FährNews Aktuell – July/August 2023 issue

Hello and welcome to the special edition of FährNews Aktuell for the months of July and August in 2023. This month has once again seen many exciting developments in the ferry sector. Today’s topics include the takeover of FINNSIRIUS and the rescue of ANEK Lines. We also have a big surprise in store for you.

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

https://youtu.be/fxcjLHXs3LY

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And here is the entire July/August issue of FährNews Aktuell for you to read again:

1 FINNSIRIUS acquired

[1] On July 18, 2023, Finnlines took delivery of the FINNSIRIUS, the first of two new combined cargo and passenger ships. The ship will be deployed on the Finland-Sweden Naantali-Långnäs-Kapellskär line by Finnlines. The service is scheduled to start in September 2023. The second ship, FINNCANOPUS, is expected to be delivered at the end of 2023 and will serve the same route as its sister. The two ships will be the largest RoPax vessels in the Finnlines fleet. Cargo capacity will increase by almost 24 percent to 5,200 lane meters, while passenger capacity will double from the current 554 to 1,100.

“These hybrid ro-pax ships are not only the largest ships in the company’s fleet to date, but they also transport cargo in a more sustainable way. For example, the ships have been equipped with huge high-performance batteries and a shore-side power supply to ensure zero emissions during port operations. In addition, auto-mooring makes port operations more efficient,” says Tom Pippingsköld, President and CEO of Finnlines.

Auto-mooring is a system that makes it possible to moor and cast off a ship without traditional lines, thus saving time and dangerous work.

[2] In future, Finnlines is planning to launch a ferry route between Poland and Sweden, more precisely between Świnoujście and Malmö. When the FINNSIRIUS enters service, the EUROPALINK will return to the Travemünde- Malmö route, meaning that one of the ships currently operating there, the FINNFELLOW, FINNPARTNER or FINNTRADER, will switch to the new route. When the FINNCANOPUS enters service at the end of the year, the FINNSWAN will also switch to the Travemünde- Malmö route, so that a second ship can then be deployed on the new route between Poland and Sweden.

2 Bridgemans Services Group acquires ISABELLE

[3] In April 2023, Tallink Grupp signed a contract with the Canadian company Bridgemans Floatel LP/Bridgemans Services Group LP for a multi-year charter agreement for the ship ISABELLE with an option to purchase. In future, the ISABELLE will serve as a living and working home for large workforces.

Bridgemans is now embarking on a comprehensive retrofit of the environmental systems and refurbishment of the living, dining, recreation and meeting areas of the ISABELLE.

When the refit in Estonia is completed at the end of 2023, the Ferry will offer 650 newly renovated single cabins with private bathrooms, a high-quality dining room, lounges, meeting rooms, fast Wi-Fi, offices, a first aid clinic, a modern fitness center, a billiards and games room and special accommodation for crew members.

3 New EU grants for Trelleborg

[4] The expansion project for the port of Trelleborg in southern Sweden is continuing. Funding has now been approved for the “Rail-IT-MoS” project from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility, or CEF for short. Together with its partner port Rostock, the port of Trelleborg will receive a total grant of around SEK 141 million. This corresponds to 12 million euros. The share for the Port of Trelleborg amounts to approx. SEK 94 million or EUR 8 million.

The Port of Trelleborg is acting as coordinator of the project due to its experience with this type of EU project.

For the port of Rostock, funds were approved for the modernization and reconstruction of the existing railroad infrastructure. The port of Trelleborg will receive funding for the completion of the eastern part of the port, including asphalting, filling, paving, canalization, installation of electricity, IT and telecommunications systems and lighting masts.

The EU project “Rail-IT-MoS” will be the fifth ongoing EU project in the port of Trelleborg.

[5] Trelleborg serves as a starting point for various ferry routes to the continent and is an important part of the European transportation network.

[6] In 2022, a total of 13.2 million metric tons of cargo were moved, making the port the second most popular cargo port in Sweden.

