Shippax News Bulletin – 51
- In association with Interferry
Dear Subscriber,
Please find the headlines of the news added to the Shippax website during week 51.
The Shippax team will take a short break between Christmas and the New Year.
We would like to thank you for being with us in 2018 and look forward to bringing you the latest news again in 2019.
Have a nice Cruisemas and a Ferry Good 2019!
Baltic spell for PRINCESS SEAWAYS
PRINCESS SEAWAYS will termporarily serve the Karlshamn-Klaipeda route in early 2019 © Maritime Photographic
To cover for the drydockings of DFDS’s ro-pax tonnage in the Baltic, PRINCESS SEAWAYS will be withdrawn from the IJmuiden-North Shields (Newcastle) route during February/March and will operate for six weeks on the Karlshamn-Klaipeda route, starting on 7 February.
Baleària celebrates its 20th birthday
Adolfo Utor constituted Baleària © Baleària
Baleària celebrated its 20th birthday in due style – with a party for over 300 guests at its head office in Denia. The company took the opportunity to welcome back employees and others who had been there at the beginning, back in 1998.
Ventouris Ferries expands fleet with Orange Ferry’s ORANGE 7
ORANGE 7 will be heading for Greece soon © Frank Lose
Sources close to Ventouris Ferries have confirmed to Shippax that Ventouris is the buyer of Shikoku Kaihatsu Ferry’s (Orange Ferry) 1994, Imabari Zosen-built ORANGE 7 which was recently replaced on the Toyo-Osaka route by the brand-new 14,749grt ORANGE OSAKA.
Setonaikai Kisen unveils plans for new ‘boutique ferry’
© GK Design Group
Setonaikai Kisen has announced a newbuilding plan for an atypical three-deck ferry that will be introduced on the Hiroshima-Kure-Matsuyama route in August 2019.
Amsterdam’s loss is Rotterdam’s gain – again – as CMV switches cruise calls for 2019 and 2020
Seven of MAGELLAN's Amsterdam calls have been cancelled © Marc Ottini
The city fathers of Amsterdam look to have shot themselves in the foot with their decision to impose a new EUR 8 head tax on ocean cruise tourists from January 2019. Following the decision by MSC Cruises to switch calls from Amsterdam to Rotterdam for 2019, UK operator Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has followed suit and cancelled virtually all of its calls in the Dutch capital for the summer of 2019 and 2020.
Irish Ferries considers to discontinue Rosslare-France routes
It remains to be seen whether or not OSCAR WILDE will be chartered out or put up for sale © Marc Ottini
Ahead of the March 2019 introduction of the brand-new W.B. YEATS between Dublin and France, Irish Ferries has informed its customers that the operation of its ferry services from Rosslare to Cherbourg and Roscoff is “unlikely in 2019”.
SHK Line Group plans major new ro-pax route
Shin Nihonkai Ferry is one of the ferry brands of the SHK Line Group © Tsuyoshi Ishiyama
Japan’s largest ferry Group, SHK, plans to start a new six times weekly ro-pax service from Yokosuka, located in the Tokyo Bay area, to Kitakyushu in spring 2021.
FIOR DI LEVANTE inaugurates first cold ironing facility in Greece
Cold ironing for FIOR DI LEVANTE in the port of Killini © George Giannakis
An industry first in Greece; Levante Ferries’ FIOR DI LEVANTE will start using cold ironing in the port of Killini as from 20 December.
Jinling delivers VICTORIAN RELIANCE II to Toll Group
VICTORIAN RELIANCE II is a sister of TASMANIAN ACHIEVER II © NAOS Ship and Boat Design - Roberto Prever
Almost two months after the delivery of TASMANIAN ACHIEVER II, Australian Toll Group has taken delivery of its sister ship, VICTORIAN RELIANCE II, from Jinling’s Yizheng Shipyard.
BIRKA STOCKHOLM to undergo major upgrade in Denmark
BIRKA STOCKHOLM will be upgraded © Philippe Holthof
Birka Cruises’ BIRKA STOCKHOLM is to undergo a EUR 2.1 million upgrade at Denmark’s Fayard between 6-18 January 2019. Although some technical work will take place, the main focus of the refit will concentrate on the vessel’s main passenger deck, Deck 5.
VISBORG on her way to Europe
Bye bye China - VISBORG sailing down the Pearl River © GSI
Shippax received pictures of VISBORG seen leaving Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) in Nansha, China, earlier today, 18 December. The 1,650-passenger and 1,750-lanemetre ro-pax was officially handed over to Rederi AB Gotland on Friday 14 December.
