Overcoming challenges and assuring business continuity - a free Shippax webinar held in cooperation with RINA

5 May 2021, CET 15:00-16:00
A webinar focused on the business challenges and trends in the ferry industry

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Seajets acquiring tonnage from Golden Star Ferries?

According to Greek reports, the 1974-built SUPERFERRY II is one of four ships to join the Seajets stable. © Philippe Holthof

Greek media report that Stefanou brothers-controlled Golden Star Ferries will dispose of four ferries, trimming the fleet to the conventional 1995-built but 2016-introduced ro-pax ferry SUPERFERRY and the Incat 91m wave piercing catamaran SUPEREXPRESS, initially jointly owned with Fast Ferries when acquired from Nordic HSC in 2018.

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Sea Lines sells its sole ship to Cenk Group

SEA PARTNER has joined the Cenk Group fleet, being renamed CENK T. © Marc Ottini

Black Sea but Åland-headquartered ferry operator Sea Lines has sold its sole freight-orientated ro-pax ferry, the lengthened Stena Searunner Class SEA PARTNER, to Cenk Group of Turkey. An exact price has not been revealed, but it’s a “USD double-digit million figure that was too good to refuse”, the company’s CEO, Joakim ‘Joe’ Lindblom, told Shippax.

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Grimaldi starts twice weekly Antwerp-Cork ro-ro service

Grimaldi Group is entering the direct Continent-Ireland ro-ro ferry market with the scrubber-equipped EUROCARGO BARI. © Marc Ottini

Early next month, the Grimaldi Group will start a dedicated ro-ro service connecting its Antwerp Euroterminal (AET) hub with its Ringaskiddy terminal in Cork. The new twice weekly direct Continent-Ireland line, to be initially operated by the 3,810-lanemtere Hyundai Mipo Class EUROCARGO BARI, is yet another initiative aimed at bypassing the Great Britain land bridge.

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P&O Ferries to re-introduce fifth ro-pax on Dover-Calais

Following a long period of layup, first in Leith and more recently in the River Fal, PRIDE OF BURGUNDY will return to service in June. © Philippe Holthof

In a move “to take back market leadership on a principal UK-EU trade route” and to tackle Irish Ferries’ June debut on the English Channel, P&O Ferries will re-introduce its 1,925-lanemetre capacity PRIDE OF BURGUNDY on its Dover-Calais flagship service.

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Wallenius SOL adds TRANSFIGHTER to its fleet

TRANSFIGHTER © Sea-Cargo

To add capacity ahead of the introduction of their newbuilds and to meet customer demand, Wallenius SOL has strengthened its fleet by chartering in TRANSFIGHTER from Sea-Cargo.

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ELEANOR ROOSEVELT delivered and ready to take up service

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT will be introduced on the Dénia-Balearic Islands route on 1 May. © Baleària

Builders Astilleros Armon in Gijón, Spain, have handed over the 123m long and 28m beam high-speed ro-pax catamaran ELEANOR ROOSEVELT to Baleària. The LNG-powered fast craft left Gijón for Dénia (via Huelva) yesterday, 27 April and is set to debut on Saturday 1 May, connecting the mainland port of Dénia with Ibiza and Palma.

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Austal Philippines launches the BANADEROS EXPRESS for Fred. Olsen Express

BANADEROS EXPRESS © Austal

Fred. Olsen Express’s 118m BANADEROS EXPRESS took to the water at Austal shipyard in Cebu, the Philippines. The high-speed trimaran is a sister ship to the BAJAMAR EXPRESS, delivered in July last year from Austal in Australia.

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Höegh to order world’s largest and most environmentally friendly PCTC

The shape of things to come for Höegh Autoliners. © Höegh Autoliners

Höegh Autoliners has announced its new Aurora Class of PCTC which, with a capacity of 9,100 CEUs, will be the largest in the world and the most environmentally friendly. Again, Höegh has partnered with Xiamen Shipbuilding, DNV and Deltamarin for the newbuilding project, the first unit expected to be delivered in 2023. The design is very much based on their previous Horizon Class 199.9m long by 36.5m beam sextet built by Xiamen in 2015-16, but are likely to be up to 30m longer.

