RoPax13
International Magazine for Ferry and RoRo Shipping
International Magazine for Ferry and RoRo Shipping
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13 / 05.2024
INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE FOR FERRY AND RORO SHIPPING
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mit starken Partnern vernetzen:
Am Zehnhoff-Söns Group | Bargelink GmbH | BASF SE | Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wohnen, Bau und Verkehr | Behörde für
Wirtschaft und Innovation der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg | Brunsbüttel Ports GmbH | Bundesministerium für Digitales und
Verkehr | Bundesverband Öffentlicher Binnenhäfen e. V. (BÖB) | C. Steinweg (Süd-West Terminal) GmbH & Co. KG | CMA CGM
(Deutschland) GmbH | Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven JadeWeserPort-Marketing GmbH & Co. KG | Contargo GmbH & Co. KG
dbh Logistics IT AG | DFDS Germany ApS & Co. KG | DTG Deutsche Transport-Genossenschaft Binnenschifffahrt eG | Die Senatorin
für Wirtschaft, Häfen und Transformation – Freie Hansestadt Bremen | duisport – Duisburger Hafen AG | Eisenbahngesellschaft Potsdam
mbH | Elbe Allianz e. V. | EMS Chartering GmbH & Co. KG | Haeger & Schmidt Logistics GmbH | Handelskammer Bremen – IHK
für Bremen und Bremerhaven | Handelskammer Hamburg | Hessisches Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Energie, Verkehr und Wohnen
HGK Shipping GmbH | HGK Logistics and Intermodal | IHK Flensburg | IHK zu Kiel | IHK zu Lübeck | Industrie- und Handelskammer
für Ostfriesland und Papenburg | Industrie- und Handelskammer Stade für den Elbe-Weser-Raum | J. MÜLLER Weser GmbH & Co. KG
K+S Minerals and Agriculture GmbH | Komitee Deutscher Seehafenspediteure im DSLV Bundesverband Spedition und Logistik e. V.
(KDS im DSLV) | Konrad Zippel Spediteur GmbH & Co. KG | LIBERTY PIER Maritime Projects GmbH & Co. KG | Liebherr-MCCtec
Vertriebs- und Service GmbH | Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Infrastruktur, Tourismus und Arbeit Mecklenburg-Vorpommern| Ministerium
für Infrastruktur und Digitales des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt | Ministerium für Verkehr Baden-Württemberg | Ministerium für Wirtschaft,
Verkehr, Arbeit, Technologie und Tourismus des Landes Schleswig-Holstein | Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Verkehr, Landwirtschaft und
Weinbau Rheinland-Pfalz | Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Verkehr, Bauen und Digitalisierung | Ministerium für Umwelt,
Naturschutz und Verkehr des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen | Reederei Deymann Management GmbH und Co. KG | Reederei Lehmann
GmbH & Co. KG | Rhein-Umschlag GmbH & Co. KG | RheinCargo GmbH & Co. KG | Rhenus Maritime Services GmbH | Rhenus Logistics
Robert Kukla GmbH | ROSTOCK PORT GmbH | Sächsische Binnenhäfen Oberelbe GmbH | SACO Shipping GmbH | Salzgitter Flachstahl
GmbH | Samskip GmbH | SANY EUROPE GmbH | Scandlines Deutschland GmbH | Seehafen Wismar GmbH | SGS Germany GmbH
Stena Line GmbH & Co. KG | Tchibo GmbH | TT-Line GmbH & Co. KG | UHH – Umschlags- und Handelsgesellschaft Haldensleben mbH
W.E.C. Deutschland GmbH
www.shortseashipping.de
EDITORIAL / 03
Do we have a crisis or a major transformation?
The European economy is moving somewhat slower, and the Ukraine war is putting a strain on public budgets and further development.
One reason for the sluggish economy is high interest rates and a sharp decline in construction activity, coupled with higher energy costs.
In our discussions with the leading minds in RoRo and ferry shipping, a clear picture emerged. Losses and declines were recorded in the
Baltic Sea. There is an enormous sense of optimism around the UK and Ireland, growth, and stability in the Mediterranean. It is no wonder
that the big shipping companies from the north are increasingly positioning themselves in the Mediterranean and starting new and established
companies continue to focus on the growing market.With the introduction of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS), shipping companies
are preparing to order new ships that produce less or no emissions. Ferry shipping companies are preparing for further relocation effects from
production sites in Eastern Europe to Turkey and North Africa. Thanks to the ETS, traffic can be shifted, and supply chain systems can be
controlled more from other European countries. That is why some shipping companies are already investing in new “green tonnage”. The
strategies are clear for new tonnage, RoPax vessels are to be powered by methanol, RoRo by ammonia and on the short distances of less than
one hour, operation with batteries can be successful, but only if the charging infrastructure can be set up and enough electricity is available
for short charging cycles. Nevertheless, the associations such as ICS (International Chamber of Shipping) and the IMO (International
Maritime Organization) accuse the EU of the ETS system coming too early and too quickly, as there is not yet enough methanol or ammonia
to refuel today. It will take some time until an infrastructure is in place. In the end, consumers will pay the additional costs for transport
due to rising taxes and an unavailable green bunker. The new ships with ammonia ready engines have been ordered and this year the first
orders for large RoPax ships with methanol ready propulsion systems will be triggered. The outlook and the activities of the ferry operators
remain optimistic. Read more about this in the current RoPax 2024.
Haben wir eine Krise oder eine große Transformation?
Die europäische Wirtschaft bewegt sich etwas langsamer und der Ukraine-Krieg belastet die öffentlichen Haushalte und die
Weiterentwicklung. Ein Grund für die lahmende Wirtschaft sind die hohen Zinsen und die stark rückläufige Bautätigkeit, gepaart mit
höheren Energiekosten. In unseren Gesprächen mit den führenden Köpfen der RoRo- und Fährschifffahrt ergab sich ein klares Bild.
In der Ostsee wurden Verluste und Rückgänge verzeichnet. Es herrscht ein enormer Optimismus in Bezug auf Großbritannien und
Irland, Wachstum und Stabilität im Mittelmeerraum. Kein Wunder, dass sich die großen Reedereien aus dem Norden zunehmend im
Mittelmeer positionieren und etablierte Unternehmen sich weiter auf den wachsenden Markt fokussieren.
Mit der Einführung des EU-Emissionshandelssystems (ETS) bereiten sich Reedereien darauf vor, neue Schiffe zu bestellen, die weniger
oder keine Emissionen verursachen. Die Fährreedereien bereiten sich auf weitere Verlagerungseffekte von Produktionsstandorten in
Osteuropa in die Türkei und nach Nordafrika vor. Dank des ETS kann der Verkehr verlagert und Lieferkettensysteme stärker aus dem
europäischen Ausland gesteuert werden. Deshalb investieren einige Reedereien bereits in neue “grüne Tonnage”.
Für neue Tonnage sind die Strategien klar, RoPax-Schiffe sollen mit Methanol betrieben werden, RoRo mit Ammoniak und auf den
kurzen Strecken von weniger als einer Stunde kann der Betrieb mit Batterien erfolgreich sein, aber nur, wenn die Ladeinfrastruktur
aufgebaut werden kann und genügend Strom für kurze Ladezyklen zur Verfügung steht. Dennoch werfen die Verbände wie ICS
(International Chamber of Shipping) und die IMO (International Maritime Organisation) der EU vor, das ETS-System komme zu früh
und zu schnell, da es heute noch nicht genug Methanol oder Ammoniak zum bunkern gebe. Es wird einige Zeit dauern, bis eine Infrastruktur
vorhanden ist. Am Ende zahlen die Verbraucher die Mehrkosten für den Transport aufgrund steigender Steuern und eines
nicht verfügbaren „grünen“ Bunker. Die neuen Schiffe mit Ammoniak-Ready-Motoren sind bestellt und noch in diesem Jahr werden
die ersten Aufträge für große RoPax-Schiffe mit Methanol-Ready-Antrieben ausgelöst. Die Aussichten und die Aktivitäten der
Fährreedereien bleiben optimistisch. Lesen Sie dazu mehr in der RoPax 2024!
