Industry News
PacifiCats Sold
Jul 29, 2009
From Globe & Mail
The most embarrassing remnants of BC Ferries' history – the wildly over-budget and ultimately unusable FastCat ferries – have been sold to a buyer planning to send them to the Middle East. The ferries,known as the PacifiCats, were bought at auction in 2003 by the Washington Marine Group for only $CAD 19.5-million, a fraction of their original cost of $CAD 460-million. The Washington Marine Group confirmed that the three ferries have been sold to Abu Dhabi Mar for an undisclosed price. Abu Dhabi Mar is a United Arab Emirates company known for its yacht building and remodelling of older vessels. The first of the ferries will leave next month for the Middle East on a heavy-lift vessel.
Not All Doom & Gloom
Jul 28, 2009
From CBC News
Newfoundland's main ferry service reports a four per cent increase in passenger vehicles travelling across the Gulf of St. Lawrence despite the downturn in the economy. A Marine Atlantic spokeswoman said this is the service's busiest time of the year with 70 per cent of passengers using the ferries in a 10-week period. She added that the good news is surprising because so many organizations predicted fewer people would travel this year. Marine Atlantic is a Crown Corporation owned by the Government of Canada that provides ferry service between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia on Canada’s Atlantic coast.
Another New Ferry for Croatia
Jul 27, 2009
From Baird Maritime
Croatia’s national ferry line, Jadrolinjia, has added the ‘Biokovo’ to its fleet. The head of Jadrolinija, Slavko Loncar, said that ‘Biokovo’ was the eleventh ferry to have been received by the company in the past five years. Built by Brodosplit Shipyard for US$14 million, ‘Biokovo’ can accommodate up to 1,300 passengers and 138 cars at a maximum speed of 13 knots. The vessel will be deployed on a route between Split and Supetar. Jadrolinjia will take delivery of its twelfth vessel in April 2010.
Blount Delivers to Fire Island Ferries
Jul 24, 2009
From Baird Maritime
The new 26-meter “Fire Island Belle”, built by Blount Boats, was recently delivered to Bay Shore, New York for Fire Island Ferries. The 382-passenger, two-deck, all-aluminum commuter boat will be operating from Bay Shore to Fire Island on Great South Bay. The triple screw vessel is powered by Detroit Series 60 Tier II diesel engines, with ZF 550 reduction gears. At a displacement of 42 tonnes, she cruises at 19 knots. The ‘Fire Island Belle’ was certified under US Coast Guard, subchapter K Rules and Regulations. She was based on the original design of the ‘Firebird’, built by the Blount shipyard for West Ferry, a sister corporation of Fire Island Ferries, in 1984.
Gotland Ferries Collide
Jul 23, 2009
From Tradewinds
Two Gotland ferries collided in thick fog on Thursday near the port of Nynashamn, 60 kilometres south-west of Stockholm. One person was seriously hurt and 11 others sustained more minor injuries. The incident involved the 29,700-gt Gotland (built 2003), which hit the side of the high-speed 6,600-gt Gotlandia II (2006), tearing a hole in its side. The combined number of passengers on board was about 1,800. Rescue services had received no reports of either ferry taking on water after the collision. The vessels carry people to the summer resort island of Gotland in the Baltic.
Ferries Wanted
Jul 21, 2009
We have a request for long period time charter or purchase of a RoPax and a RoRo ferry. Delivery is anticipated for 1st quarter 2010:
RoPax
• Minimum 800 pax in cabins
• 425 car capacity
• Minimum 4.5m deck height
• Restaurant/cafeteria
• Prefer 4 engines –speed 25 knots
• Lloyds+ 100A1 - Ice class Baltic 1A super
• Maximum 200 metres loa; 30m beam; 6.7m draft
RoRo
• Minimum 70 drop trailers
• 2 decks
• Lloyds +100A1 Ice Class Baltic 1A Super.
• 18 knots service speed
• Maximum 200 metres loa; 30m beam; 6.7m draft
Contact: Bernie Jones (Bernie@ctlwestrans.com )
Japanese Government Causes Modal Shift
Jul 20, 2009
From The Asahi Shimbun
While rural highway toll discounts introduced in late March have sent road traffic and congestion soaring across Japan, operators of railway and ferry services are reeling from a corresponding drop in business. Amid moves to expand the discounts for the summer holiday season next month, trains and ferries are already reporting a drastic decline in passenger numbers. Several ferry services have already been forced to scale back their operations, or even close their businesses. In a desperate bid to survive, some transportation companies are banding up to offer joint discounts and other perks aimed at drawing back users.
"It is like we have been hit directly by a strong epicentral earthquake," lamented an official of Tokyowan Ferry, which operates a service linking Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture. "Corporate effort alone will do little to improve the situation." Since highway tolls were lowered, the ferry has seen a 30-percent drop in users on weekends and holidays and a 10-percent drop on weekdays.
easyJet Invests in Greek Ferries
Jul 17, 2009
From Lloyd’s List
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of low-cost airline easyJet, is buying into Sea Star Capital, the Cyprus listed shipping investment vehicle led by Yannis Vardinoyiannis. With an investment of €9m ($12.6m) in cash, Mr Haji-Ioannou will become Sea Star’s fourth largest shareholder with 5.5% of the company. Sea Star currently owns 32.5% of Crete’s Anek Lines, which operates its own fleet of 11 ferries in the Aegean and Adriatic trades, and a 36.5% stake in Greek coastal giant Hellenic Seaways, with a fleet of about 35 fast and conventional ferries.
Ferry Sinks Off Haiti
Jul 13, 2009
From Latin America Herald Tribune
A 9 metre ferry, 'God's Will' , packed with passengers and cargo capsized Saturday off the coast of southeastern Haiti, leaving five dead and dozens missing. The boat, which set off from Anse a Pitre, near the Dominican border, overturned near the coast of the southeastern district of Belle Anse while en route to the port city of Marigot. The boat, apparently overloaded, capsized after being battered by strong winds and waves.
Ed. Note: The Interferry News attempts to report on all fatal accidents involving ferries because these accidents impact the public image of the ferry industry. This includes any accident reported as a ferry accident by the press. Some of these accidents involve small vessels in developing countries which may not actually be ferries according to the normal definition.
Channel Operator Considers Second Cat
Jul 7, 2009
From Baird Maritime
The Managing Director of French ferry operator LD Lines said that the company was considering building a second high-speed passenger ferry, following the introduction of the ‘Norman Arrow’ to the Dover-Boulogne service. Chris Santoni said that LD Lines would consider building a bigger ship with a different engine to improve on the ‘Norman Arrow’. He said that passengers had given the vessel a good reception as it was capable of crossing the Channel half an hour faster than ferry services offered by competing companies. “We are definitely looking to add a second high-speed ship on the Dover-Boulogne service, because the idea is to have a kind of shuttle service leaving every hour or so.” The ‘Norman Arrow’ was delivered in the spring from Incat. It is a 112 metre catamaran capable of 40 knots with capacity for 417 cars and 1,200 passengers.