4 Fire on HUCKLEBERRY-FINN

[7] A fire broke out in the engine room of the TT-Line Ferry HUCKLEBERRY-FINN at 4:30 a.m. on August 16, 2023. The crew was able to extinguish the fire using the ship’s own firefighting equipment; no one was injured. At the time the fire broke out, the Ferry was approximately 19 nm or 35 km away from Travemünde and was on its way to Trelleborg in southern Sweden. There were 131 passengers on board. The HUCKLEBERRY-FINN was escorted back to Travemünde for safety by two rescue cruisers and the frigate RHEINLAND-PFALZ.

5 SpaceX Internet for Ferries in Denmark

[8] The Danish shipping company Molslinjen’s Ferries are to receive internet via the SpaceX Starlink project. An experiment on board the fast ferry EXPRESS 3 in the Kattegat has proven that the internet connection on board the Ferry can be significantly improved using Starlink.

“It has always been a difficult undertaking to transmit land-based internet over the curvature of the earth and across the water on a fast ferry moving at 70 km/h. But we used Starlink Maritime on the EXPRESS 3 in a test that went very well,” explains Molslinjen’s Commercial Director Jesper Skovgaard.

Due to the successful test, all Ferries on the Bornholm line will be equipped with Starlink during the summer vacations. Starlink is a company owned by US businessman Elon Musk and is part of SpaceX. With Starlink, internet can be received via thousands of communication satellites from space.

In the near future, the fast ferries in the Kattegat will also receive internet from Starlink. The other routes belonging to Molslinjen, which are operated by Alslinjen, Samsølinjen and Langelandslinjen, as well as the ferries on the Öresund between Helsingør in Denmark and Helsingborg in Sweden, do not face the same challenges, as they are much shorter and the ships sail closer to land. Therefore, these connections will not be equipped with Starlink access.

6 Kronprins Frederik as a booster on Rostock-Gedser

[9] Scandlines recorded particularly high passenger numbers to and from Scandinavia in July. On the Rostock-Gedser route alone, the number of passengers and cars increased by 13.1% and 11.4% respectively in the first half of the year compared to 2022.

The shipping company Scandlines therefore adjusted its ferry services this summer: During this year’s peak season, the cargo ferry KRONPRINS FREDERIK additionally operated between Rostock and Gedser in Denmark every Saturday on four weekends in July and on the first weekend in August to relieve the hybrid ferries BERLIN and COPENHAGEN on this route.
Monday to Friday, the cargo ferry continues to serve the route between Puttgarden on Fehmarn and Rødby on Lolland.

7 1000 subscribers competition

We would like to say thank you: Thank you for over 1000 ferry enthusiasts who have already subscribed to us on YouTube. To say more than just nice words to you, we have come up with something very special for you: In cooperation with Scandlines, we are offering you the chance to win a free trip on board one of the Ferries ferries from Scandlines. With your own car up to 6 meters long and up to 9 people, you can enjoy a free crossing between Rostock and Gedser or between Puttgarden and Rødby. The ticket is valid as a one-way standard ticket and can be redeemed until 30.12.2023.
We are also giving away ten goodie bags from Scandlines with lots of smaller and larger amenities that can be a real help in everyday life, we speak from experience.

What do you have to do to be one of the lucky winners? Go to our Instagram channel @faehrnews, subscribe to it and like the competition post. Then write a comment under the Instagram post and mention two friends with whom you would like to take the ferry crossing. You’re already in the prize pot. The competition ends on 01.09.2023 at 19:00. We will notify the winners by DM.

You can find all the information and the terms and conditions of the competition as a link in the video description. We wish you good luck and thank you again for over 1000 subscribers!

If you can’t wait to finally travel to Ferry again, we have a very special offer for you from Scandlines: with the newly introduced low-price ticket, you can use the Puttgarden-Rødby connection for €40 and the Rostock-Gedser connection for €53 until September 3. These are mainly departures at off-peak times, the tickets are departure-bound and cannot be used flexibly. If this offer is of interest to you or you are planning a crossing with Scandlines or another ferry company regardless of the low-price ticket, then please use the booking options here at ferry-guide.com.

8 Holland Norway Lines from Emden until the end of 2024

[10] On 03.08.2023 it was announced that Holland Norway Lines will offer its route to Kristiansand in southern Norway from Emden until the end of 2024.

The ferry company originally operated from Eemshaven in the Netherlands, but due to berthing difficulties, the shipping company initially moved to Cuxhaven and from the beginning of June to Emden. You can find out more about the background in the March issue of FährNews Aktuell. You can find the link in the video in the info box at the top right or in the video description.