Visit our facebook page for plenty more pictures of VISBORG https://www.facebook.com/shippax/
AG Ems to lengthen and convert MÜNSTERLAND to LNG dual fuel propulsion
MÜNSTERLAND will be lengthened and converted to LNG propulsion © Frank Lose
Following the decision by the German Government to fund conversion of ships to more eco-friendly propulsion systems, local ferry operator AG Ems has received funding from Berlin to lengthen and retrofit its 1,859gt 1986-built passenger/vehicle ferry MÜNSTERLAND to LNG dual fuel propulsion. This will be the operator’s second ferry to be converted to LNG operation, following work on fleet mate OSTFRIESLAND in 2015.
Stena Line pulls the plug on Nynäshamn-Gdynia route
The Gdynia-Nynäshamn route was operated by chartered tonnage, VIKINGLAND being the third ship that Stena Line used on this three times weekly service. © Frank Lose
Stena Line has announced that it will close down the Nynäshamn-Gdynia at the end of this year, focussing on the popular Karlskrona-Gdynia route instead. The three times weekly freight-only service was added to Stena Line’s Baltic network as recently as mid-October 2017.
Trasmediterranea renames DIMONIOS as CIUDAD DE PALMA
DIMONIOS has been renamed CIUDAD DE PALMA and is the first ship to display the new Trasmed livery © Trasmediterranea
The recently acquired DIMONIOS has become the fifth user of the name CIUDAD DE PALMA, as new owners Naviera Armas push to maximise Trasmed’s traditions. The company had always named its vessels after Spanish cities or key personalities in its history, and it would appear that that tradition is to be resumed.
ANDREAS KALVOS sold to Levante Ferries
ANDREAS KALVOS will change hands © George Giannakis
Greek media report that ANMEZ/Zante Ferries’ ANDREAS KALVOS has been sold to Levante Ferries, ANMEZ’ operational partner in the Ionian Group. Earlier this year, the now defunct Kefalonian Lines was close to acquire ANDREAS KALVOS, yet the deal fell through.
Havyard delivers HADARØY to Fjord1
HADARØY © Havyard
Havyard has delivered HADARØY, the first unit in a series of five hybrid electric double-ender ferries, the hull of which was built by Cemre Shipyard in Turkey. Together with its sisters GISKØY and SULØY, HADARØY will service the Hareid to Sulesund route as of 2019.
Ferguson Marine to lodge compensation claim with CMAL before Christmas
The GLAN SANNOX saga continues... © Maritime Photographic
The latest development in the ongoing battle on the River Clyde between shipbuilder Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL) and government-owned ferry and ports company Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) is that the shipyard’s owner, Jim McColl says that FMEL will lodge a compensation claim with CMAL before Christmas over significant cost overruns on its contract to build two hybrid LNG ro-paxes. The lead ship, GLEN SANNOX, is running over a year late and the shipyard claims over 600 design changes to the vessel to date.
Norwegian Zero Emission Fast Ferry project funded
The ZeFF is based on a composite hull with fully submerged hydrofoils © Norled
A consortium of five Norwegian companies has been awarded a contract to develop a ‘Zero emission Fast Ferry’ (ZeFF) based on a composite hull with fully submerged hydrofoils and a propulsion system featuring either batteries or hydrogen-powered fuel cells.
Havyard and Havila receive state support to develop hydrogen technology
One of the four ships on order for Havila Kystruten will serve as a testbed for fuel cell operation © Havila Kystruten
Havyard and Havila Kystruten have been granted a NOK 104.3 million (EUR 10.68 million) subsidy to develop a hydrogen-powerd coastal route operation.
Maltese Government announces tender to build a tunnel to Gozo
GAUDOS is one of three double-enders connecting Malta (Cirkewwa) with Gozo (Mgarr) © Marc Ottini
Dr Ian Borg, the Maltese Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, has announced plans to build a 13.5km long tunnel connecting the Maltese mainland with Gozo.
Coral Expeditions’ CORAL ADVENTURER launched in Vietnam
CORAL ADVENTURER will be delivered in April 2019 © VARD Vung Tau
Australian expedition cruise operator Coral Expeditions’ 120-passenger capacity CORAL ADVENTURER was launched on 7 December at VARD’s Vung Tau shipyard in Vietnam.
Brittany Ferries’ HONFLEUR launched at FSG
HONFLEUR's hull gliding down the slipway © Brittany Ferries
An extremely busy week for German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG), which saw the delivery of Irish Ferries’ W.B. YEATS, was brought to a close at lunchtime on Friday 14 December with the launch of Brittany Ferries’ new LNG-powered HONFLEUR.
