborg in Sweden gets a new name.

We reported on the takeover of ForSea by MOLSLINJEN back in November last year. Take another look at the video, the link can be found in the video description or in the info box at the top right.

[10] ForSea has officially been part of the Danish shipping company MOLSLINJEN since the beginning of 2023. Now follows the already expected renaming of ForSea to Øresundslinjen.

[11] The first ship in the fleet to be given a new look at the shipyard in Landskrona, Sweden, is the battery-powered TYCHO BRAHE. In addition to the new logo and the new hull paint, the ship will also have a new restaurant. The store, café and bar will also be renovated during the planned stay at the shipyard before the Ferry returns to the liner service on October 4.

[12] On board the Ferry, the shipping company is expanding the self-service concept for all those who need a break on the route between Denmark and Sweden. Travelers and commuters will also benefit from the expansion of digital services.

Kristian Durhuus, CEO of MOLSLINJEN, explains the renaming as follows:

“ForSea was a strong brand with a focus on sustainability, and it was tempting to keep it, but after some consideration we believe it should be integrated into Molslinjen’s route structure and ForSea becomes Øresundslinjen.”

Furthermore, the new name should reflect the strong connection to the region, Durhuus continued. The connection is considered a floating bridge and is an important part of the infrastructure in the Øresund region.

However, it will be some time before all the adjustments have been completed.

In addition to the 20-minute crossing of the Øresund, Molslinjen also operates the routes Alslinjen, Bornholmslinjen, Fanølinjen, Langelandslinjen and Samsølinjen.

8 Fjord Line ceases operations on Sandefjord-Strömstad

[13] The Norwegian shipping company Fjord Line announced this week that it is discontinuing its ferry service between Strömstad in Sweden and Sandefjord in Norway. Fjord Line writes in a press release that the closure of the line is a strategic decision, as the company wants to focus on traffic between Norway and Denmark instead.

[14] The news came as a surprise to the approximately 220 employees, who will now have to look for new jobs, and Bjørn Ole Gleditsch, the mayor of the municipality of Sandefjord, was also surprised because the conditions for continuing to operate the line until 2030 had only recently been created.

[13] Fjord Line has been sailing between Strömstad and Sandefjord with the Ferry OSLOFJORD since 2014, with the last crossing scheduled for October 29 of this year. According to the company, the OSLOFJORD, which was built in 1993, is to be sold. The route between Strömstad and Sandefjord is also served by Color Line with the Ferry COLOR HYBRID. The COLOR VIKING was sold in November last year, meaning that the route is now only served by one ship.

9 Smyril Line expands fleet

[15] Smyril Line has purchased the ro-ro ship SEAGARD from the Finnish company Bore Ltd. The ship will be handed over to Smyril Line at the beginning of January 2024 and renamed GLYVURSNES. The new RoRoFerry will replace the MISTRAL chartered by Godby Shipping, which previously operated for Smyril Line and is a sister ship to the SEAGARD.

[16] Built in 1999 at the Sietas shipyard in Hamburg, the SEAGARD is 153.45 meters long, 20.6 meters wide and has a RoRo capacity of 1609 lane meters. It can also transport up to 303 20-foot containers on the weather deck.

[15] With the takeover of SEAGARD, Smyril Line will have a total of six ships in operation, all of which are owned by the shipping company.

10 Holland Norway Lines files for insolvency

[17] Holland Norway Lines applied to the court for a moratorium on August 30, 2023. On September 4, 2023, the court in Groningen declared Holland Norway Lines insolvent. The reason for this is that no potential candidate for the takeover could be found.

Hans Silvius, who has been appointed insolvency administrator, is now responsible for managing the assets and settling the financial obligations of Holland Norway Lines.

Holland Norway Lines deeply regrets the bankruptcy and would like to thank all those involved for their support and understanding during this difficult time.

Holland Norway Lines’ business operations were under great financial pressure following the problems in the port of Eemshaven at the beginning of the year.

As we reported in the March issue of FährNews Aktuell, Holland Norway Lines initially moved to Cuxhaven in response to the berthing problems in Eemshaven and from June 1 to Emden. In the last issue of FährNews Aktuell, we reported on the decision that Holland Norway Lines would remain in Emden until the end of 2024. But that has now come to nothing.

[18] The charter contract for the ROMANTIKA was already terminated by Tallink on September 1, 2023, so the ROMANTIKA will return to Tallink.

11 P&O Ferries discontinues Liverpool-Dublin route

[19] As P&O Ferries’ traditional berth in Liverpool will no longer be available to the company from the beginning of 2024, the Liverpool-Dublin route will be discontinued at the end of this year. P&O Ferries has been looking for solutions to find a new berth. However, no suitable alternative has been offered or found that would make it possible to maintain the current service in 2024, P&O Ferries said in a press release.

[20] After P&O Ferries caused a stir last year with the dismissal of 800 employees and faced serious accusations, P&O Ferries has now received renewed criticism from the British trade union “National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RTM)”, whose General Secretary Mick Lynch is demanding, among other things, the withdrawal of P&O Ferries’ operating license for British waters.