9 STENA NORDICA between Rosslare and Fishguard

[11] The STENA EUROPE from Stena Line has ended its service on the Fishguard – Rosslare route after more than 21 years. She will be replaced by the refurbished STENA NORDICA. Since entering service on the Rosslare – Fishguard route, the STENA EUROPE has completed 27,456 voyages, covering over 200,000 nautical miles. It has carried almost 730,000 trucks, 1.9 million cars and nearly seven million people.

The refurbished STENA NORDICA has been equipped with a range of new and improved passenger facilities to offer customers an even better experience. These include comfortable and stylish lounge areas, a newly designed Stena Plus Lounge, a Hygge Recline Lounge, two movie lounges, a Social Café & Bar and a lounge for truck drivers. The ship has a capacity for 650 passengers and is equipped with 58 cabins. During the crossing, which takes around three hours and thirty minutes, passengers can also shop in the duty-free area. According to Stena Line, the STENA EUROPE will be chartered out to the Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco after a dry dock stay in Falmouth. Stena already has a ship in this region, the STENA VINGA.

We already reported on this in the last issue of FährNews Aktuell. You can find out who the STENA VINGA is sailing for by clicking on the info box at the top right of the video or via the link in the video description.

10 FRS acquires HSC ARTEMIS

[12] The German shipping company Förde Reederei Seetouristik, or FRS for short, has acquired the 96-metre-long HSC ARTEMIS. Following an extensive overhaul in Valletta, Malta, FRS put the ship into service for its subsidiary FRS Iberia between Spain and Morocco via the Strait of Gibraltar in July. The ship, which was renamed PONIENTE JET for FRS, can carry 640 passengers, 180 cars and 18 trucks.

[13] It currently operates on the route between Algeciras in southern Spain and the city of Ceuta, which also belongs to Spain but is located in North Africa.

[14] “We are very pleased with this acquisition. The addition of the HSC “Poniente Jet” to our fleet will provide our guests with a fast and comfortable crossing and maintain the high standard of service that FRS is known for,” said Ronny Moriana, Managing Director of FRS Iberia.

[12] Built in 1999, the fast ferry previously operated for the Maltese shipping company Ponte Ferries between Valletta and Augusta on the Italian island of Sicily. However, this service was discontinued in September 2022.

[15] The high-speed catamaran can reach a top speed of up to 38 knots.

11 Corsica Linea relies on sustainable biofuel

[16] Part of Corsica Linea’s fleet will be powered by certified sustainable biofuel from the 2023 summer season. The fuel consists of a mixture of recycled cooking oils and enables an 85% reduction in pollutant emissions compared to its fossil counterpart. The biofuel, 30% of which is blended with marine diesel, has been used to fuel four ships in the Corsica Linea fleet at the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille since July.

The first bunkering took place on July 18, 2023 on board the Ferry MEDITERRANEE. The ships on Corsica Linea’s North African routes will now be refueled with the biofuel until the end of the summer season in September.

12 ECO CATANIA and ECO MALTA on the Venice – Bari – Patras route

[17] With the ECO CATANIA and the ECO MALTA, Grimaldi is deploying ships of the new GG5G class on the route between Venice, Bari and Patras for the first time. The Neapolitan shipping group wants to improve intermodality between the two Adriatic coasts in cooperation with the Italian port authorities of the northern and southern Adriatic and the Greek port of Patras. The two GG5G class ships will replace the “Eurocargo” class ships operating on the route.

The ECO CATANIA and ECO MALTA can carry around 7,800 linear meters of freight, which corresponds to around 500 trailers and 180 cars – twice as much as their predecessors.

However, Grimaldi claims that this increased capacity does not increase fuel consumption, as numerous highly innovative technological solutions have been implemented to optimize the vessels’ operational and environmental performance. At the same speed, the ECO CATANIA and ECO MALTA consume the same amount of fuel as the previous generation of RoRo vessels. This means that they can effectively halve CO2 emissions per transported unit, according to the company.

During their time in port, the ECO CATANIA and ECO MALTA use energy stored in mega lithium batteries. The batteries are recharged during Ferries with the help of wave generators and solar panels installed on board. This reduces emissions to zero while in port.

