Shippax News Bulletin – 42
- In association with Interferry
Dear Subscriber,
Please find the headlines of the news added to the Shippax website during week 42.
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Lengthening and re-engining of STAR BREEZE begins in Palermo
STAR BREEZE will re-emerge as an almost brand-new ship following her lengthening © Fincantieri
One of the more complex and technical demanding cruise ship lengthening and re-engining projects yet undertaken started on 16 October when Windstar Cruises’ STAR BREEZE was cut in two at Fincantieri’s Palermo shipyard.
Armas doubles fast ferry frequencies on Canary Islands route
Armas Trasmediterránea didn't wait for the re-introduction of VILLA DE AGAETE, the former ALBORAN, to double its fast ferry frequency between Gran Canaria and Tenerife.© Frank Heine
The Armas Trasmediterránea Group has introduced a second Incat wave piercing catamaran on its route linking the capital cities of Gran Canaria and Tenerife. On 16 October 98m CIUDAD DE CEUTA entered service between Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife alongside 111m VOLCÁN DE TAGORO, which arrived in the Canary Islands in August.
CalMac challenges decision to award Northern Isles ferry services contract to Serco
© Maritime Photographic
A row has broken out in Scotland following the government’s decision to award the next Northern Isles ferry services contract to incumbent Serco NorthLink Ferries. Government-owned Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) has challenged the decision, saying that its bid was cheaper than Serco’s. This has resulted in the contract being put into an “extended standstill” period by Transport Scotland while CalMac’s challenge is investigated and the contract still not formally awarded.
Havila Kystruten reveals design issues with Spanish newbuildings
Havila Kystruten is experiencing deadweight problems with its newbuilds under construction in Spain and Turkey © Havila Kystruten
Back in August Havila Kystruten, which will share the Norwegian coastal express service route between Bergen and Kirkenes from January 2021, pulled the plug on construction work on its two 700-passenger capacity LNG-powered cruise ferries on order at Hijos de J. Barreras in Vigo. At the time reports from Spain suggested financial problems for the Norwegian owner, while Havila Kystruten said the problem revolved around the vessel’s design.
Meyer Group lays keel of AIDA Cruises’ AIDAcosma
AIDAnova was the lead ship in the series and was delivered in December 2018 © Meyer Werft
Neptun Werft in Rostock has laid the keel of the second in a series of three 184,000-gross-ton LNG-powered cruise ships building for AIDA Cruises. At the occasion of the keel laying ceremony, the ship’s name was announced.
Viking Cruises launched Viking Expedition Cruises and reveals first details of luxury 378-passenger capacity pair
© Maritime Photographic
Norwegian cruise line Viking Cruises’ move into the luxury end of the expedition cruise market has been confirmed with the formation of Viking Expedition Cruises and the placing of a two-ship order for a pair of 378 passenger capacity Polar-class vessels with Vard, for delivery late 2021/early 2022. The price for both vessels is reported to be USD 611 million.
Fincantieri delivers SKY PRINCESS
© Fincantieri
Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard has delivered SKY PRINCESS, the fourth of six cruise ships in Princess Cruises’ ROYAL PRINCESS Class series.
CIUDAD DE VALENCIA floated out
CIUDAD DE VALENCIA is slated for delivery in May 2020 © Trasmediterránea
Cantiere Navale Visentini has floated out its yard number 229. To be named CIUDAD DE VALENCIA, the vessel will connect her namesake port with the Balearics for Grupo Naviera Armas-controlled Trasmediterránea.
Polferries buys NOVA STAR from ST Marine
Polferries has purchased NOVA STAR which operates the Gdansk-Nynäshamn route © Christian Costa
Polferries exercised its option to buy NOVA STAR. The 2011-built ro-pax ferry has been on bareboat charter to Polferries since September 2018 from builder and owner Singapore Technologies Marine (ST Marine), a division of Singapore Technologies Engineering. No price has been revealed.
UK Government awards Brexit freight contracts valued at GBP 86.6 million to Brittany Ferries, DFDS, P&O Ferries and Stena Line
Harwich is one of the ports covered by the latest Brexit freight contracts © Kai Ortel
The UK Government announced on 11 October that it had signed freight capacity contracts valued at GBP 86.6 million that will ensure that vital medicines will continue to enter the UK after Brexit – whatever the circumstances. The contracts have been awarded to four ferry operators – Brittany Ferries, DFDS, P&O Ferries and Stena Line.
