Trasmediterranea expands service to include Formentera

Trasmapi's 2016-built ESPALMADOR JET © Kai Ortel

Trasmediterranea, the Naviera Armas subsidiary, has joined forced with local operator Trasmapi, to offer services to and from the island of Formentera.

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Fincantieri to undertake major life extension project for Windstar Cruises’ three Star Class vessels

The 1988-built STAR PRIDE and her two sisters will be lengthened, re-engined and upgraded © Marc Ottini

Seattle-based Windstar Cruises – part of the Xanterra Travel Collection – is to embark on a major USD 250 million life extension project to lengthen, re-engine and upgrade its three Star Class boutique sister ships at the Palermo yard of Italy’s Fincantieri over the period October 2019 and November 2020.

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Bid to sell Attica stake fails

© George Giannakis

Negotiations over the past year between Greece’s MIG investment fund and Fortress Capital over the sale by MIG of a controlling stake in Greek ferry owner, Attica Group, have ended without an agreement.

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Meyer Turku starts production of the first of two cruise ships for Carnival Cruise Line

© Christer Gorschelnik

On 15 November, Meyer Turku started the production with the first steel cut of what will become the first of two sister cruise ships built by the yard for Carnival Cruise Line. When delivered in early 2020, the 184,000gt behemoth will be the largest cruise ship ever built for Carnival Cruise Line. What’s more, the yet-unnamed cruise vessel will also be the first North American-based cruise ship to run on LNG.

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First steel cut for Ponant’s LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT

First steel cut for Ponant's LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT at VARD Tulcea © Ponant

First steel was cut on 6 November for what will become the world’s foremost polar exploration cruise vessel – Ponant’s 30,000gt icebreaker LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT, under construction at VARD’s Tulcea Shipyard in Romania for delivery in 2021. The 150m vessel is the first of her type to be built.

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Hanil Express orders another ro-pax at Dae Sun Shipbuilding

The newbuilding just ordered at Dae Sun Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. is expected to be a close sister of SILVER CLOUD © Yoshiho Ikeda

Korean domestic operator Hanil Express has signed a newbuilding contract with Dae Sun Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. for another 160m ro-pax set for delivery in 2020.

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SunStone adds more Infinity Class vessels

The third unit, OCEAN VICTORY, will be chartered by Victory Cruise Lines during summer and Albatros Expeditions during winter © Ulstein Group

SunStone Ships Inc. has announced that five out of ten planned Infinity Class expedition cruise vessels, built by China Merchants Industry Holdings Co., Ltd. (CMHI), have now become firm orders.

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Trasmediterranea consolidates in Gandia

Naviera Armas' VOLCAN DE TIJARAFE will homeport in Gandia © Armas-Trasmediterranea

Trasmediterranea used the occasion of the first sailing of the VOLCAN DE TIJARAFE to Ibiza and on to Palma, to confirm that it is staying in Gandia.

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Fjord1 ordered another double-ender at Tersan

© Multi Maritime

Without much fanfare, Fjord1 ordered another double-ender at the Turkish Tersan Shipyard at the end of the summer. Built to a Multi Maritime MM104FE EL design, this 107.5-metre ferry will be delivered to Fjord1 in 4Q 2019.

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Delivery of ultra-luxury expedition vessel SCENIC ECLIPSE delayed further

SCENIC ECLIPSE is under construction at the financially beleaguered Uljanik shipyard © Oliver Design

There seems to be a growing, worrying trend developing in the expedition cruise vessels newbuilding market for those operators who have decided to have their vessels built at shipyards new to this type of vessel – late delivery!

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Mystic Cruises’ WORLD EXPLORER delayed until summer 2019

Delivery of WORLD EXPLORER has been delayed until the next summer © Quark Expeditions

New Portuguese start-up expedition cruise line Mystic Cruises’ first newbuilding, the 9,300gt, 200-passenger capacity WORLD EXPLORER, was to have been delivered this month (November) by Portuguese shipbuilder WestSea Viana Shipyard. However, delivery has now been delayed until the summer of 2019.