Jan Philip Eckmann
(Herausgeber & Chefredakteur / Publisher & Editor)
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
16 24
66
70
40 48
78
Photos:: Finnlines; Philippe Holthof; JPE
CONTENT / 05
Content
EDITORIAL.................................................................................................... 03
MARKET REPORT
Transfennica optimizes its capacity........................................................................................... 06
GNV – Grandi Navi Veloci more capacity .............................................................................. 06
FRS Group expands again .......................................................................................................... 07
Preparing Fjord Line for the future ........................................................................................... 08
Balearia 25 years and record result 2023 .................................................................................. 09
Embotech, Arnold NextG and Terberg from an alliance
in the development of autonomous logistics systems ............................................................. 10
Port of Hirtshals growth ............................................................................................................. 11
Cobelfret invest in ports and green tonnage ............................................................................ 12
Meine Fähre – Neubau nimmt in diesem Jahr den Betrieb auf ............................................ 14
INTERVIEW
Grimaldi Group – Ro-Pax Newbuildings and Best Result Ever.................................... 24
Wasaline – well positioned for the green future ...................................................................... 34
Introducing Lakeway Link: The New RoRo Route Connecting Poland to Sweden ........... 38
Stena Line expand! ...................................................................................................................... 46
ESK: a one-stop-shop in PR, PA, and communication .......................................................... 54
Scandlines Invests in More Electric Ferries ............................................................................. 60
DFDS new markets and fast development .................................................................... 66
IMPRINT
RoPax International Magazine
for Ferry and RoRo Shipping
Address of the editorial office:
JPE-Communication
Große Brunnenstraße 61
22763 Hamburg, Germany
Fon: +49-(0)40-39109581
Mobil: +49-(0)170-8503722
info@ropax.de
www.ropax.de
Publisher and chief editor:
Jan Philip Eckmann
Authors in this issue:
Andrew Cooke, Jan Philip Eckmann,
Philippe Holthof
Photographers:
Niko Alakoski, Andrew Cooke,
Jan Philip Eckmann, Philippe Holthof in
cooperation with ferrybalear, Lübecker
Hafenrundschau, Bernd Pagel, Marko
Stamphel and marked at the pictures
NEWBUILDING
“Finnsirius” and “Finncanapus” Finnlines’ Superstar Class Ro-Pax Enter Service .... 16
Manxman – Hybrid Douglas-max ro-pax for Isle of Man lifeline service ........................... 28
P&O Pioneer – A real game-changer ............................................................................ 40
Moby Fantasy – The Med’s most impressive ro-pax ..................................................... 48
Nerea – A new breed of Mediterranean domestic ferry.......................................................... 56
Great Tema – Number 3 of 6...................................................................................................... 62
DATA SHEET
Finnsirius..................................................................................................................................... 22
Manxman...................................................................................................................................... 32
P&O Pioneer................................................................................................................................. 44
Moby Fantasy................................................................................................................................ 52
Great Tema ................................................................................................................................... 64
PORTS REPORT
Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft gut positioniert .............................................................. 70
Rostock Port stabil im Umschlagsgeschäft ............................................................................... 71
Cuxhaven to be further expanded ............................................................................................. 72
Ystad Port Sets New Records for Bornholm Services ............................................................ 74
Seehafen Kiel weiterhin erfolgreich .......................................................................................... 76
Port of Trelleborg – one year ahead! ............................................................................. 78
Increased Passenger Volumes for Helsinki Port ...................................................................... 80
Unternehmensgruppe Lehmann in Lübeck –
Herausforderungen im Schienen-Hinterlandverkehr............................................................. 82
Ad agent:
JPE-Communication
Editorial Design / Art-Direction:
Daniela Krieger-Vogt
All rights reserved. Reprint or photomechanical
reproduction, translation or data storage
and evaluation for external purposes, even in
extracts, only with the prior written permission
of the publisher. All information provided in
this publication is to the best of our knowledge
and belief. The publisher does not guarantee
the accuracy or completeness of the information
and cannot be held responsible for any
actions taken or corresponding losses resulting
from the details in this publication. The
individual contributions are the responsibility
of the respective authors and do not reflect
the opinion of the publisher.
RoPax is published in printed form in the first
half of a year and can be obtained by direct
sales ( domestic 9 Euro and foreign 15 Euro
incl. shipping and fees).
www.ropax.de
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
06 / MARKET REPORT
JPE
Market Report
Transfennica , GNV Growth, FRS Expansion; Fjord Line new structure; Balearia growth;
Terberg cooperation with Embotech, Hirtshals Port; Cobelfret, Meine Fähre new operator
TRANSFENNICA OPTIMIZES
ITS CAPACITY
Transfennica is a leading, customer and
environmentally focused shipping
company, providing fast and reliable transport
with a fleet of highly advanced,
ice-strengthened multipurpose Ro-Ro
vessels.
2023 was a good year for Transfennica,
despite some declines in cargo volumes,
but the shipping company sees itself well
positioned for the future.
As a result of adjusting its capacities,
Transfennica has disposed of the “Bore
Song.” In April 2024, the Ro-Ro freighter
„Pilpca“ in Travemünde port
Lübecker Hafenumschau, K. Heinemann
was chartered by Stena Line to increase
capacity on the Liverpool - Dublin route.
Transfennica’s CEO, Dirk Witteveen,
explained that this was a reaction to the
changing market conditions caused by the
discontinuation of cargo to Russia.
Due to the political strike in Finland,
which lasted in total for four weeks until
April, Transfennica has experienced a
subdued start of the year.
Those involved in the Finnish business are
hoping for a decision by the Finnish
government to end the political strikes that
are disrupting or paralyzing the whole
country, especially the supply chain.
GNV – GRANDI NAVI VELOCI
MORE CAPACITY
GRANDI NAVI VELOCI owns 19 ships
and operates shipping connections to
Sardinia, Sicily, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco,
France and Albania. The Italian ferry
operator GNV (owned by MSC) develops
its network step by step. GNV operates
only RoPax ferries and awaits in 2025 its
Matteo Della Valle, Chief passengers
Sales & Marketing Officer GNV
new RoPAx “Polaris” from China. RoPax
spoke with Matteo Della Valle, Chief
Passengers Sales & Marketing Officer at
GNV about the actual business.
RoPax: How is the pre-booking situation
for 2024?
Matteo Della Valle: At the moment, in
terms of bookings, we are positioned
slightly above the levels reached a year ago
and this undoubtedly represents a positive
result for GNV as in 2023, certainly a good
year for the sector in general, during this
same period we were performing very well
GNV
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
MARKET REPORT / 07
even though there was a contraction at the
end of April which we expect will not be
re-peated this year.
RoPax: Do you have more lines in planning
and how is your capacity?
Matteo Della Valle: Two new ships have
recently joined our fleet (GNV Sirio and
GNV Auriga) with which we have
increased our capacity in terms of passengers
and linear metres transportable to
Sicily and Sardinia. We certainly and
constantly look at the market, ready to
seize any opportunities that may arise, but
at this moment we have no plans to open
new lines, instead we aim to consolidate
our historic ones as we have grown a lot in
recent years.
RoPax: Do you work together with
Ventouris ferries in Durres Albania?
How is the constellation?
Matteo Della Valle: No, as regards the
Albania trade we have signed a slot
agreement with Adria Ferries, whilst still
maintaining completely autonomous
commercial and strategic policies.
