Industry News
SeaFrance Future Depends on Brussels Decision
Mar 30, 2010
From Lloyd's List
The fate of loss-making Dover Strait ferry operator SeaFrance has been placed in the hands of the European Commission following the decision by its parent company, French rail operator SNCF, to grant it €170m ($227m) in fresh financing. SNCF is to grant the struggling company €100m in fresh capital and a further €70m as a loan for which SeaFrance has pledged two ships as security. The total €170m package was approved by SNCF on Wednesday and by SeaFrance’s employee consultative committee on Thursday but cannot be implemented until it has received the commission’s approval.
Last year SeaFrance ran up an operating loss of €36m and a net loss of €52m after its turnover fell 20% to €177m. In the meantime, the company is proceeding with plans to lay off 482 of its 1,580 employees in accordance with the agreement reached with the unions representing its personnel before Christmas.
Alaska Lawsuit Over Fast Ferries
Mar 29, 2010
From KTUU
The state of Alaska has filed a lawsuit against the contractor responsible for the design and construction of the fast ferries Fairweather and Chenega. The lawsuit also names the companies responsible for the propulsion system on the ferries. Transportation officials say the propulsion systems have had recurring problems since the state took delivery in 2004 and 2005. The Fairweather underwent a massive overhaul in 2006. The state says all four diesel engines had hairline cracks in their steel sleeves, among other problems. The lawsuit was filed against Robert E. Derecktor Inc., the contractor. Also named are MTU Friedrichshafen, GmbH and MTU Detroit Deisel Inc., companies responsible for the propulsion systems.
Danish News
Mar 26, 2010
From ShipPax Information
Scandlines have now made a firm contract with German yard Volkswerft Stralsund for two new Gedser - Rostock ferries. The new ferries will be delivered in 2012 with capacity for 460 cars or 90 trucks on two decks. Designed as "Gedser max" vessels, they will have a passenger capacity of 1,500. Together with port improvements, the total investment is EUR 230 million. The two newbuildings will replace the 1980-built KRONPRINS FREDERIK and PRINS JOACHIM. The propulsion system will allow an adaption to LNG. Lots of focus has been put on turnaround times, as the schedule will allow for only 15 minutes in port.
A second CEO in two days has left a Danish operator. Yesterday Michael Hassing left Scandlines, today Mads Kofod left Bornholmstrafikken/Nordic Ferry Services.
CEO Leaves Scandlines
Mar 24, 2010
From Lloyd's List
Scandlines chief executive Michael Hassing is leaving the Baltic ferry operator in April “to assume a new position outside the Scandlines Group”. Mr Hassing joined Scandlines in June 2008 from Samskip and was formerly with AP Moller-Maersk. The Scandlines’ board has launched a search for a new chief executive and Stefan Sanne will be appointed interim chief executive. Mr Sanne was a cofounder of Allianz Capital Partners and managing director until the end of last year. He has served on the advisory board of Scandferries Holding and Scandlines GmbH since August 2007.
Interferry Member News Release
Mar 23, 2010
Turkish operator, IDO, to sell two fast ferries at auction
Fjord Line to Order Two Cruise Ferries
Mar 17, 2010
From ShipPax Information
Norwegian operator Fjord Line plans to place an order for two new 170-metre cruise ferries at Bergen Group Fosen. The order amounts to EUR 103 million per ship, however, it is still subject to financing and board decisions. But CEO of Fjord Line, Ingvald Fardal, says, "We are in positive discussions with our banks." The ferries will be able to carry 1,500 passengers and 600 cars. The hulls will be subcontracted to Stocznia Gdanska in Poland, with assembly in Norway for delivery of the first vessel in October 2012.
Ferries Still in Contention
Mar 16, 2010
From Lloyd's List - Michael Grey
[Ed. note: Apologies for the length of this piece - Michael Grey is hard to edit]
If you have read this column from time to time over the years, you will know that I am an unashamed enthusiast for ferry transport. Whether it is the Woolwich Free Ferry that trundles across the Thames or some 60,000gt floating palace of pleasure, cruising through the Mediterranean or North Sea, it is, and always has been, my favourite means of locomotion. If travelling is said to be better than arriving, a decent ferry crossing invariably makes the ultimate destination an anti-climax, and I eagerly anticipate the return journey. Which, I confess, makes me a bit of a bore on holiday.
New Irish Sea Operation
Mar 11, 2010
From ShipPax Information
New Irish Sea operator Fastnet Line is up and running on the Swansea-Cork route. There has been no service on the route since Swansea Cork Ferries shut down in October 2006. Fastnet Line, set-up on a ground swell of public support from Ireland and South Wales through the West Cork Tourism Co-operative, raised almost EUR7 million to buy JULIA from liquidators of failed Helsinki-St.Petersburg operator Stella Lines in September last year. JULIA, the former Color Line vessel CHRISTIAN VI, has a capacity of 1,800 passengers and 400 cars.
Rare Baltic Ice Traps 1,000 Passengers
Mar 9, 2010
From Lloyd's List
The extreme weather conditions that saw dozens of ships and more than 1,000 passengers trapped in Baltic ice last week is expected to improve today, easing pressure on the region’s icebreaking fleet. But with the Baltic’s traditional ice peak yet to be reached, experts are concerned that further problems may be on the way.
Swedish icebreakers had to free the Viking Line ferry Amorella on Thursday after it was trapped in ice overnight outside Stockholm with 943 people on board. Two other ferries, Isabella and Finnfellow , managed to break free but only after two of Sweden’s smaller icebreakers had been defeated by ice compacted by gale-force winds. Larger icebreakers were also dispatched by Sweden and Finland to assist dozen of vessels caught up in some of the worst weather conditions seen in the region for decades. According to Sweden’s maritime administration ice breaking unit, the ice was the worst since the early 1990s. A passenger ferry has not been trapped in ice since 1986.