Interferry Welcomes Croatia

Jul 2, 2009

Interferry Welcomes Croatia

Interferry is pleased to welcome Croatia as the 30th country represented within the association membership. The Croatian member is a Nexus Ltd. which runs a recruiting website called the Maritime Connector. The founders are two seafarers, senior deck officers Eric Superina and Lovro Maglic.

The web portal was launched in February 2008. Today it is visited by more than 57,000 users per month, including seafarers and companies specialized in the maritime industry. There are now more than 13,000 seafarers registered on the website. By using Maritime Connector shipping companies or agencies can have a full profile and open vacancies presented to any interested seafarer looking for a specified job opportunity. Seafarers have accepted the Maritime Connector almost immediately since they have one place to find a systematic overview of employment possibilities and a chance to present themselves in a professional way.

Onorato Speaks Out

Jun 24, 2009

From Lloyd’s List

A leading player in the Mediterranean ferry market has warned that there will be casualties before the year is out as the economic recession continues to hit consumer demand. “There are too many companies in the western Mediterranean and the law of the jungle is at work,” said Moby Lines president Vincenzo Onorato. “I think a number of companies will not survive the year.” Already-fierce competition in the region has intensified with the economic crisis as a number of middling-size companies battle for market share, adding vessels and services even as they slash prices.

An inveterate critic of state ferry company, Tirrenia, for what he claims is the misuse of its government subsidies, Onorato nonetheless expressed doubts that it would ever pass into private hands, as has been widely anticipated. “It is not true that the European Union has demanded the privatisation of Tirrenia,” he said. “What it has demanded is a public bidding process for the lines and subsidies.”