RoPax: Will you operate with four vessels
around Balearic islands or will you
reduce this season?
Matteo Della Valle: We serve all the islands
of the Balearic archipelago, however about
a year ago we signed a slot agreement with
Trasmed on the Valencia–Ibiza line and
therefore we currently operate with 3
ships, commercially serving all the Balearic
lines from the ports of Barcelona and
V alencia.
RoPax: What are the next new activities?
Matteo Della Valle: The next major
operation is the arrival in October of GNV
Polaris, the first of four newbuild vessels
that will join our fleet by the end of
2026. All new units are characterised by
high environmental and technological
standards. We have also recently made a
First new RoPax of GNV „Polaris“
series of investments so as to increasingly
improve the quality of the journey, such as
installing Starlink antennas for Wi-Fi
connection at sea on almost all our ships,
a notable added value for our segment and
one which allows us to ensure an even
greater optimal customer experience.
RoPax: Thank you for the conversation.
FRS GROUP EXPANDS AGAIN
Following the sale of its largest part of the
business, FRS Iberia to the Danish DFDS
Group, the Flensburg based shipping
group FRS (Fördereederei Seetouristik)
has taken over the shipping company
L‘Express des Îles a leading maritime
company in the Caribbean Sea.
The FRS Group will continue to expand in
the future and the acquisition of French
Guadeloupe-based maritime company
L’Express is just a first step. FRS’s core
business is the operation of passenger ferry
connections at sea or on inland waterways.
One of its core competencies is the operation
of catamaran fast ferries. RoPax spoke
with Moritz Bruns, President of L’Express
des Îles and Managing Director of the
International Division of FRS. responsible
for all global business activities.
FRS has regained an operation in the
Caribbean with the acquisition of the
L ‘Express com-pany, after operating a fast
ferry between Miami and Bimini Island
between 2016 and 2018. The company
L‘Express operates its catamarans under
the French flag, Moritz Bruns sees this as a
positive development, as the ordinance
Fast Catamaran Typ Fjellstrand 600 for Guadeloupe
FRS GNV, New RoPax for GNV
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
08 / MARKET REPORT
spend their holidays at the islands. Moritz
Bruns is confident about the safety concept
at hurricane events. “Since we operate fast
ferries, we can always position the ships
away from the storm in time.”
Fleet of LÈxpress Des Illes and „Stavangerfjord“ of Fjord Line
allows more flexibility on high-speed crafts
than under other flags.
For the past 37 years, the Guadeloupe-based
maritime company L’Express
des Îles has been synonymous with
outstanding and reliable service. Headquartered
at the Bergevin ferry terminal in
Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, the company,
initially known as “Antilles Trans Express
(ATE)” began by offering fast ferry services
between the islands of Guadeloupe, Les
Saintes, and Marie Galante—all French
overseas territories. In 1989, it expanded
services to Martinique and Dominica,
followed by St. Lucia in 1994. Today, the
Moritz Bruns, International Divison of FRS
FRS
company operates three high-speed
catamarans in collaboration with its
subsidiary, “Jeans for Freedom,” serving
multiple national and international routes.
Moritz Bruns explained the first step is to
increase the capacity for more expansion
and more capacity for vehicles. FRS will
put into operation a larger catamaran that
can also carry up to 50 vehicles. With a
capacity to accommodate 428 passengers
in meticulously crafted seating arrangements.
Equipped with an advanced motion
damping system, it ensures a tranquil
voyage, thus guaranteeing an unparalleled
travel experience.
Managing director of L’EXPRESS DES
ILES is Onick DERAVEL. He is happy to
create the development of the company.
With the takeover, FRS stands for securing
and further ex-panding jobs. Moritz Bruns
sees potential to expand the network to the
north and south with further international
connections. In addition, the interisland
freight business will be further developed
for any cargo below the seize of containers.
The company has two high seasons
between December and March and in July
and August when many French citizens
FRS and Fjord Line
PREPARING FJORD LINE
FOR THE FUTURE
After the restructuring, Fjord Line is well
positioned for the next few years. The two
cruise ferries “Stavangerfjord” and
“Bergensfjord” got 2023 new dual-fuel
engines, which can be powered by both
liquefied natural gas (LNG) and marine
gas oil (MGO). The new engines ensure
greater flexibility in operation as price rise.
In a talk with the CEO of Fjord Line Brian
Thorsted Hansen he pointed out 2023 was
a challenging year with the rebuilt of both
vessels at the same time. They got both
vessel in a very good shape back in time
and the yard made a very good job. The
cruise ferries got also in the yard a
brand-new lounge suitable for domestic
travellers between Bergen and Stavanger.
Passengers will have access to comfortable
seats, simple dining, Wi-Fi, and power
outlets. Here you can relax or work while
enjoying a fantastic sea view, describes
Brian Thorsted Hansen.
With the reopening of the two cruise
ferries, Fjord Line has also adapted its
route concept. The connection between
Hirtshals and Langesund has been discontinued.
The two cruise ferries alternately
connect once a day Hirtshals and
Kristiansand whole year round. In the high
season, the catamaran “Fjord FSTR” with
two or three departures in each direction
is added. Brian Thorsted Hansen described
the change is to get much more frequency
on the shortest route between Denmark
Fojord FSTR in Kristiansand
and Norway. They strengthen their
customer offering and in the high season
Fjord Line offers four departures from
both ports. Fjord Line is the only ferry
operator between Denmark and Norway
with such a frequency! Brian Thorsted
Hansen underlined that they are now a
bridge between Hirtshals and Kristiansand.
The cargo business is back on the old level
and most clients sail with Fjord Line again.
Fjord Line also closed its route between
JPE
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
MARKET REPORT / 09
Jadrolinja
Ex Oslofjord new Dalamtja entering Croatia
Sandefjord in Norway and Strömstad in
Sweden. The concept was more a shopping
and duty-free line. The core business of
Fjord Line is to transport passengers and
goods on a high-quality level. The ferry
“Oslofjord” is in a Bareboat agreement with
Jadrolinja and will sail as “Dalamcija” in the
Adria between Italy and Croatia. The ferry
will start its new service in May 2024.
For the season 2024 the pre bookings are
excellent and higher as 2023, Brian
Thorsted Hansen is looking forward to the
upcoming high season. Fjord Line is also
noticing that more Germans are travelling
to Norway and bookings are increasing
every year.
He pointed out: “The discontinuation was
driven by strategic considerations to align
our customer offerings with our vision and
long-term strategy, anchored around
JPE
Fjord FSTR in port of Hirsthals
profitable development of our core
business on the routes between Norway
and Denmark” and “we will strengthen
and extend our customers offerings to
deliver even better, more, and new
customer experiences”.
Fjord Line has led the way in the green
transition at sea, being pioneers within
green shipping and sustainable fuels. This
includes being an early adopter of Liquified
Natural Gas (LNG) technology, which
enables up to 25% CO 2
-svaings and greatly
reduced emissions of sulphur- and nitrogen
oxides. Our fleet has a class-leading
sustainability profile, and we are strongly
committed to use and currently take
advantage of new technologies to meet
requirements for lowering our CO 2
-emssions.
BALEARIA 25 YEARS
AND RECORD RESULT 2023
Baleària transported 5.2 million passengers
in 2023, 1.4 million vehicles and 7.4
million linear metres of cargo in fiscal year
2023, thus exceeding its historical levels
just in the year it cele-brated 25 years
of activity. In the same year, it also
reached a “record figure” in turnover,
which amounted to 652 million euros,
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
10 / MARKET REPORT
which is 15% more than the previous year.