P&O Ferries to place SPIRIT OF BRITAIN and SPIRIT OF FRANCE under the Cypriot flag
Limassol will become the new port of registry for SPIRIT OF FRANCE and BRITAIN © Marko Stampehl
Prior to the UK leaving the European Union in 2019 P&O Ferries is to reflag its two large ro-paxes, the 47,592gt 2011-2012 built SPIRIT OF BRITAIN and SPIRIT OF FRANCE, which operate on its flagship Dover-Calais, route under the Cypriot flag.
Financials
Record year-end result for Carnival Corporation
Carnival Corporation announced U.S. GAAP net income for the full year 2018 of USD 3.2 billion, or USD 4.44 diluted EPS, compared to USD 2.6 billion, or USD 3.59 diluted EPS, for the prior year. Revenues for the full year 2018 were USD 18.9 billion, USD 1.4 billion higher than the USD 17.5 billion in the prior year.
Moby Group publishes financial results for the 1 January-30 September 2018 period
Turnover ended at EUR 478.8 million, compared to EUR 476.2 million in the same period last year. Recurring EBITDA ended at EUR 68.3 million (EUR 114.6 million).
Press Releases
LIKNOSS: The new Corporate Identity for the new ERA of FORTHcrs
During two very successful events held on December 12 & 13, in Athens, FORTHcrs SA unveiled its new company name LIKNOSS SOFTWARE, that marks the new era of the company commencing with its incorporation in the NORTH STAR international Group, based in Switzerland.
Princess Cruises Offers Alipay and WeChat Pay Onboard RUBY PRINCESS
Princess Cruises announced that Chinese guests onboard RUBY PRINCESS have the option to utilize both Alipay and WeChat Pay payment options while shopping in the boutiques. This makes Princess Cruises the first and the only cruise line to offer both Alipay and WeChat Pay payment options onboard a passenger cruise ship in North America.
Cruise Industry Commits to Reduce the Rate of Carbon Emissions Globally by 40 Percent by 2030
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced a historic global cruise industry commitment to reduce the rate of carbon emissions across the industry fleet by 40 percent by 2030.
Royal Caribbean looks to Optimarin for global compliance
Royal Caribbean International, one of the world’s leading cruise ship operators, has chosen Optimarin to provide its USCG compliant Optimarin Ballast System (OBS) for three flagship vessels. The Norwegian-based ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist has now retrofitted its market proven technology on INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS and MARINER OF THE SEAS, with installation on GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS set for Q1 2019.
BC Ferries to spend $57 million with BC-based marine services
BC Ferries annual vessel maintenance season is well underway and the company is poised to spend $57 million in British Columbia with various marine service suppliers to support its fleet during the current refit cycle this fiscal year.
Genting Cruise Lines Celebrates Silver Anniversary in Singapore
Genting Cruise Lines celebrated its silver anniversary with a special event held on board Genting Dream in Singapore on 14 December to commemorate the very first sailing of Langkapuri Star Aquarius from Singapore in 1993, beginning 25 years of supporting Singapore to become the premier cruise hub in Asia, handling the most international passengers in Asia.
Accomodation and catering systems for Viking Line's new cruise ship at Xiamen Shipbuilding in China
After working with Viking Line during the precontractual phase, ALMACO secured the order to build 1121 passenger and crew cabins plus all the galleys, bars, pantries and provision stores, including cold rooms, freezers and walk-ins, for Viking Line’s newbuild at Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. (XSI) shipyard in China. This is a great example of ALMACO’s capability to build the full set of Accommodations and Catering Systems products for a complete interior delivery.
ScanOcean to resell Neste’s low-sulfur bunker fuel on the East Coast of Sweden
Neste and ScanOcean AB enter into cooperation in delivering Neste’s low-sulfur marine fuel. ScanOcean AB is now an official reseller for Neste’s 0.1% marine fuel products on the East Coast of Sweden. The low-sulfur marine fuel is one of Neste’s high quality products.
Rolls-Royce has signed a deal with WestSea Yard in Portugal, part of Martifer Group, to equip two expeditionary oceanic cruise ships for the Portuguese based cruise company Mystic Cruises. This will be ship number two and three in Mystic Cruises’ new fleet of eco-friendly expeditionary cruise ships.
New benchmark in Danish design, Swedish sustainability, and Chinese construction
The most powerful of its kind, VISBORG marks a new era for the Scandinavian-Asian collaboration between designers OSK, owners Rederiaktiebolaget Gotland, and builders Guangzhou Shipyard International.
Sembcorp Marine cemented its position as Asia’s top cruise ship repair and upgrade solutions provider in 2018 with the successful completion of repairs on the COSTA FORTUNA – the Group’s 10th and final cruise ship project this year.
OSK behind the concept for TT-Line’s new Green Ship
The concept design for TT-Line’s new dual fuel RoPax ferry has contributions from sister companies OSK-ShipTech and Steen Friis Design – both part of Danish marine consultants OSK Group.