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First GG5G for Finnlines floated out in China

Flexibility is at the heart of the design of the GG5Gs adapted for Finnlines service. © Finnlines

The first of three Grimaldi Group GG5G Class hybrid ro-ros adapted for Finnlines service was successfully floated out of its building dock at the Nanjing Jinling Shipyard on 26 April 2021. Part of Finnlines' EUR 500 million newbuilding programme, which also includes the state-of-the-art Superstar Class ro-pax ferries FINNCANOPUS and FINNSIRIUS for the Kapellskär-Långnäs-Naantali route, FINNECO I will be introduced on Finnlines' Bay of Biscay-North Sea-Baltic Sea service at the turn of this year and will be joined by two sister ships, FINNECO II and FINNECO III, next year.

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Finance

Viking Line’s sales shrank by two thirds during Q1 2021

Viking Line released its first quarter results, showing that their sales dropped dramatically from EUR 75 million in the first quarter of 2020 to EUR 24.6 million this year. Operating income ended at EUR -7.7 million (EUR -21.5 million).

ANEK Lines lost business, but remained profitable in 2020

ANEK Lines released its financial results for 2020, showing that the group decreased its turnover from EUR 173.9 million in 2019 to EUR 124.5 million. The company remained profitable though and consolidated EBITDA ended at EUR 6.9 million (EUR 25.6 million).

Continued losses for Tallink Grupp in Q1

Tallink Grupp has released its financial results for the first quarter of 2021. Revenue fell from EUR 154.9 million during the same quarter last year to EUR 53.7 million. The group’s unaudited EBITDA amounted to EUR -6.3 million (EUR -1.3 million in Q1 2020).

Stena AB 2020 financial results

Ferry Operations

- Revenue decreased from SEK 14,286 million in 2019 to SEK 10,362 million in 2020.

- EBITDA ended at SEK 1,586 million, compared to SEK 3,482 million in 2019

Roll-on/Roll-off vessels

- Revenue from the company’s ro-ro activities reached SEK 468 million for the period (SEK 433 million)

- EBITDA ended at SEK 291 million in 2020, compared to SEK 233 million in 2019.

Scandlines remains profitable despite disastrous 2020

Although its revenue fell from EUR 475 million in 2019 to EUR 273 in 2020, Scandlines managed to keep profitability by adopting strict cost control measures. Recurring EBITDA ended at EUR 84 million, down from EUR 188 million the year before.

Royal Caribbean Group provides business update and reports on first quarter 2021

The Company reported revenues of USD 42 million, US GAAP Net Loss for the first quarter of 2021 of USD (1.1) billion, compared to USD 2 billion in revenues. US GAAP Net Loss of USD (1.4) billion in the prior year.
The Company also reported Adjusted Net Loss of USD (1.1) billion or USD (4.44) per share for the first quarter of 2021 compared to Adjusted Net Loss of USD (310.4) million or USD (1.48) per share in the prior year. 

Hurtigruten AS Annual Report 2020

Total operating revenues for Hurtigruten AS was EUR 90.5 million in 2020 (2019: EUR 344.5 million), a decrease of 74 % from last year. Net operating loss in 2020 was EUR 9.8 million compared to a profit of EUR 10.6 million in 2019.

Austal to sell its shareholding in Aulong Shipbuilding

Austal Limited (ASX: ASB) advises that it has commenced discussions with Guangdong Jianglong Shipbuilding Company (Jianglong Shipbuilding) of Zhuhai, China, to sell Austal’s 40% shareholding in the Aulong Shipbuilding Co. Ltd (Aulong), a shipbuilding Joint Venture operated by the two companies, to Jianglong Shipbuilding.

Color Group AS: Successful placement of perpetual hybrid bond tap issue

Color Group AS has successfully completed a NOK 300 million tap of its perpetual hybrid bond with ISIN NO 0010893340 at a price of 101% of nominal amount. The tap issue was substantially oversubscribed. Net proceeds from the new bond issue will be used for general corporate purposes.

Press Releases

These press release news are published “as is”, i.e. this is how we get it from the senders. If you want to have your relevant news published, please send it to news@shippax.se

Concordia Damen launches A-ROSA’s next-generation ‘E-Motion’ river cruise ship

© Damen

Concordia Damen has completed the build of the hull of the latest addition to the fleet of A-ROSA Flussschiff, one of Europe’s leading operators of river cruises. In the next stage of the vessel’s construction, the hull will be transported by the heavy-lift vessel Yacht Express to Damen Shipyards Gorinchem in the Netherlands, where Concordia Damen will perform the outfitting.

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SeaLink Travel Group officially welcomed their newest ferry, PARRABAH

SeaLink Travel Group CEO Clint Feuerherdt officially welcomed their newest ferry, PARRABAH, into service on 21 April for Bruny Island in Tasmania. The official launch was held in conjunction with the South East Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation (SETAC) who performed a traditional welcome to country and smoking ceremony.