With a fleet of 30 vessels owned, in
addition to a dozen-chartered vessels,
Baleària operated 25 routes in six different
countries. By business areas, it should be
noted that 59% of turnover corresponds to
the passenger area and 36% to freight
transport. In addition, 75% of turnover
comes from domestic routes, while the
remaining 25% comes from international
connections.
In November 2024 new line will open
It is expected that, starting in November
2024, Baleària will connect the Dominican
port of San Pedro de Macorís with the
Puerto Rican port of Mayagüez, on a daily
ferry crossing of 133 miles. Adolfo Utor
owner and CEO of Balearia pointed out,
“This new regular service will be part of
the communication infrastructure and a
key driver for the progress, socio economic
development and connectivity of the two
regions”. He went on to highlight Baleària’s
experience of more than a decade on the
routes it operates between the United
States and the Bahamas. “We have a keen
interest in continuing to expand our
business model in the Caribbean area, an
emerging market with a great deal of
potential”. Baleària plans to invest 100
million dollars in the start-up of this new
maritime link, which will benefit from the
company’s strategic innovation and
sustainability, offering combined transport
for passengers, vehicles, and goods, with
daily and reliable connections.
As part of this public-private project,
Baleària will build a multifunctional
passenger terminal in the port of San
Pedro de Macorís (Dominican Republic)
and will adapt the existing facilities in the
port of Mayagüez (Puerto Rico) to bring
them up to European quality standards.
Both terminals will have a gangway and
finger jetty as well as a ramp to facilitate
the loading and unloading of vehicles.
Second Fast Ferry
The second super-fast ferry “Margarita
Salas” faces its final stretch at the yard
Armon in Gijón, where it has been afloat
since December 2023. In the second half of
May 2024 the new vessel has its relevant
sea trials. It is planned to start the regular
traffic from 15. of June on the Barcelona-
Ciutadella (Menorca)-Alcúdia (Mallorca)
route. The “Margarita Salas” as “G026”
IMO 9969730, increases its GT from the
12,262 of the successful operating sister
vessel “Eleanor Roosevelt” to the 17,769
GT. The propulsion system base on the
four dual Wärtsilä engines of 9,600 kW,
increasing power and efficiency by 10%
compared to the “El-eanor Roosevelt”,
which will allow the “Margarita Salas” to
maintain the 35 knots of service. On the
“Margarita Salas” there is a new passenger
deck and above the bridge the crew cabins
are located. Balearia will cover with this
huge fast catamaran a second fast connection
from mainland Spain to the Balearic
Islands.
Fleet is growing
Balearia expands its fleet by chartering two
vessels from the Grimaldi fleet with an
option to buy. The RoPax ferry “Ciudad de
Mahon” will be sail this season between
Barcelona and Ibiza.
The former “Eurocargo Sicilia” operates as
“EOS” RoRo freighter between Algeciras
and Tangier Med.
Baleària will invest 3.2 million euros in the
2009 built “Passió per Formentera” ferry in
order to guarantee greater comfort,
reliability and sustainability in the connections
made by the vessel on the line of
With the Eleonora Roosevelt, Balearia was able to increase its market share. This year,
a second catamaran „Margarita Salas“ with even more capacity will be put into service.
Balearia
public interest between Ceuta and
Algeciras. The company will allocate 2.7
million euros of its total investment to the
revision and maintenance of the engines,
as well as to the renovation of the ship’s live
work, which will optimize consumption
and reduce the ship’s emissions by 10%.
EMBOTECH, ARNOLD NEXTG
AND TERBERG FORM AN ALLIANCE
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
AUTONOMOUS LOGISTICS SYSTEMS
Embotech, the provider of autonomous
driving systems, Arnold NextG, the
technology advance developer for
multi-redundant drive-by-wire systems,
and Terberg Special Vehicles, Germany’s
leading supplier of special vehicles, are
forming an alliance to develop autonomous
vehicles for use in logistics yards,
ports and other private areas with mixed
traffic.
Terberg Terminal Tractor YT193
The first autonomous vehicle is based on
the Terberg YT193 terminal tractor and is
currently being retrofitted. The YT193 will
be equipped with a multi-redundant
drive-by-wire system and a fully
autonomous vehicle kit. This technology
significantly increases the vehicle’s
operational capabilities and enables
autonomous applications in mixed traffic.
The central control unit from Arnold
NextG offers a vehicle-independent system
solution for fail-safe control of all primary
and secondary functions as well as secured
interfaces for all AD systems. As an
independent advance developer, incubator
and system supplier, Arnold NextG takes
care of the development and implementation
from vision to road approval.
Embotech, the system architect of
the project, is providing the fully autonomous
vehicle kit and its advanced L4
virtual driver, PRODRIVER. The fully
autonomous vehicle kit provides redundancy
for localization and sensing, ensuring
the highest performance in a variety of
weather conditions. PRODRIVER,
Embotech’s industry-leading solution for
autonomous navigation, motion planning,
tracking and control for autonomous or
highly automated vehicles, enables flexible
driving behaviour and precise manoeu-
Terberg
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
MARKET REPORT / 11
vring with a trailer. These features are
critical to the complex traffic environments
in ports.
Since 2021 Terberg has a cooperation with
Fernride for the development of autonomous
operating terminal trucks. The
solution offers compared to Embotech
both teleoperation and autonomous
driving capabilities to ensure a smooth and
gradual transition to full autonomy with a
“human-in-the-loop” approach.
The test vehicle at Embotech is success fully
operating in its field. It is planned to test
the machines to series production
readiness and then offer them ex works as
autonomous terminal tractors.
PORT OF HIRTSHALS GROWTH
Port of Hirtshals has been intensely
preparing for the largest expansion in its
100-year histo-ry, and now it is one step
closer to realization with an EU tender of
around DKK 1 billion. The tender was
open in January 2024. The port expansion
aims to significantly improve the navigation
conditions and optimize the port’s
facilities, allowing even more space for
green energy projects.
With this tender, we take yet another
significant step towards realizing the port
expansion, expected to be completed in
Port of Hirtshals
Port of Hirtshals as artist impression
2027. It once again emphasizes the
substantial development of Port of
Hirtshals, which is intended to support the
port’s crucial role as a central traffic hub
between Norway and Europe and as a key
player in the green transition, where both
the port’s facilities and navigational
conditions will be crucial for the green
transformation, says CEO of Port of
Hirtshals, Per Holm Nørgaard, and
continues: “Together with the recent grant
of DKK 109 million to the Greenport
Scandinavia consortium, working on
establishing Northern Europe’s largest hub
for the storage and shipment of CO 2
, right
here in Hirtshals, we are well on our way to
realizing our green ambitions.”
The port reduces debt significantly
despite huge investments
Even though Port of Hirtshals has made
investments totaling DKK 358 million
over 14 years, the port has reduced more
debt than it has incurred, and within the
Gothenburg
Stockholm
Fast. Flexible.
Helsingør
Copenhagen
Helsingborg
Malmö
Sustainable.
Rødby
Puttgarden
Gedser
24/7/365 ferry operation with 120 departures
between Germany and Denmark every day.
Optimum use of driving and resting times.
Lübeck
Hamburg
Rostock
Berlin
Szczecin
First zero direct
emission freight ferry
under construction.
Read more:
scandlines-freight.com
Fast transit to/from Sweden,
Norway + Finland in combination
with Øresundslinjen Helsingør
– Helsingborg or Øresund Bridge.
Highest transport flexibility and
fast roundtrips of equipment /
access to intermodal rail network
in Rostock.
Hybrid ferries equipped with
rotor sails, noice / C02-reducing thrusters and
other sustainable technologies.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
12 / MARKET REPORT
Port of Hirtshals
next five years, the debt will be halved. This
is shown by a new assessment from Port of
Hirtshals, which has entered into agreements
on the storage and shipment of CO 2
and attracted new companies, increasing
activity levels at the port.