13 Seajets buys two more high-speed ferries

[18] The first new addition to the Seajets fleet is the HSC SANTA IRINI of Panellenic Lines, which was purchased by Acciona in April 2022 and chartered to Cretan Transportation Services (CTRS) for daily trips on the Heraklion – Santorini route. The unexpected news came on June 13, 2023, and it seems that the newly established ferry company Cretan Transportation Service could not withstand the fierce competition in the area in question and ceased operations.

[19] The second vessel purchased is the INCAT 045. The high-speed catamaran, built in 1997, was sold by Condor Ferries to Trasmapi only two years ago, but the Ferry was never put into service.

[18] Seajets is thus developing more and more into a “giant” in the high-speed ferry sector. Seajets is now one of the largest ferry operators in Greece and covers more than 250 port connections from Piraeus, Rafina and Crete to the Cyclades. With the HSC SANTA IRINI and the INCAT 045, the Seajets fleet increases to 17 high-speed vessels. Seajets also operates four conventional Ferries on Greece’s domestic routes.

What do you think: Where will Seajets’ journey lead? Will there be an end to the massive buying up of ferries at some point? Let us know your opinion in the comments!

14 HSC SUPERRUNNER JET 2 put into service

And another piece of news about Seajets:

[20] On July 13, 2023, Seajets’ latest acquisition, the HSC SUPERRUNNER JET 2, made its debut on the Piraeus – Paros – Naxos route. The ship was acquired from Destination Gotland in February and refurbished at the Koros shipyard in Salamis before entering service. It offers space for 700 passengers and 140 cars.

15 ANEMOS put into service

[21] The new ANEMOS from Aegean Sea Lines officially entered service on August 5, 2023.

[22] However, its actual launch was already planned for July 21, but due to problems the planned commissioning was delayed.
During this time, the ANEMOS was replaced by the ANEK Lines Ferry PREVELIS on the Piraeus-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos and Piraeus-Sifnos-Ios-Santorini routes.

16 Attica Group may take over ANEK Lines

[23] On August 3, 2023, the Attica Group announced that the plenary meeting of the Competition Commission had unanimously approved the inclusion of ANEK Lines by the Attica Group.

[24] Seajets had also surprisingly submitted a purchase offer for ANEK Lines in July, which was improved several times after being rejected by the creditors, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

[25] The ANEK brand will be added to the portfolio of the Attica Group, which already includes Blue Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways, Superfast Ferries and Africa Morocco Link.

As reported by kathimerini.gr, Attica Group already has clear plans on how to proceed after the merger is completed. The Attica Group will strengthen the ANEK brand by repainting two ships from its own fleet in the ANEK corporate design. Attica wants to achieve the greatest possible synergies from the merger. Therefore, the shipping group will operate its routes from Crete exclusively with a fleet that carries the colors of ANEK.

At the same time, the Attica Group’s investment plans include a program to modernize and upgrade the ANEK fleet to meet the new strict regulations on carbon dioxide emissions. Currently, not a single ship in the ANEK fleet is equipped with a scrubber filter system.

According to the same report, there is relief among ANEK passengers and suppliers in Chania and Crete in general after the Competition Commission approved the rescue of the ferry company through the takeover by Attica.

The same applies to most of ANEK’s 600 employees and seafarers, as well as the freight forwarders who use the ships to transport their goods. It should be noted that ANEK works with more than 1,300 agencies in 18 countries and transported a total of 809,000 passengers, 186,000 cars and 115,000 trucks in 2022.

The fact that ANEK is to take over all connections to Crete in the future and that two more ANEK-painted ships will be added to the eight ANEK-owned or chartered ships is evidence of the intention not only to keep the historic Cretan shipping industry alive, but also to further strengthen it.

According to media reports, the Annual General Meeting of ANEK Lines will take place on September 7, so that the takeover of ANEK Lines by the Attica Group is expected to be completed in November.

That’s it for the special edition of FährNews Aktuell. Did you like the special edition? Then please leave us a Like. If you have any 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 commissioning of the P&O PIONEER and the takeover of La Méridionale by CMA CGM. Enjoy and see you soon!

17 Sources

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