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DFDS opens duty-free border shops in Calais and Dunkerque

DFDS has since 1 January 2021, in accordance with the new Brexit trade agreement, offered duty-free sales on board our four passenger ferry routes connecting the UK and the EU – Dover-Calais, Dover-Dunkerque, Amsterdam-Newcastle and Newhaven-Dieppe.
Following a tender, DFDS has today been awarded the right to operate a new duty-free shore-based shop in the Port of Calais. The 1,000 m2 shop is expected to open in October 2021.
In the Dunkerque port terminal, operated by DFDS, a shore-based duty-free shop of 700 m2 is expected to open in July 2021.

Interferry supports EU’s initiative for COVID-safe international travel

Global trade association Interferry has welcomed European Union (EU) plans for a voluntary Digital Green Certificate (DGC) to facilitate safe travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interferry, representing ferry operators worldwide, is now urging other countries to consider something similar for international travel in time for the peak summer season.

Danish reopening positive for Stena Line's passenger traffic

Fewer travel restrictions mean an increase in bookings for Stena Line. The increased booking activity shows that the desire to travel across the Kattegat is still great among both Danes and Swedes.
Stena Line's ferry routes between Denmark and Sweden are both freight and passenger routes, but during the pandemic the focus has been to secure the important goods flows. Now passenger traffic is also starting to fill up on board the two routes again. After the government eased the travel restrictions in the first phase of the reopening of travel activities, Stena Line has experienced an increase in bookings on the passenger side.

Freight volumes rise at the Port of Gothenburg

Freight volumes are continuing to rise at the Port of Gothenburg in the majority of segments, despite the impact Covid-19 is having on global logistics. This can be seen from the volume report for Q1 2021.

Scanship wins another retrofit contract with Carnival Cruise Line

Vow ASA (“Vow”) has through its subsidiary Scanship AS been awarded a retrofit contract with Carnival Cruise Line to deliver its advanced wastewater purification (AWP) system to CARNIVAL DREAM. The system will be installed aboard the vessel during a scheduled drydock in 2021.

Wärtsilä and Tanger Med team up to co-develop next generation Port Management Information System

Wärtsilä has partnered with Tanger Med, the largest Mediterranean and African container port, to take a new step forward in global port efficiency by co-developing a new cutting-edge Port Management Information System (PMIS).
Both organisations sealed their long-term commitment to deploy modern Smart Port tools for port operations and digitalisation – including implementing Just-In-Time (JIT) solutions, machine learning and AI as well as other innovative solutions.

Cruise Baltic continued sustainable initiatives in 2020 despite an uncertain year

An ambitious Sustainability Manifesto was created together with all partners of Cruise Baltic in 2019 as a joint vision towards a more sustainable region. The annual follow-up on the manifesto, the Cruise Baltic Sustainability Report 2020, reveals that despite an uncertain year without many cruises, the partners in the network continued their sustainable efforts and investments in 2020.

Trimline completes refits on P&O Ferries trio

Over the last three months Trimline has systematically worked across a programme of refits for P&O Ferries, which included the installation of COVID-safe catering areas onboard a trio of their ships. The SPIRIT OF BRITAIN refit was carried out by the team in Rotterdam, the SPIRIT OF FRANCE in Tilbury, and the PRIDE OF KENT in Newcastle, UK.

Carnival Corporation & PLC contracts Bureau Veritas to support a safe return to cruising

Bureau Veritas (BV) has been contracted by Carnival Corporation & PLC to provide health and safety services to facilitate the return to cruising, protecting passengers and crew. The support provided, including verification of safety and hygiene measures, will be based upon the expertise and extensive experience built by Bureau Veritas in 2020 to address health protection and hygiene requirements on-board passenger ships. BV’s approach meets the specific requirements of the cruise market, addressing biological risks, as posed by COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. 

Rotor sail technology has been tested at Viking Line since 2018

The innovative rotor sail technology developed by the Finland-based clean tech company Norsepower has been tested at Viking Line for three years. The rotor sail generates thrust, utilizing the so-called Magnus effect, thus reducing the vessel’s need for propulsion force. VIKING GRACE was the world’s first passenger ship to be equipped with a rotor sail. In April, the trial testing of the rotor sail on VIKING GRACE was completed. Viking Line wants to continue testing new climate-smart solutions on its vessels. The new VIKING GLORY has already been equipped for the possible use of a rotor sail.