The solid economic foundation at Port of
Hirtshals provides the port with the
opportunity to expand activities in the
coming years. The port has already entered
into an agreement with major cor porations
such as Ineos, Wintershall Dea, Aalborg
Portland, and other partners in Greenport
Scandinavia for the storage and shipment
of CO 2
to empty gas and oil fields in the
North Sea. The project will be the largest
CO 2
hub in Northern Europe and recently
received DKK 109 million in support from
the Just Transition Fund.
The port has also managed to attract
companies – including Norwegian Hydrogen
and Biomega – which are now part of
the positive business development at the
port, and in the coming years, even more
companies will settle at the port to be part
of the collaboration on the production and
consumption of green fuels, which Port of
Hirtshals has established in cooperation
with various companies and crossindustries.
Furthermore, Port of Hirtshals has started
a test train together with DB Cargo
Scandinavia and Nordjyske Jernbaner to
connect Hirtshasl with Dusiburg and other
destinations intermodal in the future.
There is a potential to shift 200.000 units
annually to railway.
The 8.000 lm vessel „Celine“ and (center picture) sister vessel „Delphine“ with Rotor Sail
CLdN
CLdN
CLDN INVEST IN PORTS
AND GREEN TONNAGE
CLdN is a vertically integrated supplier of
nautical links and provides robust and
reliable end-to-end transport solutions.
The CLdN Ro‐Ro network covers shortsea
connections between the European
continent, the United Kingdom, Ireland,
Iberia, and Scandinavia.
After the shipping company has put its 6
RoRo ships of the type H5 into operation
in recent years. In 2022, two more RoRO
vessels with a capacity of 8,000 loading
meters and a hybrid drive based on LNG
were ordered from in Hyundai Mipo
Dockyard South Korea.
The new ships, built in South Korea, will
be equipped with two LNG dual fuel
main engines (ME-GI type) of 11MW each
as well as two electric propulsion motors of
6MW each. In full electric mode the ship
can achieve a cruising speed of 16-17kn.
Both vessels will also be future proofed, to
allow expansion or integration of technological
advancements as time moves on.
Compared with CLdN’s largest vessels
currently in operation, the new ships will
further reduce GHG emissions by 40% and
will be NOx TIER III compliant.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
MARKET REPORT / 13
Value Maritime Carbon Capture System
Strong entry into the Irish Sea
Through the acquisition and integration of
the shipping company Seatruck Ferries,
Cobelfret dominates the RoRo traffic
between Ireland and the UK. Despite
Brexit, the volume has not declined
further, on the contrary, the market is
stable, and you can see volumes coming
back here as well. CLdN operates 6
own ports in Uk, Belgium and the Netherlands.
By the acquisition of Distriport
JPE
terminal in Rotterdam the company
launched a container service to Ireland.
CLdN has chartered two 962 TEU lifton/
lift-off (LoLo) cargo vessels (M/V Pavo J
and M/V Andromeda J) that will ship
container cargo between the recently
acquired Distriport terminal in
Rotterdam and Dublin and Cork. The introduction
of the new LoLo services will
also enable an optimisation of CLdN’s rollon
/ roll-off (RoRo) fleet deployment,
thereby increasing capacity on the routes
between Rotterdam and the UK. CLdN
has grown its presence on the Irish trades
significantly since the inception of its first
cargo service to Ireland in 1999, with the
most recent expansion being announced
in December last year when an additional
3.5 hectares of terminal area were added in
Dublin. Today, CLdN ships some 500,000
cargo units a year to and from Ireland,
making it the largest mover of ferry freight
between Ireland and mainland Europe /
Great Britain. Following the addition of
the new lines, in total CLdN offer 38
departures to and from Ireland from UK
and continental Europe. The Luxembourg-based
shipping company will
continue to expand and further expand its
dominance around Ireland and the UK. In
addition, the company is also investing in
new bulk vessels.
Carbon Capture System with
the most installations
Value Maritime is a young innovationdriven
team of experienced engineers and
financial ex-perts who understand shipping
and the need for new, simple, sustainable
solutions that make commercial and
financial sense. The 2017 founded company
from the Netherlands has de veloped
“Filtree”, a unique system that cleans both
air and water from all ship types and includes
an integrated carbon capture feature
making today’s fleet (newbuild or retrofit)
sus-tainable today and future proof for
tomorrow.
Various parties in the shipping industry
are working on a solution to make shipping
as environmentally friendly as possible,
Value Maritime offers that solution with
the Filtree System and CO₂ Capture and
Storage capabilities!
The Filtree System has been developed
for small and medium-sized ships
based on a new unique technology that, in
addition to sulphur, also filters ultra-fine
particulate matter (ultra fine dust) and
CO₂ from the air. The system ensures that
the PH value of the washing water used is
neutralised and contributes to reducing
the acidification of the seawater. Today
over 30 systems are installed and successful
in use.
Karlshamn
Trelleborg
Klaipėda
Rostock
Travemünde
Świnoujście
Efficient & Reliable Transport Solutions
between Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Sweden
www.ttline.com/en/freight
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
14 / MARKET REPORT
Green House support
Value Maritime’s system is based on an innovative
and patented technology to remove
CO₂ from the vessels exhaust gas. The CO₂ is
used to charge Value Maritime’s CO₂ Battery;
an onboard storage facility which can charge
and discharge CO₂ infinitely. The charged
CO₂ Battery will be offloaded in ports and
transported to CO₂ customers (eg agricultural
sector) who “re-use” the CO₂. After
CO₂ discharge, the CO₂ Battery returns to
the vessel, to be recharged with CO₂; A 100%
circular solution!
MEINE FÄHRE – NEUBAU NIMMT
IN DIESEM JAHR DEN BETRIEB AUF
Die neue Wattenreederei „Meine Fähre“
wird in diesem Jahr ihren Fährbetrieb
zwischen Norddeich und Norderney
starten. Die Reederei Meine Fähre ist ein
Zusammenschluss aus Norderneyer
Hotelier-Familien sowie der Norderneyer
A. und E. Korus-Stiftung. Insgesamt hat
die Reederei zehn Gesellschafter. Die
Familie Brune mit den Hotels Inselloft,
Seesteg, dem Haus am Meer, dem Café
Marienhöhe und der Milchbar haben das
Projekt und die Organisation maßgeblich
mit vorangetrieben. Deutschlandweit
bekannt ist die Milchbar mit ihren
besonderen Events und der Kooperation
mit den DJs Blank & Jones. Der Betrieb
startet in diesem Jahr, da der Bau auf der
Holländischen Werft GS Yard Waterhuizen
sich verzögert hatte. Ein Teilbereich
der Werft hat Insolvenz angemeldet, was
zwischenzeitlich zu Verunsicherungen
geführt hatte. Der Projektbereich, zu dem
die Meine Fähre 1 gehört, ist davon
allerdings nicht betroffen. Es befinden sich
noch weitere Küstenmotorschiffsneubauten
auf der Werft, an denen
weitergearbeitet wird.
Die moderne Autofähre wird unabhängig
von den bestehenden Anlegern der
Reederei Norden Frisia an den in beiden
Häfen fest verbauten Beton-Slipanlagen
verkehren. In Norddeich wird der
Osthafen genutzt. Insgesamt können 90
Passagiere und ca. 27 PKW bzw. 18 PKW
und 5 LKW bis 12 Tonnen befördert
werden. Auf der Meine Fähre 1 können
Personen nur in Verbindung mit einem
gebuchten Fahrzeug transportiert werden.
Ein Zustieg zu Fuß ist nicht möglich. Dafür
hat die Reederei eine zweite, reine Passagierfähre
gekauft – die „Meine Fähre 2“.