[19] The Ferries NORBAY and NORBANK, which currently operate on the Liverpool-Dublin route with 24 departures per week, will be transferred to other routes in the P&O Ferries network in the coming months.

12 FRS Iberia sold to DFDS

[21] The Flensburg-based ferry operator FRS has concluded an agreement with the Danish company DFDS to take over its subsidiary FRS Iberia. The subsidiary, which was founded in 2000 and is based in Tarifa, operates three short routes in the Strait of Gibraltar. It connects Algeciras in Spain with Tangier Med in Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in North Africa, as well as the port of Tarifa in southern Spain with Tangier Ville in Morocco.

In addition to five high-speed catamarans, two classic car ferries and a RoRoFerry for the pure transportation of freight are also used on FRS Iberia’s routes.

Despite strong competition, FRS Iberia’s business has developed extremely successfully over the last twenty years.

[22] In 2023, a total of 2.3 million loading meters of freight, 1.9 million passengers and 370,000 cars are to be transported.

[21] This makes the company one of the market leaders in ferry traffic between Spain and Morocco and the strongest pillar of FRS.

To enable further growth, FRS decided this spring to look for a partner who could manage and develop the company. Such a partner has now been found in DFDS. In the course of the cooperation talks, it became clear that the sale of FRS Iberia to DFDS was the more logical step for both parties.

[22] “This is a great opportunity to expand DFDS’ business model. We will use our skills and experience, not least from short sea shipping in the English Channel, to further develop the ferry infrastructure in the Strait of Gibraltar while supporting regional tourism and trade,” says Mathieu Girardin, Head of Ferry Division and Vice President of DFDS.

With the acquisition of FRS Iberia, DFDS is expanding its route network in the Mediterranean region, which today connects Europe with Turkey and Tunisia. In the future, organic market growth in the region is expected to exceed growth in Northern Europe.

[21] DFDS will take over all 750 employees of FRS Iberia, [22] including the current management around Ronny Moriana Glindemann and Tim Gädecken.

[21] The Spanish and Moroccan competition authorities have yet to approve the sale of the company.

13 Death blow in Piraeus

[23] On the night of September 5, a passenger died unexpectedly in the port basin of Piraeus. A 36-year-old man tried to get onto the ramp of the Blue Star Ferries Ferry BLUE HORIZON departing for Heraklion at the last second. He was in possession of a valid ticket, but was delayed. As the Ferry had already cast off, two crew members tried to push him off the ramp and back onto the quay. In the scuffle, the man fell into the gap that had already formed between the ramp and the quay and drowned in the powerful whirlpools of the ship’s engine. Despite the incident, the captain of the Ferry cast off and was only forced to turn back to port by the harbor police. As a result, 4 crew members including the captain were arrested by the Greek coast guard. Two crew members have since been released. However, the captain and the seaman who pushed the passenger into the water are now facing charges including involuntary manslaughter and failure to render assistance.

[24] In response to this event, the CEO of Attica Group, Spyridon Paschalis, resigned two days later, whereupon the former CFO Panagiotis Dikaios was appointed CEO on an interim basis.

[23] A few days later, the Greek shipping minister, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, also resigned. The BLUE HORZION was then withdrawn from the Piraeus – Heraklion route and replaced by the ELYROS of ANEK Lines due to serious protests on the island of Crete and because the island’s inhabitants called it a “ship of shame” [25]. In addition, on September 12, the KRITI II of ANEK Lines was replaced by the ARIADNE, a Hellenic Seaways ship, on the Piraeus-Heraklion route.

The ARIADNE had previously been operating on the Ancona – Igoumenitsa – Patras route since July 25 and was also deployed once a week on the Venice – Igoumenitsa – Patras route.

The ARIADNE was built in Japan in 1996 and offers space for 2,045 passengers and 640 vehicles on 2,050 loading meters. It has a maximum speed of 21 knots.

14 World’s largest battery-electric Ferry under construction

[26] The Australian shipbuilding company Incat Tasmania is currently building the world’s largest battery-electric lightweight ship to date. The newbuild is to be delivered to the Uruguayan shipping company Buquebus.

The ship, the largest battery-electric ro-paxFerry in the world, will be 100% battery-powered. At over 40 MWh, the battery capacity of the energy storage system is four times greater than any other battery system built and installed for maritime transport worldwide to date.

The batteries drive a series of electric motors, which in turn drive the water jet nozzles.

The electrical system is integrated by Wärtsilä and the energy storage system is provided by Corvus Energy.

The catamaran, previously known as Incat 096, will offer space for 2,100 passengers and crew members and 225 cars and will have, among other things, a duty-free store with an area of more than 2,000 square meters.

One little thing at the end: We have hidden a small mistake in this episode. If you find it, you’re a real ferry expert. So feel free to write us a comment with your guess, maybe you’ll actually find more unintentional mistakes.

We are also very pleased to have additional support with our research as of this month. Christian, another ferry enthusiast, is now helping us with the creation of our scripts. Thank you very much!

But that’s it for the September 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 a fire on the HUCKLEBERRY-FINN and the rescue of ANEK Lines. Have fun and see you soon!

15 Sources

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