Shippax News Bulletin – 4
- In association with Interferry
Dear Subscriber,
Please find the headlines of the news added to the Shippax website during week 4.
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Germany’s Meyer Werft to build P&O Cruises' largest vessel yet
Carnival Corporation & plc has signed a contract with German cruise shipbuilder Meyer Werft to build a 180,000gt, 5,200-passenger vessel for its P&O Cruises subsidiary. When delivered in 2022 this vessel will become the largest cruise ship yet built for the British company and the largest vessel aimed specifically at the British cruise market.
CMV’s ASTORIA – first ship to use Visby’s new cruise terminal
British cruise operator’s Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ 16,144gt ASTORIA will be the first vessel to use the new cruise terminal at Visby, on the island of Gotland, in Baltic, when she calls on 16 April 2018; the first of 67 cruise calls from 40 vessels for the port this year.
Fjord1 wins contract to operate four Norwegian ferry connections
UPDATE:
The municipality of Møre and Romsdal and Fjord1 signed the contract yesterday, 25 January, making it firm. Fjord1 will operate a total of six ferries on the routes, five of which will be newbuildings.
Getlink’s 2017 figures confirm Channel tunnel has lost market share in favour of ferries
Just a week after Boris Johnson proposed to build a Channel bridge, it is very interesting to compare the performance of the fixed link against the record-breaking figures provided by the Port of Dover with ferry services to both Calais and Dunkerque.
Angry French fishermen hamper Calais ferry traffic
Yesterday’s (25 January) ferry crossings to and from the Port of Calais were hampered due to a French fishermen blockade. The angry French fisherman are primarily protesting against electric pulse fishing.
Tender out for 2018 inter-Channel Island ferry service
UPDATE 4:
“Condor Ferries has withdrawn their bid as well earlier this month. CEO of Condor Ferries, Paul Luxon, commented to ITV News, “The four months taken during the procurement phase has meant that we have been unable to commit to...two ships and are aware that they are in the process of being deployed elsewhere. Furthermore, the terms of the tender have also changed as the original one-year trial has become five years and we remain concerned that there is only a very short timeframe available to prepare and launch the new service. Regrettably, therefore we were unable to submit a tender bid and withdrew from the process earlier this month.”
MIRTIDIOTISSA to join Kefalonian Lines as ALEXANDRA L
The 1,350-passenger MIRTIDIOTISSA has been bought by Kefalonian Lines from Aqua Ferries for an undisclosed sum, increasing the company’s fleet to three medium-sized ro-paxes.
DELPHINE expected in Europe in mid-February
CLdN’s DELPHINE – sister to the CELINE – left Hyundai Mipo Dockyard earlier this month and is expected in Rotterdam on 17 February.
2017 was a strong freight year for Ports of Stockholm
Both ro-ro and container freight reached record numbers for Ports of Stockholm in 2017. A total of 9.6 million tonnes were handled, a 7% increase on 2016.
FADIQ delivered ahead of time
The 4,100-lanemetre FADIQ – sister to the MELEQ – has been delivered ahead of time to Alternative Transport, the shipping arm of Ekol Logistics.
2017 result for Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) reported 2017 US GAAP and adjusted earnings of USD 7.53 per share — beating the Double-Double EPS target and the mid-point of previous guidance by USD 0.75 and USD 0.16, respectively. In addition, the company announced that 2018 adjusted earnings are expected to be in the range of USD 8.55 to USD 8.75 per share.
Cold ironing for three of Corsica Linea’s ships
Corsica Linea has announced to invest in cold ironing for the three of its six ships; PASCAL PAOLI, JEAN NICOLI and PAGLIA ORBA.
CMA CGM stops short-lived Morocco ro-ro services
Some three months after CMA CGM started a ro-ro shuttle service to Morocco, bypassing Spain, the French boxship giant has decided to pull the plug on its two ‘Morocco Express’ loops and concentrate on a heavily reduced service.
Further growth for Baja Ferries during 2017
Mexican ferry operator Baja Ferries closed 2017 with impressive financial figures and a further growth in passenger numbers and lanemetres.
Full-electric ferry concepts by C-Job for the City of Amsterdam
Five full-electric car and passenger ferries have been designed by the Dutch Naval Architects C-Job for the City of Amsterdam. The ships will be fitted with batteries that will be charged in a maximum of four minutes, providing quick turnarounds and 24/7 service.
CELEBRITY EDGE floated out
The 306m long and 129,500gt CELEBRITY EDGE was floated out on 23 January, from the building dock at the STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire.