Der Passagierbereich auf der Meine Fähre
1 ist hochwertig ausgestattet mit einer
Gästelounge. Auch für eingeschränkt
mobile Personen steht ein Treppenlift vom
Hauptdeck zum Passagierdeck zur Verfügung.
Die Hauptmaschine besteht aus
zwei 447 Kwe Caterpillar C18 IMO Tier III
Dieselmotoren. Zusätzlich sind ein
Heckstrahlruder und ein Bugstrahlruder
verbaut. Außerdem sind zwei Hilfsdiesel
vom Typ 118 Kwe Caterpillar C 7 und Typ
82,5 Kwe Caterpillar C 4.4 an Bord. RoPax
war an Bord und der 50 Meter lange und 13
Meter breite Neubau zeigt sich als sehr
robustes und solides Schiff mit einer
einfachen Struktur. Es werden in der Hauptsaison
von beiden Häfen 4-5 Abfahrten pro
Tag angeboten. Für die Besatzung stehen an
Bord Kammern zur Ver fügung.
Zweites Passagierschiff „Meine Fähre 2“
Die neue Reederei hat noch ein zweites
Schiff dazu gekauft, welches derzeit auf der
Werft umgebaut wird und einen Hybridantrieb
bekommen soll. Die Meine Fähre 2
soll auch zur Hauptsaison als reines
Passagierschiff starten. Sie ist 18 Meter
lang und hat Platz für ca. 42 Passagiere.
Das Schiff war früher in Schweden im
Einsatz und wurde 2005 gebaut. Die Überfahrtszeit
wird 40-45 Minuten betragen.
Ein besonderes Angebot gibt es für spät
Abreisende um 22 Uhr, die so ab Norderney
noch zurück aufs Festland kommen.
An Bord wird das gleiche Gastronomiekonzept
angeboten wie auch auf der Meine
Fähre 1. Die Reederei will sich mit dem
zweiten Schiff besser aufstellen, falls die
Meine Fähre 1 ausfällt bzw. wenn Engpässe
entstehen.
JPE
JPE
ENGLISH SUMMARY
Die neue „Meine Fähre 1“
JPE
The new Wadden shipping company
“Meine Fähre” will start its ferry
service between Norddeich and
Norderney this year. The shipping
company Meine Fähre is an association
of Norderney hotelier families.
The modern car ferry will operate
independently of the existing docks of
the Norden Frisia shipping company
at the concrete slipways installed in
both ports. A total of 90 passengers
and approx. 27 cars or 18 cars and 5
trucks can be transported,. The
shipping company bought a second,
purely passenger ferry – the “Mein
Fähre 2”.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
“Finnsirius”
“Finncanopus”
and
Finnlines’ Superstar Class
Kenneth Karsten
18 / NEWBUILDING
Photos: Bilder Finnlines; JPE; Niko Alakosk
On 13th September 2023 a new era began
for Finnlines on the line between Naantali
(Finland) - Langesund (Aland) and
Kapelskär (Sweden) when the naming
ceremony of the Finnsirius was celebrated.
She was the first newbuilding of the
Superstar Class of Ro-Pax ferries with
sister vessel, the “Finncanopus” being
named some months later, on 14th February
2024, also in Finland. Both ferries
have operated together since mid-February
2024, providing much more capacity,
especially for passengers and cargo.
The ferry service between Naantali and
Kapelskär is still a young ferry route that
was first operated under the name of
FinnLink. In 1989, two old Ro-Pax ferries
were operated on the route between
Uusikaupunki and Hargshamn. Not only
road vehicles, but also trains were transported
on this route. In 1996 the service
was discontinued and Finnlines concentrated
on the Naantali-Kapellskär route,
which was opened in December 1996. The
volume of traffic grew steadily as it is the
shortest connection between Finland and
Sweden. In 2007, Grimaldi became the
largest shareholder in Finnlines and the
company was then geared towards expansion
and growth. Between Sweden and
Finland, Finnlines now holds the largest
share of freight transport. It was Dr.
Emanuele Grimaldi himself who had the
idea of building two large Ro-Pax ships for
the route, with capacity for over 5,200 lane
metres of cargo and 1,100 passengers –
double that of the old ships.
The planning for the two Superstar ships
began back in 2018 when Dr. Emanuele
Grimaldi announced that he would invest
in modern tonnage for Finnlines. Together
with the three new build Ro-Ro vessels
of Finnlines’ Finneco Class, over 500 million
Euro was invested in new vessels. The
construction of the “Finnsirius” began on
1st June 2021 at the China Merchants
Jinling shipyard in Weihai. The improvements
for Finnlines now continue because
Grimaldi will present in 2024 plans for
new Ro-Pax ferries for the line between
Travemünde and Helsinki.
THE BEST RO-PAX CONCEPT EVER
The Superstar-class vessels are 235 metres
long with a beam of 33 metres and a
draught of 7 metres. The ships are the
largest Ro-Pax vessel in the Finnlines fleet.
The optimal load mix is approximately 200
cars and 300 lorries per voyage. The
modern design first created by Knud E.
Hansen was later developed by Grimaldi
and Finnlines’ technical departments
The new Super Star Ferries have a huge dog
outdoor area at the top sun deck
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 19
together with the Finnish Naval Archi tects
and Marine Engineers Deltamarin.
Deltamarin is part of the China Merchants
Group, a Fortune Global 500 corporation.
The involvement of Deltamarin in the
newbuilding project formed part of the
construction contract with the Chinese
shipyard. The passenger facilities on board
are very spacious and of a modern design.
Finnlines, as a shipping company, is entering
a new era here and requires a fresh
concept in passenger service. The new
ships are an indication that the classic
cargo carrier also wants to take over a large
part of the passenger traffic between Finland
and Sweden. It is not for nothing that
the Italian owner looked at the concepts of
the classic competitors a few years ago. The
result is something to be proud of. The interior
was designed by the leading Finnish
interior design studio design Vertti Kivi.
Onboard, passenger and crew cabins are
located on two decks, leaving an open area
at the stern for the transport of freight
units carrying dangerous goods. Decks 9
and 10 comprise the cabin areas and the aft
of both decks have been reserved for
Drivers. A Drivers’ sauna and lounge are
located on deck 10 and both open onto an
outdoor terrace.
A total of 323 passenger cabins offer new
categories and sizes, ranging from the
luxurious sea view suite with a hot tub to
Finnlines
Super Star Class compared with Star Class
spacious family cabins and standard
cabins. Finnlines offers seven different
types of cabins, as well as cabins for dog
owners (and their dogs) and people with
disabilities. In the luxury segment alone,
passengers can choose between three
different cabin types. Whether the Owners
Suite, Junior Suite or Luxury Cabin, all
cabins offer individual amenities. For a
Ro-Pax ship, the choice of cabins is something
special. But it’s more than just the
choice, what sets all the cabins on board
apart from other ferries are the many small
installations in the cabins. From the
“huschi buschi” lighting to the small
pictures and the maritime signs, the cabins
alone are worth the trip. The interior
design draws inspiration from nature and
natural materials, with views of the sea and
archipelago playing a key role in the design.
Large picture windows, seating areas
and a covered outdoor deck connect the
interior with the archipelago views experienced
along the voyage. Like the names of
the new ships, their cabin names have also
been inspired by the starry sky. For example,
you can stay in a Kefeus (Cepheus)
suite or a Cygniys (Cygnus) bow cabin.
LET’S TIE
THE KNOT
For thousands of years, tying the knot has
served as a way for individuals and families
to merge. We are on the same path; to build
steady bonds that thrive from day one and
grow over time. With several conventional
Ro/Ro and Ro/Pax ships currently in port, our
harbour still has the capacity to welcome
more shipping lines and passenger ferries.
