Shippax Newsletter– week 7
Gotlandsbolaget signs an MOU with Austal for the Horizon X catamaran
The Horizon X was initially intended to feature a multi-fuel solution, primarily to operate on hydrogen. It remains to be seen if this will become the final solution.
Gotlandsbolaget has previously presented the concept vessel Horizon X, a high-speed catamaran with the aim of supplementing the Gotland traffic. Now the company is going further and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Australian shipyard Austal.
The new catamaran will take 1,450 passengers and have the conditions to serve Gotland and the mainland during the parts of the year when extra capacity is needed to meet Gotland's and visitors' needs.
If a newbuilding contract is entered into, the high-speed catamaran could be delivered in 2027.
Royal Caribbean Group signs agreement with Chantiers de l'Atlantique for its next Oasis Class ship
Oasis Class ships: HARMONY OF THE SEAS, OASIS OF THE SEAS and ALLURE OF THE SEAS
Royal Caribbean Group announced that it has entered into an agreement with Chantiers de l'Atlantique to order a seventh Oasis Class cruise ship for delivery to its Royal Caribbean International fleet in 2028.
This order is contingent upon financing, which is expected to be completed later this year.
Wasaline 2023 financial results
Wasaline had revenues of EUR 29.1 million (EUR 29.3 million), while the result before appropriations and taxes amounted to EUR 3.2 million (EUR 3.3 million). The passenger side at Wasaline showed an increase compared to 2022, despite the fact that the bookings decreased significantly in the last quarter due to the recession. Passenger volumes increased by 4.4% and turnover by 5.4%. Departures increased by 2.7% to 1,164 departures.
Viking Line 2023 financial results
VIKING CINDERELLA © Micke Asklander
Viking Line reported its 2023 financial results. Sales amounted to EUR 491.4 million (EUR 494.7 million), while income before taxes totalled EUR 45.4 million (EUR 28.0 million). The number of passengers who travelled with the company in 2023 totalled 4.9 million.
More than 350 delegates now booked!
Construction started on a new expedition cruise ship for Antarctica21 at ASENAV
MAGELLAN DISCOVERER © Antarctica21
On 8 February, ASENAV officially initiated the construction of an expedition cruise ship for Antarctica21 called MAGELLAN DISCOVERER, the first of its kind to be manufactured in the Americas with a hybrid-electric propulsion system and Azipods.
Designed as a sister ship to the 2019-delivered MAGELLAN EXPLORER, the MAGELLAN DISCOVERER mirrors the elegant style of its sibling and brings its own unique flair with exciting enhancements. Adhering to the rigorous PC6 ice class specifications, this vessel is tailored for the company’s signature Antarctic fly-and-sail operations, hosting up to 76 guests in 40 cabins spread over three passenger decks.
Stena Line officially commences Dublin-Liverpool freight route
Dublin Port
Stena Line has officially commenced its new Dublin – Liverpool (Birkenhead) freight service. The addition of the new route is expected to further boost the company’s freight volumes following a record year on its Irish Sea services in 2023.
With STENA HORIZON temporarily operating on the new Dublin- Liverpool route, the company is currently assessing ship deployment options for a permanent freight-only vessel.
Keel laid for wind-powered ro-ro NEOLINER ORIGIN
Neoline Armateur celebrated, with builder RMK Marine and its partners, NEOLINER ORIGIN’s beginning of assembly, marked by the laying of the first block. This symbolic and fundamental step brings the ship closer to its launch, scheduled for December 2024, and its entry into service in June 2025.
Princess Cruises takes delivery of SUN PRINCESS from Fincantieri
SUN PRINCESS © Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises has taken delivery of SUN PRINCESS, an entirely new ship platform designed by Fincantieri exclusively for the Princess brand. However, some additional technical work is needed before the ship can make its maiden voyage on 28 February from Rome.
At 345 metre length and with a 4,300-guest capacity, SUN PRINCESS is the largest ship built so far in Italy, as well as the first LNG cruise ship ever built by Fincantieri, and the first dual-fuel vessel powered primarily by LNG to enter Princess’ fleet.
