FährNews Aktuell – July & August 2024 issue

VARSOVIA delivered, GNV enlarges newbuildings, and much more. | FährNews Current

Hello and welcome to the combined July and August 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:

• VARSOVIA delivered – start of service for new construction between Poland and Sweden
• Increasing the capacity of newbuilds – Why Grandi Navi Veloci wants to build larger ships
• And: New connection at Adria Ferries – where it will go in the future

The top topics of the combined July and August issue of FährNews Aktuell were presented by Ferry-guide.com, the easy online booking platform for your ferry crossing. But here we go with this issue of FährNews Aktuell.

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

1 MAX MOLS sold

[1] Back in May, the Danish company Molslinjen announced that its catamaran fast ferry HSC MAX MOLS had been sold to a Mediterranean ferry company. The date of the handover has now also been published. The ship is expected to be delivered to a Greek ferry company at the end of 2024. However, there is no confirmed information on this yet. During its time in service, the ship was primarily used on the Aarhus-Odden route between the Danish mainland and the Danish island of Sjælland, and on the Rønne-Ystad route between the Danish island of Bornholm and Sweden.

[2] The Max Mols is 91.3 meters long and 26 meters wide, has a top speed of 44 knots and can carry 900 passengers and 200 cars. The MAX MOLS was delivered by InCat Australia to the Danish company Cat-Link A/S in 1998, at that time under the name HSC CAT-LINK IV, and has been in service in the Baltic Sea ever since, with the exception of a few charter operations in Newfoundland and the English Channel.

As I said, there is currently no information about the future operator in the Mediterranean region, but we will of course keep you up to date on this!

2 VARSOVIA delivered

[3] The new Baltic ferry VARSOVIA was delivered to Polferries by the Italian Cantieri Navale di Visentini, the well-known Visentini shipyard, and has been serving the Świnoujście-Ystad route between Poland and southern Sweden since July 27, 2024.

[4] The newbuild is the largest and longest ship in the Polferries fleet and is the Polish shipping company’s first newbuild in more than 20 years. The ship offers 230 cabins, a catering area with bar and restaurant, a store, as well as an entertainment area and 107 so-called airseats, i.e. seats similar to those in airplanes. Overall, the VARSOVIA is 216.2 meters long, 28.2 meters wide and offers space for 976 passengers. Its vehicle decks comprise 2875 loading meters.

If you would like to use the route between Świnoujście and Ystad or in the opposite direction, then book your ticket for Ferry with our partner ferry-guide.com. Here you can also see all the alternative crossing options directly when you make your booking if, for example, a departure does not fit into your schedule. You will also receive a price overview of the individual shipping companies during the booking process. At ferry-guide.com you can easily 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 this video in the endcard.

[3] Two Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines power the VARSOVIA to a speed of 22 knots with an output of 23,160 kW.

[5] The Ferry belongs to the latest variant of the well-known Visentini class and is structurally very similar to the A GALEOTTA delivered to Corsica Linea in 2022, but exceeds it by 10 meters in length.

3 DFDS and P&O Ferries terminate space charter contract

[6] DFDS is withdrawing from the space charter agreement with P&O Ferries for the connection between Dover in England and Calais in France. This is due to a separate agreement between P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries, the third ferry operator on the Dover-Calais route, which also includes a space charter agreement. As a result, the conditions for DFDS have now changed in such a way that DFDS operates more effectively commercially outside the contract mentioned above. DFDS states that future collaborations to increase the effectiveness of Ferries are welcome, but that it is currently better for customers and the market to maintain the shipping company’s Channel service, which consists of two routes, the second route connecting Dover with Dunkerque, outside of the aforementioned charter agreement.

With a space charter agreement, passengers, vehicles or cargo can choose the next Ferry of one of the two shipping companies on arrival at the port, depending on the agreement made, regardless of which shipping company they have booked their ticket with.

[7] A space charter contract therefore involves chartering, i.e. renting, a certain area on board a ship, such as parts of a cargo deck or a certain proportion of the cargo or passenger capacity. In this way, it is possible to use another shipping company’s ships for your own transportation needs without having to charter an entire ship.

4 First NewMax ship placed on Kiel

[8] Stena Line has reached an important milestone in its fleet investment program with the keel laying of the first NewMax ship. At the same time, the name of Ferry was announced. The newbuilding will be named STENA FUTURA.

On Friday, June 28, 2024, the keel laying ceremony for the first of the two new NewMax hybrid ships took place at the China Merchants Jinling shipyard in Weihai, China. The STENA FUTURA is one of two NewMax hybrid ships that are set to play a key role in Stena Line ‘s move towards the use of sustainable fuel, as both can run on methanol.