Uljanik Shipyard to get lifeline from the Croatian Government
Facing financial difficulties, Uljanik Shipyard has been granted a state loan guarantee of up to EUR96 million by the Croatian Government in order to restructure and continue its operations.
UPDATE:
The European Commission has approved the state loan guarantee.
Twenty-three per cent more freight for Ust-Luga - Baltiysk route
Interfax news agency revealed that the three trainferries serving the Kaliningrad enclave from the Russian mainland, have carried 904,000 tonnes of cargo in 2017 – a 23% increase.
Trasmediterranea charters LA SURPRISE for Algeciras-Tangier Med freight-only operations
The increase in freight between Algiceras and Tangier Med has led to Trasmediterranea chartering-in extra tonnage to ensure it protects its market share, especially with the CIUDAD DE MALAGA shortly going to drydock.
Trasmediterranea: the only bidders for the Cadiz-Canary Island PSC
No surprises here – the new Public Service Contract (PSC) appeared drawn up in favour of a vessel of the characteristics of the incumbent ALBAYZIN for the Cadiz-Canary Island contract.
AL ANDALUS EXPRESS will sail again for FRS
AL ANDALUS EXPRESS will enter service between Algeciras and Tangier-Med, operating for its owners FRS, between 29 January and 4 March, whilst other freight-orientated vessels such as the KATTEGAT and the TANGER EXPRESS undergo their annual drydocks.
Aulong joint venture to design and build four 42m catamarans
Aulong Shipbuilding, a joint venture between Austal and Guandong Jianglong Shipbuilding of Zuhai, China, has secured contracts for four new 42m passenger-only ferries.
Destination Gotland signs LNG supply deal with Nauticor
Destination Gotland has signed a deal with Nauticor, part of the Linde Group, for the supply of LNG to their soon-to-be-delivered 32,000gt LNG-powered ferry VISBORG.
Chelsea Logistics inks deal with Kegoya Dock for one ro-pax plus three options
Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp, the shipping offshoot of Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corporation, has signed a newbuilding contract with the Japanese Kegoya Dock for the construction of one new ro-pax with an option for three more ships which are set for delivery between 2019 and 2020.
Seatruck Ferries showed strong growth in 2017
Irish Sea freight specialist Seatruck Ferries had a strong 2017 with volume increases at over 10% on the three routes they operate: Heysham to Warrenpoint, Heysham to Dublin and Liverpool to Dublin.
Strong growth for National Ferries Company
The state-owned National Ferries Company (of Oman) has just released its 2017 figures, showing a strong growth in all segments.
Huanghai Shipyard secures order for 45,000gt ro-pax
The prolific Chinese ro-pax builder Huanghai Shipyard has secured an order from the Bohai Ferry Group (BHF), a long-term customer of the yard.
Baleària presents new LNG-powered Visentini-Class vessels
UPDATE:
Adolfo Utor, President of Baleària, has announced that the first of two new LNG-powered ferries from Visentini will be delivered later this year and will enter service in early 2019.
Mr Utor went on to state that the ferries are destined for the Balearic Island trades. The first contract for the supply of LNG has been signed with Gas Natural Fenosa, who will be exclusive suppliers for ten years. LNG installations will be supplied in Barcelona (bunkering barge), Valencia as well as in Algeciras (land-based installations).
Currently the ferry ABEL MATUTES has an LNG-powered auxiliary engine, and could move to the Algeciras routes once the new vessels arrive.
Irish Ferries’ W.B. YEATS launched
After her namegiving by Ms Rikki Rothwell, W.B. YEATS was launched from the covered slipway at Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) on 19 January.
Trinidad and Tobago to acquire the never-delivered DONA MERCEDES
After several ‘fake reports’ about a new inter-island ferry for Trinidad and Tobago, the country’s Ministry of Finance has released more information about the ship that has been selected.
MSC opens ro-ro service from Antwerp and Le Havre to West Africa
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) will add a North West Continent-West Africa ro-ro service to its offering aimed at rolling, project and break bulk cargoes.
The Port of Calais wins traffic back in 2017 and posts record freight volumes
The French Channel ports of Calais and nearby Dunkerque have both released their throughput statistics for 2017. It appears that Calais has gained freight traffic at the expense of Dunkerque.
Cooperation is the key to ferry industry's future
Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan explains how the trade association’s “stronger together” mission is helping to shape outcomes on the pressing issues of safety, security and the environment.