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Shippax News Bulletin – 40

- In association with Interferry

Dear Subscriber,

The Shippax team is back from some great days at the Interferry conference in Santander. Work on our own conference is now moving into a higher gear and we are looking forward to see many of you again in April next year. 

Photo above: VIKING GLORY is taking shape at Xiamen Shipbuilding. Photo © Viking Line

Have a great weekend!


Scandlines PRINS RICHARD returns to service after major thruster upgrade programme in Poland

New Kongsberg thrusters in place on PRINS RICHARD © Scandlines

New Kongsberg thrusters in place on PRINS RICHARD © Scandlines

The third of Scandlines four hybrid ro-paxs on the Puttgarden-Rødby service earmarked for a major propulsion thruster replacement, PRINS RICHARD, has returned to service after major work at Poland’s Remontowa Shiprepair in Gdansk.

The vessel's existing four Rolls-Royce Azipull 120 FP push thrusters have been replaced with four Kongsberg Maritime Contaz 35 pull-type azimuthing contra-rotating thrusters. The new thrusters feature four blades, weigh 25 tons and have a diameter of 3.5m.

READ THE FULL STORY



First of three new Ollis-class Staten Island passenger ferries – SSG MICHAEL H. OLLIS – commissioned in New York

SSG MICHAEL H. OLLIS © Eastern Shipbuilding

SSG MICHAEL H. OLLIS © Eastern Shipbuilding

The first of three new 4,500 passenger capacity Ollis-class ferries for New York City’s Staten Island ferry service – SSG MICHAEL H. OLLIS – was commissioned in New York City on 4 October.

The new 98m x 21m double-ender SSG MICHAEL H. OLLIS was built by US Gulf shipyard Eastern Shipbuilding Group to a design by Elliott Bay Design Group and embodies a number of features from the vessels that she will replace, but with modern features such as onboard Wi-Fi and phone charging points, as well as seating for a maximum of 2,551 passengers.

READ THE FULL STORY



CMAL buys Norled’s double-ender UTNE for use by CalMac on its Oban-Craignure service from 2022

© Uwe_Jakob

© Uwe_Jakob

After much talk and excuses to the ferry travelling communities living on Scotland’s western isles, Scottish government-owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has made good it promise to acquire a second-hand ferry for operation by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) to bring much needed resilience to its network.

CMAL has paid GBP 5.6 million for the 2015-built 1,160 gt conventionally diesel-powered UTNE from Norway's Norled, and will spend a further GBP 3.4 million on upgrading work to enable her to enter operation on CalMac's service from the mainland to the isle of Mull in April 2022.

READ THE FULL STORY



FERRY FUKUOKA took the water

To replace the 2002-built FERRY FUKUOKA 2 © MHI

To replace the 2002-built FERRY FUKUOKA 2 © MHI

On October 8, 2021, Meimon Taiyo Ferry's (City Line) FERRY FUKUOKA took the water at MHI Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works. She is expected to enter service on the Kita Kyushu (Shin Moji)-Osaka route in March, 2022, joining her sister, FERRY KYOTO that is set to enter service in December 2021 on the same route.

READ THE FULL STORY



Austal Philippines delivered the BANADEROS EXPRESS for Fred. Olsen Express

© Austal

© Austal

Fred. Olsen Express’s 118m BANADEROS EXPRESS has been delivered from the 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.

READ THE FULL STORY



Höegh signs LoI for the world’s largest and most environmentally friendly PCTC

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

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

Höegh Autoliners has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) for 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.

Höegh has partnered with China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu), DNV and Deltamarin for the newbuilding project, the first two units expected to be delivered in the second half of 2024. 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.

The new class will be powered by LNG and have two large LNG tanks but, in an industry first, they will be classed as ammonia-ready. 

READ THE FULL STORY



France’s Manche Department looks for a new “value for money” operator for ferry services to the Channel Islands

The 1997-built monohull GRANVILLE is one of two high-speed ferries owned by the Manche Department © Kai Ortel

The 1997-built monohull GRANVILLE is one of two high-speed ferries owned by the Manche Department © Kai Ortel

France’s Manche Department is looking for a new ferry operator to maintain the ferry service link between ports in northwest France and the Channel Islands from April 2022. This move follows the cancellation of the public services agreement, under which the current operator, Manche Iles Express, has operated the service since April 2005.

Manche Iles Express’ current contract started in 2018 and expires on 31 December 2021. The Manche Department is now looking for a more “value for money” operator. The new operator will be chosen on a tender that is 60 per cent based on the actual service offer, and 40 per cent on price.

READ THE FULL STORY


Riveer signs contract with Holland Shipyards Group for electric ferries

© Holland Shipyards Group

© Holland Shipyards Group

This November, Holland Shipyards Group will start building the emission-free ferries which have been designed by Coco Yachts. The new all electric, aluminium ferries will measure 35,30 m by 7,30 m and have a carrying capacity of 100 passengers and 100 cyclists. 

The vessels are expected to be delivered at the end of 2022.

READ THE FULL STORY


Naviera Armas reinforces La Palma with a double daily rotation

VOLCAN DE TABURIENTE © Armas

VOLCAN DE TABURIENTE © Armas

Naviera Armas Trasmediterránea reinforces the La Palma line with two daily rotations, departing from Los Cristianos from Monday to Friday at 8:45 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. On Saturday the departure will be at 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 8:45 a.m. The departures from La Palma will be from Monday to Friday at 04:00 and 14:00, Saturday at 04:00 and Sunday at 13:30.