The two newbuilds will significantly increase capacity on the route in the Irish Sea between Belfast in Northern Ireland and Heysham in England. In addition to operating on methanol, the ship is already being prepared for the later use of a battery drive and shore power supply.

The keel laying of the second of the two NewMax ships is planned for this fall; the name of this ship is not yet known. The NewMax hybrid ships are scheduled to enter service in the Irish Sea as early as 2025.

5 MARGARITA SALAS handed over to Baleària

[9] The new fast ferry for Baleària, the MARGARITA SALAS, was delivered to the Spanish shipping company by the Armon shipyard in Gijon. It is the second fast ferry in the Baleària fleet to be powered by dual-fuel gas engines and is almost identical in design to the ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, which was delivered in 2021. However, its performance has been increased by 10% thanks to the use of four 9600 kW engines, and a second passenger deck has also been added.

[10] The MARGARITA SALAS thus enables a 3.5-hour crossing between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands.

[9] The technical equipment is similar to its predecessor. It has two controllable pitch propellers to ensure good manoeuvrability in port and a stabilization system that reduces fluctuations during the voyage for the benefit of passenger comfort. Vibrations and noise are reduced thanks to new developments on board, reducing the impact on the environment.

The MARGARITA SALAS can draw shore power in port to save fuel and reduce CO₂ emissions. Thanks to her two LNG tanks, the MARGARITA SALAS can travel 460 miles or approx. 740 km using only gas as fuel and a total of 1000 miles or approx. 1,609 km. Compared to its predecessor, the MARGARITA SALAS has an additional second passenger deck with a lounge, which has also allowed the sun deck to be enlarged. Better seats were used in the VIP lounge.

[10] The 126 million euro ship was financed by the EU Next Generation Fund.

6 Baleària opens additional connection to Algeria

Let’s stay with Baleària for a moment.

[11] Baleària is opening a new weekly connection between Alicante in Spain and Oran in Algeria, adding to the three current departures between Valencia and Mostaganem. This means that Baleària will be offering four weekly departures between Spain and Algeria over the summer. The connection from Alicante to the city of Oran started on August 3, 2024.

Baleària has been connecting Spain with Algeria since 2016 and offers around 6,000 seats per week for ferry passengers, who are accommodated either in armchairs or in a cabin.

[12] According to Marinetraffic, the KERRY is the RoPax Ferry deployed to serve this new connection. [13] It has a restaurant, a store and a children’s play area. The KERRY offers space for 992 passengers [14] and 2,040 m of space for cargo. She was built in 2001 for Caronte & Tourist and reaches a maximum speed of 24 knots with her 186.5 m.

7 Moby returns ALF POLLAK and MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO

As we reported in the May issue of FährNews Aktuell, Moby and Siem, the owner of the ALF POLLAK and the MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO, had a legal dispute over the continued use of both RoRoFerries.

[15] Now both ships, the ALF POLLAK and the MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO, will leave the long-term charter contract of Fratelli Onorato Armatori and be handed back to the owner Siem.
This is due to an agreement in the legal dispute mentioned at the beginning. The MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO and the ALF POLLAK regain their names LONGSTONE and LISMORE. Siem now has control of these two ships again. Moby had sub-chartered the vessels to DFDS. DFDS will probably remain the operator of both ships, which operate between Italy, France and Turkey.

[16] Both ships were built by Flensburger-Schiffsbaugesellschaft FSG, which at the time belonged to the Siem Group. The ships have 4076 loading meters of space for cargo. They are pure RoRoFerries with a maximum speed of 20.6 knots.

8 GNV increases capacity of three new buildings

[17] At the end of this year, the GNV POLARIS, the first of four newbuilds being built in China, will join the Grandi Navi Veloci fleet. The GNV POLARIS will then operate on the routes between Barcelona and Valencia and Palma de Mallorca as well as Ibiza.

Following the retirement of the LA SUPREMA, which was declared a total loss due to a fire on board, from the GNV fleet, Grandi Navi Veloci decided to increase the passenger capacity of the three newbuilds currently under construction at Guangzhou Shipyard International. The number of cabins will be increased from 250 to 450, while cargo and car capacity will remain unchanged at 3,000 loading meters. The increase in capacity will lead to an increase in costs for the four newbuildings from EUR 500 million to EUR 600 million, which the MSC Group, to which GNV belongs, will have to bear.

9 Launching of the GNV ORION and keel laying of the GNV VIRGO

Let’s stay with the new-build program at GNV for a moment.

