Shippax Ferry Conference 2025 - Change of dates and important information

We always do our utmost to plan our conference to not collide with other conferences and events, so for this reason we are changing the dates of next year's conference from 19-21 March 2025 to 2-4 April 2025. We hope this does not cause any inconvenience.

Shippax Ferry Conference 2025

WHERE? DFDS' Gotlandsbolaget's PEARL SEAWAYS (to be renamed)
ROUTE? Copenhagen-Oslo-Copenhagen
WHEN? 2-4 April 2025

A new owner of the conference ship
As most of you are probably aware of by now, DFDS has decided to sell the Copenhagen-Frederikshavn-Oslo route together with the ships to Gotlandsbolaget. Our report on the news here https://www.shippax.com/en/news/breaking-news-dfds-to-sell-oslo-frederikshavn-copenhagen-route-to-gotlandsbolaget-.aspx

So, what does this mean for the conference and you as a delegate?
Well, nothing really. By the time of the conference, PEARL SEAWAYS will simply be owned by Gotlandsbolaget instead of DFDS, have a new name and branding, and be painted in other colours to better reflect its new owners. In January, PEARL SEAWAYS will receive refurbishments and modernizations, so we will have a fresh and upgraded ship by the time of the conference.

Booking site now open
We have now opened up the booking page for those of you that want to secure a seat and/or sponsorship/exhibition stand early.

REGISTER NOW

Looking forward to seeing you in April next year, and for the first time with Gotlandsbolaget as hosts!

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The largest port expansion in 40 years opens at the Port of Gothenburg

The brand new 144,000 square metre Arendal 2 port terminal was inaugurated at the Port of Gothenburg. The investment, amounting to approximately EUR 60 million, has been under construction for the past six years and was made to meet the increased transportation needs of Swedish industry.

The terminal is also part of the port's strategy to concentrate its terminal operations in the outer port area, further from the city centre, and with direct connections to the port’s road and rail infrastructure as well as the local growing industrial cluster.

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Start of new Dover-Calais partnership between P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries to cut freight wait times by 25 per cent

© P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries are now running their ‘Turn-up and Go’ space charter with Irish Ferries on the Dover-Calais route, meaning ships will always be fully loaded for freight at peak, allowing freight to clear the port up to 25 per cent faster. This is a material improvement for freight customers as they will be offered the next available departure when they arrive at the port on a first come first served principle, regardless of which company operates it.

The agreement also lowers the carbon footprint of the cross-Channel route by always fully loading P&O Ferries' fleet, including the two new hybrid vessels that are 40 per cent more efficient. Dover-Calais is the single largest commercial route servicing the UK and the Continent.

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BIRKA GOTLAND attracted 160,000 travellers this summer

Close to 160,000 travellers chose to travel with the Baltic Sea's new pleasure cruise ship BIRKA GOTLAND during June, July and August 2024. During the summer months, the ship has offered both shorter Åland cruises and a record number of departures to Visby. BIRKA GOTLAND has also docked at popular Baltic Sea destinations such as Höga Kusten, Ystad and Bornholm.

BIRKA GOTLAND entered service with new owners after an extensive upgrade in March this year. Part of the new investment has been a record number of 31 calls to Visby. What is also new is that the departure ports have been expanded so that both Ålanders and Gotlanders have been able to easily check in at Birka Gotland.

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Incat to double capacity with new site and shipbuilding facility

Incat Tasmania’s expansion plans have taken a major step forward with the Tasmanian shipbuilder acquiring a portion of the Norske Skog Boyer Mill site at Boyer. The acquisition of the 12-hectare site in the Derwent Valley, located north-west of Hobart, will allow Incat to double its current shipbuilding capacity and workforce.

The acquisition of the 12-hectare site in the Derwent Valley, located north-west of Hobart, will allow Incat to double its current shipbuilding capacity and workforce.

The expansion plan for the site includes the construction of a 240 x 120 metre production facility, with capacity to construct three large ships at one time.

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Color Group 1H 2024 financial results

SUPERSPEED 1 © Anders Martinsen

Color Line increased its operating revenues in the first half of 2024 to NOK 2.9 billion from NOK 2.7 billion a year-ago period, including one-off effects, and had an operating result (EBITDA) of NOK 389 million against NOK 467 million in 2023. During the period, the company transported a total of 1.6 million passengers and 81,259 freight units, compared with 1.5 million passengers and 96,991 freight units in 2023.

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Grimaldi Group takes delivery of GREAT CASABLANCA

GREAT ANTWERP was the first ship in the G5 Class, delivered in April 2023 © Grimaldi Group

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard signed the protocol of delivery of GREAT CASABLANCA to the Grimaldi Group. The ship is the fifth in a series of six G5 multipurpose con-ro vessels and has a capacity of more than 2,000 containers, 7,000 lane metres and 5,400 cars.

With a length of 250 metres, a beam of 38 metres and a deadweight of 45,684 tonnes, the design of the GREAT CASABLANCA is the result of a careful study of the needs of the Grimaldi Group and its customers. Compared to the previous G4-class, the new vessels have the same capacity for rolling freight, while their container capacity is double.

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Keel laying ceremony held at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard for CLdN’s second G9 ro-ro

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard held the keel-laying ceremony of the second of CLdN’s newbuild G9e ro-ro vessel at the shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. The 234-metre new ship is the second of two vessels currently on order and will be equipped with two conventional main engines as well as two large shaft generators of 6 MW each, which can be used for generating power or for electric propulsion.

The vessels have a high degree of flexibility, allowing for a seamless integration of new fuels, fuel cells and/or battery technology in the future. Compared with CLdN’s largest vessels currently in operation (CELINE and DELPHINE), the new ships will further reduce CO2 emissions by 40% while having the same cargo capacity.

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All three new hybrid passenger ferries now delivered to Uber Boat by Thames Clippers

EARTH CLIPPER was the first of the three to be delivered © Uber Boat by Thames Clippers

With MARS CLIPPER now delivered from Wight Shipyard to Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, all three new hybrid passenger ferries are now in service to bring a more sustainable river transport form in London.

London’s first ever hybrid passenger ferry, EARTH CLIPPER, was launched in September 2023 and was then joined by CELESTIAL CLIPPER in March 2024.

MARS CLIPPER is the 20th high-speed catamaran to join the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers fleet, and the three hybrid vessels increase the River Bus’s total capacity by just under 700 passengers. 

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P&O Ferries boosts North Sea freight capacity with new long-term ship charters

P&O Ferries announced the addition of LONGSTONE to its fleet, increasing freight capacity on its route between Tilbury and its hub at Zeebrugge in Belgium. The ship, long-term chartered from Siem, will enable P&O Ferries to carry more freight on its North Sea network, offering customers greater capacity and flexibility. P&O Ferries will also add the LONGSTONE’s sister vessel, LISMORE, to its fleet in late 2025 once its current charter to DFDS has ended.

LISMORE (formerly ALF POLLAK) and LONGSTONE (formerly MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO) were both long-term chartered by Onorato Armatori since new but were handed over to owner Siem last month following a legal dispute.

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Royal Caribbean Group signs agreement with Meyer Turku for a fourth Icon Class ship

ICON OF THE SEAS was delivered at the end of November last year © Meyer Turku

Royal Caribbean Group announced that it has signed an agreement with Meyer Turku to order a fourth Icon Class ship for delivery to Royal Caribbean International in 2027. The agreement also includes options to build a fifth and sixth Icon Class ship.

The first ship in the Icon Class, ICON OF THE SEAS was launched in January 2024. This will be followed by STAR OF THE SEAS in 2025 and then LEGEND OF THE SEAS in 2026.

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