Make our port the hub of your logistics
chain and a safe harbour to call home.
Throw us your hawser and submit your
interest to port@ystad.se and we will
find a way forward together.
www.port.ystad.se
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
Pump System for the Scrubbers by Langh Tech and right side the shaft generator from Renk
PREMIUM FACILITIES FOR
PASSENGERS
The passenger facilities consist of seven
cafes and restaurants, a sauna and spa area,
business and lounge areas, a large duty-free
shop, and many other facilities. A top chef,
Henri Alén, has been involved in the menu
design. The Swedish multi-award-winning
Bartender Josephine Sondlo has planned a
choice of drinks that are only available on
the new Finnlines vessels.
Bridge, Captain Ilkka Maunula
The special thing about the passenger
facilities is the choice for every type of
passenger and driver. Situated on deck 12
forward (top deck) is the Stellar Lounge
with a wonderful view on all sides. Here
you will find a bar and plenty of space for
business travellers and passengers who
want to enjoy the sea voyage undisturbed.
Access is only possible if you pre-book and
pay a surcharge, but drinks and small
snacks are included in the price.
Additionally on Deck 12 is a conference
room and Micke’s à la carte restaurant,
both located in the forward section. Finnlines
offers a very good selection of
high-quality dishes and, above all, wines.
The service is equivalent to a high-quality
à la carte restaurant and is very personal.
Located aft on deck 12 is a Surfer Bar with
inside and outside facilities like the Stars
Bar, plus a large play area for children and
an area for dogs. The Spa Höyry area is another
highlight on deck 12 with three in-
JPE
side jacuzzies and one outside. This area
invites travellers to relax and enjoy the
view. The Spa Höyry Bar is located next to
the spa area.
Located forward on Deck 11 is the Cargo
Buffet, which is next to the Fisherman’s
Restaurant. Here a free flow concept in
combination with a bar offers all kind of
food, including for veggie fans and burger
lovers. The bars have a lot more choice
compared to other Finnlines ships. The
staff had to undertake additional training
to use the different glasses for the many
types of beer and drinks. Midships on
Deck 11 is a huge duty-free shop, sited
next to the information desk. Aft on Deck
11 is the very cosy bar and entertainment
lounge that sometimes offers live music,
but the highlight is the 90-degree corner
screen at the stage. Finnlines has filmed
and recorded musicians from Finland and
Sweden, who are projected onto the screen,
and this gives the feeling that they really
are live on stage. It is a wonderful concept
to entertain passengers without live actors.
CREW AND PERFORMANCE
The crewmembers are accommodated in 64
cabins and their facilities include a goodsized
gym and sauna as well as a separate
mess and dayroom. The crews are mainly
from Finland and Sweden. The new ferries
are very powerful and good to manoeuvre
in wind and ice situations. A total of 13
crewmembers work in the engine room and
the machinery concept is based on redundancy
with enough capacity to operate with
Engine control room
only two main engines running. Today the
ferries are in port 3-4 hours and the main
cargo type is accompanied trucks. The loading
and unloading process need only take
20 to 45 minutes in general. The typical
Scandinavian Road trains are dominating
the cargo trade. The main revenue is the
freight and the godmother of the “Finn-
JPE
JPE
sirius” is Tiina Ahola, Chairman of the
Board of Ahola Group, one of the main
cargo clients of Finnlines. So, it is no wonder
that the “Finncanopus” was christened by
Mrs. Katariina Nurmi, the wife of CEO DB
Schenker Nordics Petteri Nurmi.
GRIMALDI’S PROVEN HYBRID
TECHNOLOGY CONCEPT
The vessels have the highest ice class, 1A
Super, and operate under the Finnish flag.
Several state-of-the-art technologies
enable Finnlines new Superstar vessels to
meet high environmental standards.
Grimaldi has started to implement air
l ubrication systems, battery systems for
zero emission in port, special hull coatings,
optimised propellers, exhaust scrubber
systems and shaft generators in the ship
designs. These technologies reduce both
emissions and fuel consumption. The
results are very good and, on one voyage of
eight hours, each vessel only consumes 16
tons of fuel.
The ships operate through the sensitive
archipelago, and this requires a quite
modest service speed. Instead of simply
sailing slowly, the Finnsirius and Finncanopus
have a specifically tailored propulsion
system that takes account of low
speeds without compromising propulsion
efficiency. The route through narrow and
shallow archipelago waters sets its own
hydrodynamic challenges, and the hull
shape is designed to navigate the fairways
with both minimum energy consumption
and minimum environmental impact in
these special conditions.
Wärtsilä supplied four Wärtsilä 46F
engines along with transverse thrusters, a
hybrid solution, and a state-of-the-art
electric package as one unified, fully
integrated solution for the Finnlines newbuilds.
The hybrid shaft generator system
uses a fully integrated multidrive capable
of driving the shaft generators in both
directions as motors and/or generators.
Having a shaft generator reduces fuel
consumption and costs while also cutting
carbon emissions.
The Wärtsilä package also includes the
thrusters and thruster control system, as
well as a highly efficient energy management
system that controls the flow of
energy between different power sources,
thus optimising performance. The system
enables the vessels to operate emission-free
whilst in port, using either 5MWh batteries
or shore power.
“We are excited to have these features
onboard the Finnsirius and have high
expectations for fuel economy and reduced
air emissions,” says Juha Ahia, Finnlines’
Project Manager for the Superstar newbuildings.
As mentioned above, the ship is equipped
with a shore power connection, which is
an alternative energy source in the port,
meaning zero emissions and lower noise
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
levels during port calls. Shore-side
electricity also facilitates the charging of
the lithium-ion batteries onboard,
enabling the use of clean shore-side
electricity at sea. An auto-mooring system
in all three ports ensures faster mooring,
further reducing air emissions.
Other energy-saving technologies onboard
the Finnsirius and Finncanopus include
air quality controlled variable speed fans in
the cargo hold ventilation system, waste
heat recovery in machinery cooling
systems, cold seawater utilisation in air
conditioners, air quality-controlled air
conditioners and lighting control.
Photos: JPE and Finnlines
1
2
BEHIND A GREAT PROJECT
The quality of the interior design and all
the workmanship on board is very high.
The new ships show how quality shipbuilding
has developed in China, but the
whole project was especially successful
thanks to its implementation by the Finnlines
and Grimaldi teams on site.
Finnlines’ Newbuilding team has worked
together with Grimaldi Group’s experts to
create the most environmentally friendly
vessel ever to operate in the Baltic Sea. The
experienced shipbuilder Juha Ahia, Project
Manager for the Superstar newbuilding,
Pasi Väänänen, Technical Superintendent,
and Kristiina Uppala, Onboard Concept
Development Manager, have ensured that
the commonly set targets have been
achieved during the design and construction
phases.