Transportación Marítima de California adds SEATRUCK PANORAMA as a fourth vessel
SEATRUCK PANORAMA © George Giannakis
Mexico’s Transportación Marítima de California has bought the SEATRUCK PANORAMA from Seatruck Ferries, thereby becoming the company’s fourth vessel.
SEATRUCK PANORAMA has already been handed over and will join the fleet together with SANTA MARCELA, SAN GUILLERMO, and SAN JORGE.
Carnival Corporation and Meyer Werft sign a contract for a fourth Excel class cruise ship
CARNIVAL JUBILEE © Meyer Werft
Carnival Corporation & plc and Meyer Werft have reached an agreement to build a fourth Excel class cruise ship for its Carnival Cruise Line brand. The ship, the 10th Excel class ship in the corporation’s fleet across four of its world-class brands, is expected to enter service in Spring 2027.
Joining current Carnival Cruise Line Excel-class ships MARDI GRAS, CARNIVAL CELEBRATION and CARNIVAL JUBILEE, the new 344 metre and 180,000 gt ship will carry over 6,400 guests and be powered by LNG. This new ship is the first newbuild order placed by Carnival Corporation in five years.
GLEN SANNOX out on sea trials
© Ferguson Marine
CMAL’s Arran ferry, GLEN SANNOX, has finally been taken out on sea trials. The heavily delayed ro-pax and its sister GLEN ROSA were initially planned to be delivered from Ferguson Marine in 2018 and 2019, and the initial GBP 97m budget for the two ferries has exploded and will likely end up at four times that amount.
The latest communicated delivery dates from Ferguson Marine now stand at June 2024 for GLEN SANNOX and May 2025 for GLEN ROSA.
The 102-metre dual fuel ferries will be able to operate on both LNG and marine diesel. The ships are designed to carry 127 cars or 16 HGVs, or a combination of both.
OSLOFJORD was bought by Jadrolinija
OSLOFJORD © Fjord Line
Croatian media are reporting that Jadrolinija has bought OSLOFJORD, which has been for sale since Fjord Line ended its operations on the Sandefjord – Strömstad at the end of October last year.
OSLOFJORD will become the largest vessel in the Jadrolinija fleet and will arrive in Croatia at the end of this month. The vessel will be deployed on a route between Croatia and Italy.
Caronte & Tourist buys LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA
LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA © Frank Lose
The LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA of Trasmediterránea has been bought by Caronte & Tourist, which will deploy it on the company’s routes to the smaller Sicilian islands, replacing an older ship in the fleet.
Lorenzo Matacena, CEO of Caronte & Tourist, confirmed the news to Shipping Italy, revealing also that the price for LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA was between EUR 10 and 15 million.
Seajets adds more fast ferries to the fleet
Greece’s Seajets has added several more fast ferries to their growing fleet in the last few weeks. The 2007-built Incat NATCHAN RERA has been bought from Taiwan’s J & T Shipping and renamed EUROCHAMPION JET. The Austal-built SANTORINI PALACE from 2005 has been long-term chartered from Minoan Lines. It is also believed that Istanbul Deniz Otobusleri’s (IDO) two 2007-built Austal sisters, OSMAN GAZI-1 and ORHAN GAZI 1 have been bought.
Study on safe bunkering with biofuels
EMSA has published the first part of a study on the safety aspect of bunkering with biofuels, providing a comprehensive analysis of a pre-selection of biofuels in terms of safety aspects like flashpoint, toxicity, and cold-flow properties, among others. The study looks at how those aspects can raise safety concerns during bunkering operations in a preliminary hazard identification.
The study also examines practices in other industries that may be applicable to the maritime sector and reviews the status of development of regulations for maritime use, specifically considering conventional bunkering arrangements.
DFDS 2023 full-year result and January volumes released
The Group’s full-year revenue was DKK 27,304m, an increase of 1.6% compared to 2022. EBITDA increased 1.2% to DKK 5,034m. For the ferry division alone, turnover reached DKK 16,493m (DKK 16,831m) with EBITDA DKK 3,907m (3,984m).
Ferry – freight: Total volumes in January 2024 were 10.1% above 2023 and up 5.1% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes and closure of the Calais-Tilbury route.
Ferry – passenger: The number of passengers in January 2024 were 87.4% above 2023 and up 2.7% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes.
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