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Grimaldi opens new freight connection to Sardinia

EUROCARGO NAPOLI has been introduced on the new triangular Civitavecchi-Olbia-Cagliari-Civitavecchia service © Marc Ottini

Grimaldi Group has further strengthened its freight network to Sardinia with a new triangular service connecting Civitavecchia with Olbia and Cagliari, added on 11 November.

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Blu Navy offering emergency shuttle service to Portofino

ICHNUSA has been activated to bring supplies to Portofino © Kai Ortel

Blu Navy, part of the Finsea Group, has introduced the 650-passenger and 51-car ICHNUSA as a supply ship to serve Portofino, the Ligurian fishing village and popular tourist destination that has been isolated following a violent storm that hit the Ligurian coast.

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Tirrenia to restructure Genoa-Porto Torres line

NURAGHES will be supplemented by a freight-only ferry on the Genoa-Porto Torres link © Marc Ottini

After being criticised to reduce capacity on the Genoa-Porto Torres link next summer by deploying one single ship instead of the usual two, Tirrenia clarified that it will in fact reduce its offer from 762 trips recorded in summer 2018 to 729 in 2019, i.e. -5%.

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American Queen Steamboat Company acquires Victory brand and vessels from SunStone Ships Inc.

SEA DISCOVERER was acquired by Victory Cruise Lines in August 2017 and renamed VICTORY II © Shippax

SunStone Ships Inc. has agreed to sell the cruise vessels VICTORY I and VICTORY II to American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC). Both vessels are being marketed by Victory Cruise Lines and the sale agreement includes the Victory brand, with the transaction expected to close in early 2019.

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SILJA SERENADE drydocks at Turku Repair Yard for 13-day major upgrade

SILJA SERENADE is undergoing yet another major upgrade © Marko Stampehl

Silja Line’s 1990-built Helsinki-Stockholm cruise ferry SILJA SERENADE drydocked at Finland’s Turku Repair Yard’s large Naantali graving dock on 12 November to begin a major 13-day upgrade programme which will result in a timeless, stylish and spacious vessel. Sister ship SILJA SYMPHONY will undergo the same work package at the same shipyard in January 2019.

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Bastø Fosen orders one more at Sefine Shipyard

BASTØ VI was delivered in November 2016 from Cemre Shipyard © Bastø Fosen

Torghatten Group subsidiary Bastø Fosen has returned to Sefine Shipyard to build another double-ender for the six-nautical-mile route between Horten and Moss, one of the busiest ferry crossings in Norway.

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Naviera Armas charters CHAMPION JET 1 to replace ALBORAN

CHAMPION JET 1 is being prepared for a short-term charter to Naviera Armas © Philippe Holthof

The recent accident to the ALBORAN, operating on behalf of Naviera Armas between Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, has necessitated a short-term replacement. The ALBORAN struck a 25m pontoon whose three occupants ended up in the sea, and who were rescued by Salvamento Marítimo helicopter.

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Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express inaugurate new line

MARTIN I SOLER displaying the joint Baleària - Fred. Olsen Express livery © John May

As advertised, the joint venture between Denia-based Baleària and Canary Island-based Fred. Olsen Express got under way on 9 November.

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Fjord1 awarded ‘short routes’ package ferry contract in Møre og Romsdal county

The 1978-built AUKRA is one of the ferries to be replaced by new tonnage © Uwe Jakob

Fjord1 has been selected as the preferred bidder for four routes in the Møre og Romsdal county. Spanning a period of 14 years, the contract will start on 1 January 2020, ending on 31 December 2033. It concerns the following routes:  Eidsdal-Linge (3km), Stranda-Liabygda (3.4km), Hundeidvik-Festøya (5.4km) and the Sæbø-Leknes-Trandal-Standal rectangular route.

