Stena to expand port operations in Holyhead following 213-acre acquisition

© Hilco

Stena Line, which owns and operates the port of Holyhead in North Wales, is to significantly expand the Anglesey based port’s operations following its successful bid to acquire the 213-acre Eco Parks’ former Anglesey Aluminium site, close to Holyhead Port. No price has been given for the acquisition, although it is believed to be a major investment.

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The Attica Group, Greece’s largest ferry operator is set to swallow Anek Lines after deal with Anek’s lenders and shareholders

© George Giannakis

The merger has been rumoured for the past year and this week the Crete-based Anek Lines’ bankers agreed to write off two thirds of the ferry line’s debt and to forego outstanding interest.

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CLdN to acquire Seatruck Ferries from Clipper Group

CLdN has entered into an agreement to acquire all shares in Seatruck Ferries Holding Ltd. from Clipper Group. With eight purpose-built vessels, Seatruck Ferries is the leading ro-ro operator on the Irish Sea, transporting close to 20% of the region’s seaborne cargo volumes.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction price.

The divestment of Seatruck Ferries allows Denmark-based Clipper Group to devote all financial and managerial resources to further strengthening its global dry cargo business.

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OCEAN ALBATROS launched in Haimen, China

© SunStone

SunStone Maritime Group announced that a launching ceremony for OCEAN ALBATROS was successfully held on Friday, September 16, at China Merchants Heavy Industries in Haimen, China.

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Finnlines celebrates 75 years of shipping – new vessels and sights on the horizon

© Finnlines Plc

Finnlines has a long and successful history in Finland, but the focus is to continue to develop, do better and look full ahead. Finnlines is the major carrier of imports and exports in Finland and the series of three new Eco ships will reduce the environmental footprint further. On 20 September, Finnlines celebrated its 75th anniversary and FINNECO II exceptionally entered South Harbour in the Port of Helsinki.

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Grimaldi inaugurates a new regular line linking the Balearic Islands with Italy and the peninsula with two 'ECO' vessels

ECO MEDITERRANEA © Grimaldi Group

The Grimaldi Group has launched a new regular cargo line that connect Palma with Italy and the Peninsula with two new generation ECO ships of the innovative GG5G class.

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DFDS deploys Wärtsilä's SPECS technology onboard SELANDIA SEAWAYS for enhanced safety and efficiency of its operations

SELANDIA SEAWAYS © DFDS

Wärtsilä Voyage, part of the technology group Wärtsilä, has installed its cutting-edge SPECS solution onboard SELANDIA SEAWAYS, a 197m ro-ro ferry owned and operated by DFDS, to augment crew situational awareness and enhance the safety and efficiency of its navigation and docking procedures.

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Damen Marine Components to equip five PCTC’s with advanced semi spade rudders for Eastern Pacific Shipping

© Eastern Pacific Shipping

Semi spade rudders with innovative asymmetric leading edge will be installed on five new Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessels for Eastern Pacific Shipping from Singapore. The vessels are to be built by CSC Jinling Shipyard in China. The customised rudder will contribute in saving fuel during passages thanks to innovative design.

The five 72,000 gross ton vessels feature 12  cargo decks on which they can carry 7000 vehicles. The carriers of nearly 200 meter long, 38 meter beam and 8.6 meter design draft are laid out for a design speed of 19.5 knots.

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Refinancing of Havila Kystruten`s ships

HAVILA CAPELLA © Tom Gulbrandsen

Havila Kystruten has signed term sheets with lenders for refinancing of the fleet and has set dates for start of operations in route for HAVILA POLARIS and HAVILA POLLUX.

The financing totals to EUR 370 million and covers payment to Tersan on delivery of HAVILA POLARIS and HAVILA POLLUX as well as redemption of existing debt related to all ships.