[18] With the launch of the GNV ORION, the second of the previously mentioned newbuilds was now launched. At the same time, the shipyard organized the keel-laying ceremony for the third newbuilding, the GNV VIRGO. The event was attended by a delegation from the MSC Group, the shipyard operator GSI and the RINA shipyards.

The GNV ORION will already have the new capacities mentioned above and will be handed over to GNV in summer 2025. It will reach a maximum speed of 25 knots and offer space for 1,785 passengers.

The GNV Virgo and the fourth as yet unnamed newbuild will be delivered to GNV in 2026 and will have an LNG propulsion system.

10 Adria Ferries opens new connection

[19] The Italian company Adria Ferries has been calling at the port of Bar in Montenegro twice a week since July 9, 2024 with its RoPax ship AF MIA. Purchased by Grimaldi Lines in December 2023, the AF MIA can accommodate 1,500 passengers and has 200 cabins, 14 of which are suites with double beds. Twelve of these cabins are located on the upper deck and were completely renovated in May 2024. Special cabins for dog owners are available on the voyage to Bar, as is a duty-free store. Four bars, one of which is located outside, serve fresh pizza, kebabs and salads. One bar specializes in cocktails and premium drinks. The Ferry also has a self-service restaurant and an à la carte restaurant.

11 Golden Star Ferries buys VOLCAN DE TABURIENTE

[20] Golden Star Ferries has purchased the VOLCAN DE TABURIENTE from the Spanish shipping company Naviera Armas for a price of 20 million euros. The ship will be handed over to Golden Star Ferries in Q3 2024 and will then undergo extensive modifications at the Perama repair yard.

[21] She will operate under her new name ANDROS KING between Rafina – Andros – Tinos and Mykonos.

[22] The future ANDROS KING will be the most modern ship in the Golden Star Ferries fleet. She was built in Spain and delivered to Naviera Armas in 2006. She reaches a maximum speed of 22 knots and has a length of 130.45 meters and a width of 21.6 meters. She offers space for 1500 passengers and 1200 loading meters for cargo and cars.

12 Attica acquires KISSAMOS and KYDON

The Attica Group continues to grow.

[23] Attica Holdings S.A. has confirmed the purchase of the two ferries KISSAMOS and KYDON. The two ships have been under bareboat charter by Attica for some time, [24] with the KYDON currently sailing for Ferries Del Caribe in the Caribbean between Santa Domingo and San Juan.

[23] The two ships were purchased from the long-term charter agreement by exercising the purchase option at a price of EUR 4.4 million and EUR 4.5 million respectively.

It is not yet known what will happen to the KYDON, whether it will be ordered back to Greece to make up for the lack of capacity within Greece by berthing the ships KRITI I, KRITI II and PREVELIS, or whether it will replace the currently leased AF CLAUDIA. We will of course inform you as soon as there is new information on this.

13 SPIRIT OF TASMANIA V launched

[25] The Finnish Rauma shipyard celebrated the launch of the SPIRIT OF TASMANIA V in a traditional ceremony. The ship’s godmother is Barbara Baker, the 29th Governor of Tasmania. The ship is the second of two car and passenger ferries ordered from the shipyard for Tasmania. The launching and christening of the first ship, the SPIRIT OF TASMANIA IV, took place last October. The ships are being built for the Tasmanian TT-Line Company.

The car and passenger ferries built by RMC will operate between Geelong and Devonport in Australia’s Bass Strait, a route known for its difficult sea conditions. The vessels will replace Ferries, which was also built in Finland in the 1990s.

[26] Although the new Ferries look similar to their predecessors, the passenger, vehicle and cargo capacity of the new ships is significantly larger than that of their predecessors. The new ships will have an overall length of 212 meters and a width of 31 meters, while the current ships have an overall length of 194.33 meters and a width of 25 meters.

According to the shipyard, the new construction project is also of national importance, as it is one of the largest single export deals between Australia and Finland.

The first of TT-Line Company’s new ships, the SPIRIT OF TASMANIA IV, will be completed and delivered to the customer in August this year. The SPIRIT OF TASMANIA V will be completed next spring.

But that’s it for the combined edition of FährNews Aktuell for July and August 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!

We hope you had a peaceful and relaxing summer. Now it’s back to the usual monthly rhythm of FährNews Aktuell. Every last Friday of the month, you can find out everything you need to know about ferry shipping. And of course you can always look forward to another issue of our formats FährNews Spotlight, FährNews Cargo or FährNews Future between two episodes of FährNews Aktuell.

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 the sale of the DFDS connection Copenhagen-Oslo and the total loss of the LA SUPERBA. Have fun and see you soon!

Sources

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