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World’s largest battery-powered ferries officially inaugurated

The green AURORA AF HELSINGBORG showing off the new ForSea brand name © ForSea

On 9 November, HH Ferries Group officially inaugurated AURORA AF HELSINGBORG and TYCHO BRAHE as the world’s largest battery-powered ferries. The company also announced that the route would be rebranded ForSea, displacing the Scandlines brand and triangle logo.

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Financials

Viking Line released January-September financial results

Consolidated sales of the Viking Line Group for the period 1 January-30 September, 2018 were EUR 378.1 million (EUR 392.1 million for the period 1 January-30 September 2017). Consolidated income before taxes amounted to EUR 5.6 million (EUR 4.6 million). Income after taxes totalled EUR 4.8 million (EUR 3.8 million). 

Continued growth for DFDS in Q3

In Q3, revenue increased 12% to DKK 4,383 million mainly driven by the expansion of the route network in the Mediterranean and higher revenue from passengers in the Q3 holiday high season. EBITDA before special items increased 7% to DKK 1,045 million.

Press Releases

Wärtsilä’s Smart Partner Campus invites companies, start-ups and academia within the industry to open collaboration

Wärtsilä is building a Smart Technology Hub, a new centre of research, product development and manufacturing, in Vaasa, Finland, by the end of 2020. At the same time, a flexible smart marine and smart energy platform called Smart Partner Campus is being built inside the Smart Technology Hub. The Smart Partner Campus will focus on doing research and product development together with companies, start-ups and researchers within the industry, as well as with Wärtsilä’s partners, customers and suppliers.

Lindblad Expeditions signs up with Versonix Seaware

Lindblad Expeditions, a global provider of expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences, has signed an agreement with Versonix to implement Versonix’ Seaware reservation system.

Kick-off for the COLOR HYBRID project

On Thursday, 15 November, Color Line and Ulstein Verft marked the construction start-up on the world's largest plug-in hybrid ship, the COLOR HYBRID. The hull is placed in the dock hall, and several hundred yard workers are now busy with the ship’s completion before hand-over next summer.

Inmarsat enhances cyber security offering for Maritime industry

Mobile training app for crew and intelligent endpoint security for onboard computers strengthen Inmarsat's Fleet Secure portfolio of products. Inmarsat has introduced two new components to its maritime cyber security service, Fleet Secure, as it continues to develop solutions that combat ever-increasing cyber threats faced by ship owners and ship managers.

ForSea (formerly HH Ferries Group) completes conversion of the world’s largest battery ferries, powered by ABB

Inauguration of TYCHO BRAHE and AURORA marks successful completion of a high-profile conversion project with ABB’s technology at its heart. The largest emission-free ferries in the world have been officially welcomed into service after guests boarded TYCHO BRAHE in Helsingborg, Sweden and Helsingør, Denmark on November 9 for a special inauguration ceremony marking completion of an all-electric conversion.

ABB signs breakthrough contract for marine automation in China

First marine automation system contract signed in China for a cruise ferry sets new benchmark for systems integration.
ABB has won its first marine automation system contract for a cruise ferry in China, after the technology package for Chinese-built Viking Line vessel has been extended to include the ABB Ability™ System 800xA.

Danfoss powers up the world’s strongest electric ferry

Next year, the groundbreaking E-Ferry, ELLEN, will be launched in Denmark with the help of Danfoss. The fully electric powered ferry will have the largest battery capacity at sea and navigate without CO2 emissions.

ClassNK and TÜV Rheinland Sign Partnership Agreement for Cybersecurity Services

Classification society ClassNK and TÜV Rheinland have concluded a worldwide partnership agreement for cybersecurity services.

Brightwell Navigator now available through Adonis

Adonis, provider of integrated Human Resource and Payroll Systems for the maritime industry, announced an integration with the Brightwell Navigator payments platform, available in the latest versions of Adonis Personnel Manager.