Ishizaki Kisen introduces its new KYOKUYO MARU
The new KYOKUYO MARU entered service on 11 October © Ishizaki Kisen
Ishizaki Kisen’s brand-new, Naikai Zosen’s Setoda Shipyard-built KYOKUYO MARU has entered service on the Hiroshima-Kure-Matsuyama route, replacing a 1987-built, 696gt namesake vessel.
Construction commences on Cunard’s new cruise ship
A fourth Queen for Cunard © Cunard Line
Following the first steel cut at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia facility, construction of Cunard’s new cruise ship has officially started. To be delivered in 2022 from the Monfalcone shipyard, the vessel will be the 249th ship to fly the Cunard flag and become the fourth ship in the current Cunard fleet, joining QUEEN MARY 2, QUEEN VICTORIA and QUEEN ELIZABETH.
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
Shore power to improve air quality and reduce noise in Port and City of Tallinn
Port of Tallinn will install the latest ABB shore power systems on five of its piers in the Old City Harbour as part of the first shore power project in Estonia, the aim of which is to supply the vessels that visit the port with shore electricity and thus reduce emissions and noise created by the ships’ engines.
Carnival Corporation, the world's largest leisure travel company, announced its Germany-based brand, AIDA Cruises, has partnered with leaders from the maritime and engineering sectors to pilot the world's first fuel cell system designed to power large passenger vessels. As early as 2021, AIDA Cruises will trial this innovative fuel technology on AIDAnova, becoming the cruise industry's first brand to trial fuel cells on a large cruise ship.
Deltamarin provides RMC with design services for the Tallink project
Deltamarin is strengthening its position as a trusted designer of ro-pax vessels with the latest contract signed with Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC). The contract covers basic and detail design services for Tallink’s new LNG-powered shuttle ferry set to operate between Helsinki in Finland and Tallinn in Estonia.
State aid: Commission approves €47 million public support for Greek port of Igoumenitsa
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, Greece’s plans to grant €47.3 million of public support for the construction of a new quay in the port of Igoumenitsa, on the north-west coast of Greece.
Wärtsilä and Norsepower sign agreement to strengthen global wind propulsion service network
The technology group Wärtsilä and Norsepower, a leading provider of low maintenance, software operated, data verified auxiliary wind propulsion systems, have signed a service cooperation agreement. This will enable Norsepower to order service work from Wärtsilä, while Wärtsilä can pursue and sell Norsepower Rotor Sail projects with support from Norsepower. The agreement was signed in Q3 2019.
Aiming for cleaner air in German port cities
Federal economics minister Altmaier and coastal states agree package of measures for shore-generated power.
The refurbished part of Terminal D at the Port of Tallinn opened
The Port of Tallinn presented the refurbished part of its Terminal D to travellers. The first to have discovered the new terminal were the passengers boarding Tallink’s shuttle MEGASTAR at 07:30 last Tuesday.
KONGSBERG and MAN Energy Solutions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the purpose of exploring the potential for collaboration on a common data infrastructure for the maritime sector. The collaboration will broaden the value offering to vessel operators, improve return on investment in digital solutions and increase the adoption of secure connectivity.
Havila has selected Versonix as partner for Reservation System
Havila has selected Versonix Seaware as its reservation platform to serve the leisure and transportation markets for cruises along the Norwegian coast.
800,000 passengers upon conclusion of Kiel’s cruise season
The visit of the cruise ship AIDAPRIMA on Saturday, 12th October, will mark the conclusion of the ocean-going cruise liner season in Kiel 2019. The port has been visited this year on 174 separate occasions (2018: 169) by 32 different cruise ships with a total tonnage of 15 million GT (2018: 11.5). For the first time ever and exceeding the port’s expectations, about 800,000 cruise passengers embarked or left a ship at the terminals in Kiel (+ 33.6 %).
Starbucks®-Proudly now served onboard all passenger ferries across Tallink Grupp fleet
Tallink Grupp has this week announced that it has now completed the roll-out of the Starbucks® We Proudly Serve concept across its passenger fleet and all 11 passenger ferries – shuttle ferries as well as cruise ferries – now serve the world famous and popular coffee.
Foreship partners with Vaaka to realize global ambitions
Private equity investor Vaaka Partners has become the majority shareholder of Foreship LTD, a Finnish company specializing in ship design and engineering. With headquarters in Helsinki, Finland and more than 100 naval architects and marine engineering experts on board, Foreship is a market leader in cruise ship design, refits and ship life-cycle projects. The company offers a comprehensive range of engineering solutions that include project coordination and management, classification design and engineering, as well as drydock and ships-in-operation services.
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