READ THE FULL STORY


Kongsberg Maritime to supply propulsion and steering gear for two new ferries in Tasmania

© RMC

© RMC

Kongsberg Maritime (KM) is pleased to announce a contract with Finnish shipyard Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) to deliver propulsion and steering equipment for two new car and passenger ferries. The vessels will be operated by the Australian company TT-Line for the regular Spirit of Tasmania ferry service – a 10.5-hour journey across the Bass Strait between Melbourne, Victoria and Devonport, Tasmania.

READ THE FULL STORY


Fincantieri and MSC celebrate the start of construction of EXPLORA II

© Explora Journeys

© Explora Journeys

The first steel of EXPLORA II, the second of four new-concept luxury cruise ships that Fincantieri is building for Explora Journeys, the new luxury brand of the cruises division of MSC Group, was cut at the Castellammare di Stabia (Naples) shipyard. The order for this class of ships, announced in 2018, is worth a total of over 2 billion euros.

READ THE FULL STORY


Baleària celebrates 15 years in Ceuta with more than 12 million passengers

PASSIO PER FORMENTERA © Frank Lose

PASSIO PER FORMENTERA © Frank Lose

15 years ago Baleària began operating on the route between Ceuta and Algeciras. During these years more than 12,750,000 passengers, 2,567,000 vehicles and 2,128,000 lanemetres of cargo have been transported.

The shipping company currently has a hundred people working in Ceuta among the ground staff and the crews of the two ships that usually operate on the route: the PASSIO PER FORMENTERA ferry and the AVEMAR DOS, which perform 8 daily services in a wide strip hours from 6 a.m. to midnight.

READ THE FULL STORY


Ports of Stockholm takes another step towards onshore power connections for cruise ships

Ports of Stockholm has been granted building permits to equip Stockholm’s central quays with onshore power connections for cruise ships. This environmental initiative is a collaboration with other Baltic Sea ports that will result in significantly lower emissions of carbon dioxide and air pollutants from cruise ships in Stockholm and the Baltic Sea.

MAN Energy Solutions' low-speed, dual-fuel engines passes two million running hours

MAN Energy Solutions has announced that its portfolio of two-stroke, dual-fuel engines has accumulated more than two million operating hours in total, running on LNG, methanol, ethane and LPG. The news comes on the back of the 470 engines the company has received orders for – with over 185 already in service – and all running on the aforementioned alternative fuels.

ICS submits plan to IMO to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050

The International Chamber of Shipping has submitted plans to the industry’s UN regulator, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), detailing urgent measures which governments must take to help the industry achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

Just one month before the shipping industry’s flagship COP26 decarbonisation conference ‘Shaping the Future of Shipping’, ICS (which represents 80% of the global shipping industry), is pushing governments to double the ambition of the IMO’s current target, which is to reduce emissions from international shipping by 50% by 2050.

The plans include a compulsory R&D fund to develop zero-carbon technologies, and the development of a carbon levy for shipping to expedite the transition to more expensive zero-carbon fuels.

DFDS orders 100 electrical Volvo trucks for logistics network

Order of 100 Volvo FM Electric trucks is Europe’s largest heavy-duty electric truck order to date and the new electric trucks will be deployed throughout DFDS’ European logistics network during 2022 and 2023.

The order of electric trucks marks the beginning of a transition to a sustainable logistics supply chain offering in line with DFDS’ Climate Action Plan to reduce emissions from transport equipment.

AS Tallink Grupp statistics for September 2021 and the third quarter of the 2021 financial year

In September 2021 AS Tallink Grupp transported 310 265 passengers, which is an 27.6% increase compared to September 2020. The number of cargo units increased by 4.0% to 33 982 units and the number of passenger vehicles increased by 4.0% to 64 610 units in the same comparison.

In the third quarter of the 2021 financial year (July – September) AS Tallink Grupp transported 1 144 092 passengers, which is a 13.0% decrease compared to the previous year. The number of transported cargo units decreased by 1.1% to 90 538 units and the number of passenger vehicles decreased by 16.8% to 229 468 units in same comparison.

Stena and Global Energy Storage announce LNG cooperation

Stena Power and LNG Solutions, a subsidiary of leading shipping conglomerate Stena AB, and Global Energy Storage (GES), a developer and operator of energy storage terminals, have announced a strategic partnership to identify and advance LNG logistics and storage solutions.

Together the two companies bring the full range of LNG terminal and logistics expertise from floating storage and regasification units (FSRU) to onshore terminal and fixed jetty solutions. 

Stena Line says women are the answer to the jobs crisis in shipping

The shipping sector, like many other parts of the economy, has not been immune to the effects of Brexit and Pandemic. This combined double whammy has led to a shortage of people needed to fill vacant roles and address the huge skills shortage in the sector. Stena Line believes that if the shipping industry is going to solve its jobs’ crisis, there is a simple solution; it urgently needs to encourage more women to work in careers at sea, in roles that are often still viewed as for men.

MacGregor receives EUR 31 million RoRo orders from Asia

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured RoRo equipment orders for 8 vessels to be built in Asia. The orders are booked into Cargotec's second (EUR 9 million) and third quarter (EUR 22 million) 2021 order intake with deliveries planned to commence during the second quarter of 2022 and completed during the third quarter of 2023.

Scope of supply includes quarter and side ramps, hoistable car decks and rampway doors. The customers have established relationships with MacGregor, built on proven capability to deliver and support critical cargo access equipment.


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