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Austal Chooses MAN 175D Propulsion for New High-Speed Catamaran Ferry

The Austal Passenger Express 66 APETAHI EXPRESS. © Austal

The Austal shipyard in Vietnam has ordered 4 × 16V175D-MM engines, delivering 2,720 kW at 1,800 rpm for water-jet propulsion, in connection with the building of a high-speed catamaran ferry for customer, the Degage Group. The 66-metre, 574-passenger ferry is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2023 and will operate as the APETAHI EXPRESS between Pape’ete (Tahiti) and Vaitape (Bora Bora) in French Polynesia. The new ferry will have a contracted top speed of 35.8 knots and a range of 360 nautical miles.

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Tallink Grupp’s new Menu Nordic showcases popular Scandinavian autumnal flavours with an Asian twist

Tallink Grupp has launched a new five-course Menu Nordic for the delight of fine dining enthusiasts travelling on company’s cruise vessels on routes between Helsinki-Stockholm and Tallinn-Stockholm. The menu, created by Chef de Cuisine of the company’s vessel SILJA SERENADE, Sami Leino, which highlights traditional Scandinavian autumnal flavours with an Asian twist, is available onboard until 2 April 2023.

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Holland America Line Reports Positive Results of Cruise Industry's First Long-Term Biofuel Test on Board VOLENDAM at Port of Rotterdam

VOLENDAM © Holland America Line

Holland America Line completed the cruise industry's first multiweek test of biofuels on board VOLENDAM at Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The 20-day test was conducted in partnership with GoodFuels, a leading producer and supplier of sustainable biofuels for the transportation industry, and Wärtsilä, a global leader in power and propulsion technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine market.

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Passengers Cruising Back into North Wales Thanks to Holyhead Port

Stena Line Ports says over 55,000 cruise passengers will visit North Wales this year and the reopening of their deep-water berth will bring the potential for many more in 2023.

CARNIVAL LUMINOSA officially registered with the Bahamas

As part of its transition to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, CARNIVAL LUMINOSA was officially registered with the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA). During the ceremony, Carnival Luminosa’s senior leadership team and the classification society completed all necessary registration processes, and Deck Cadet Mark Casson, a Bahamian citizen from Freeport, raised the new Bahamian flag.

More than 10,000 gigs a year on Viking Line's vessels – the Baltic Sea's waves provide an important venue for entertainment artists, from troubadours to superstars

It's always a festival on the Baltic Sea, with Viking Line offering passengers on its vessels customized entertainment every day of the year. For the artists, it means a job and a venue that audiences have easy access to. "Gigs on ships are like working in a bubble," says Jannika B, who will also perform for cruise passengers this autumn.

BC Ferries Trials SkillGrader for Improved Crew Skills Assessment

As a part of their ongoing efforts to advance passenger and crew safety, Marine Learning Systems and BC Ferries have been working together to optimize SkillGrader, an innovative application for mariner skills assessment. The collaboration is taking the form of trials for pre-departure, arrival, and navigation assessment on-board.

NAPA signs eLearning agreement with major cruise company for crew training

NAPA has entered a new long-term agreement with Royal Caribbean Group, one of the largest cruise companies in the world, to deliver eLearning to its crews worldwide. This partnership will help Royal Caribbean Group train both shipboard and shoreside crew on the latest stability software and technology. This will assist in facilitating the safe operation of its global fleet of 64 vessels.

RMC, Viking Line, Åbo Akademi and Kempower are developing a carbon-neutral sea route between Stockholm and Turku – Business Finland has granted the project significant funding

Business Finland has granted EUR 1,596,000 funding for a joint project between Rauma Marine Constructions, Viking Line, Åbo Akademi University and Kempower. The Decatrip project aims to develop a carbon-neutral “green corridor” between Turku and Stockholm through which cargo and passengers can travel.

Half-year results for Havila Kystruten

Havila Kystruten has published its quarterly financial report for the second quarter of 2022, and with that the half-year financial results for the shipping company are ready.
The results show that Havila Kystruten had a profit before tax of minus NOK 223 million. The income was a total of NOK 113 million, and the operating result before depreciation was minus NOK 107 million.