Shipbuilding is a collaborative project and,
in addition to the Weihai Shipyard, it has
engaged many equipment and system
suppliers. Several European suppliers, and
in particular Finnish suppliers, have been
involved in the construction of the stateof-the-art
vessel. The share of European
suppliers is over 40 per cent with the main
suppliers including Wärtsilä (main
engines, bow thrusters, hybrid drive
system), Kongsberg (propulsion and
steering gears), Hyundai Himsen (auxiliary
engines), Saacke (exhaust and oil fired
boilers), Langh Tec (hybrid exhaust gas
scrubbers), Auramarine (fuel supply
units), Alfa Laval (purifiers and ballast
water treatment), Silverstream (air lubrication),
MacGregor (cargo access equipment),
KONE (elevators), Heinen &
Hopmann (air conditioning), Sperry
(navigation system), Novenco (cargo hold
ventilation), Consilium (fire detection),
Marioff (fire extinguishing), and R&M
(interior TK) and many others. JPE
8
3 4
5 6
7
1. Promenade deck
2. Duty free supermarket
3. Huge sauna
4. Entry to the duty free supermarket
5. Comfor Sea view Cabin
6 Stellar Lounge with working area
7. Barrel Bay Bar
8. Double Lux Cabin
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
22 / DATA SHEET
Finnsirius
JPE
FINNSIRIUS SHEET
Designer:
Owner:
Operator:
Knud E. Hansen
Finnlines PLC, Komentosilta 1, FI-00980 Helsinki,
Finland
Finnlines
Yard: (Contract) China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
Weihai, China
Yard No.: W0276 | Classification: Freight-Passenger /Ro-Pax
Flag:
Finland | Port of Registry: Mariehamn
Date of delivery: 18th July 2023 | Sailing Time: 8-9 Hours
Service: Kapellskär (Sweden), Langnäs (Åland) and
Naantali (Finland)
PROPULSION
Main engines:
4x 7,200kW W6L46F Wärtsilä Italia S.p.a
diesel engines
Hybrid Shaft Generator: 2x VFD
Battery Manufacturer: Corvus Energy
Battery Type: Orca Energy Storage Solution
Battery Capacity: 5,096 kWh
Propulsion Gear: Twin screw propulsion, CPP Propellers
Gearboxes: Twin-speed reduction gearboxes
Auxiliary Engines: 3 x 2,750kW (Hyundai Himsen)
Total Power Output: 8,250kW
Exhaust Gas Emission Abatement: Inline hybrid type by Lang Tech
Fuel:
Marine Diesel Oil
Bow Thrusters: x3 | Rudders: x2 | Stabilisers: x2
Design Service speed: 21 knots | Optimum Speed:16 knots
PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS
Length Overall: 235.60 m
Length Between Perpendiculars: 217.70 m
Beam:
33.30 m (moulded)
Hull Depth: 9.90 m (to Deck 3)
Hull Draught: 7.00 m (Design)
Deadweight: 12,540 t | Gross tonnage: 65,692 gt
Displacement: 26,126 t | Net Tonnage: 26,126 t
Ice Class: 1 A Super
CARGO ACCESS
Stern ramps:
Deck 3
2x 15.3m long incl flaps 6m + 9m wide approx.
Deck 5: 1x 15.3m long incl flaps 19m wide
Bow ramp Deck 3: 1x 19.5m long incl flaps 6.4m wide
Side ramp (s): n/a
Internal ramp(s): Deck 3 to 5 | Deck 5 to 7
PASSENGER CAPACITIES
Total capacity: 1,148 (Pax) | Accommodation: See Remarks
Cabins: 323 (Pax) | 64 (Crew)
Beds:
1,008 berths
Crew:
64 Crewmembers
REMARKS
Grimaldi Group Superstar Class | Ordered: 16th December 2019
Construction Began: 1st June 2021 - steel cutting
Keel Laying: 1st April 2022 | Launched: 30th August 2022 | Sistership: Finncanopus
Vessels Replaced in Fleet: Europalink (Finnsirius) and Finnswan (Finncanopus)
Classification: Rina C AUT-UMS, BWM-T, COMF-NOISE-B;
COMF-VIB-B, GREEN PLUS; HVSC-NB; ICE CLASS 1A SUPER; INWATERSURVEY; SRTP;
SYS-IBS; SYS-NEQ1; TAS | Decks: 12 | Each 7,200kW output Wärtsilä 6L46F main
engine is 8,470mm long, 3,500mm high and 2,905mm wide. The cylinder bore is
460mm, the piston stroke is 580mm and the output per cylinder is 1,200kW. The operating
speed is 600rpm and the weight of each engine is 97 tonnes.
The Finnsirius was christened on 13th September in Naantali. Tiina Ahola, representing
the Ahola Group, acted as the godmother. The naming ceremony celebrated Finnlines’
and Ahola Group’s long-standing co-operation and commitment since both have served
Finnish trade and industry as main carriers.
Silverstream Technologies air lubrication system fitted. that creates a rigid carpet of
micro-bubbles under the keel of the vessel.
Interior Design: dSign Vertti Kivi
Deck 10: Driver’s Lounge/Restaurant, Driver’s Terrace area and the Driver’s Sauna.
Deck 11: Cargo Buffet (Self Service); Fish Market & Grill (Bistro), Café and Bar, Arcade
area mid-ships, Finnlines’ largest Duty-Free Shop (approx. 400m2), a Kid’s Area and
Guest Services, Barrel Bay Bar & Tapas Restaurant plus the Barrel Bay Terrace.
Deck 12: Stellar Lounge, a Duty-Free Corner and Me & Co. Meeting Rooms, Micke’s
Wine & Dine (à la carte restaurant)
Cabins: The Owner’s Suite brings a whole new level of comfort to ferry travel in the region
along with the LUX category. Other cabin grades are the Friends & Family Seaview;
Friends & Family (Inside); Comfort Seaview; Comfort Seaview for Pet use and Comfort
(interior). Special Thanks must go to Anna-Liisa Perttilä, Group Communications,
Finnlines Plc, for all their invaluable help with information and images, plus Folke
Osterman and Kenneth Karsten for kindly supplying exterior images.
CAPACITY OF HOLDS DECK-AREA IN SQM DECKLOAD (TON / SQM) FREE HEIGHT CARS 5.5M LANE METRES FOR TRAILERS TRAILERS
Hold Deck 1: 910 4.95m 303lm
Main Deck 3: 5,075 6.00m-9.00m 1,700lm
Upper Deck 5: 4,730 7.50m 1,600lm
Car Garage Deck 7: 4,860 3.50m approx. 1,652lm
Mezzanine Deck 8: 8x panel sections - Not supplied
Total: 15,575 Not Supplied 200 5,255lm 300
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
DATA SHEET / 23
24 / INTERVIEW
Grimaldi Group –
Ro-Pax Newbuildings
and Best Results Ever
Naples-based Grimaldi Group, a world leading Ro-Pax and
Ro-Ro Operator, achieved the best result in its history for
the year 2023, building on the results from 2022. The
family-owned company is in the process of preparing its
next major new ship orders.
New Ro-Pax ships are planned for the
Mediterranean and for the Baltic Sea and
the special feature of the newbuildings will
be the propulsion system: Grimaldi is
concentrating on methanol for the
emission-free operation of its new passenger
ships. The group has ordered 17 Pure
Car & Truck Carrier newbuildings with
ammonia-ready propulsion in China over
the past two years. The shipping company
is in a strong position and is looking at
expanding more into the growing Asian
market. With the new Ro-Pax ships and its
entire newbuilding program, the Grimaldi
Group is also a leader in the ferry and
Ro-Ro shipping industry for the introduction
of emission-free ship operations. Dr.
Emanuele Grimaldi is proud of the
operation of the 12 Grimaldi Green 5th
Generation (GG5G) class Ro-Ro vessels,
which will be joined by two more by the
beginning of 2025. The ships offer more
than a 50% reduction in carbon intensity
compared with previous generation Ro-Ro
vessels. Finnlines’ new superstar ferries
“Finncanopus” and “Finnsirius” are also an
example of optimized ship operation with
lower emissions and a much larger
capacity.
RoPax met Dr. Emanuele Grimaldi,
Managing Director of the Grimaldi Group
and Chairman of ICS (International
Chamber of Shipping), in Naples and
spoke with him about the next developments.
„Cruise Sardegna“and „Eco Italia“
Grimaldi Group Philippe Holthof
RoPax: Dr. Grimaldi how was the year
2023 for the Grimaldi Group?
Emanuele Grimaldi: It was the best year
ever in the history of the Group!
RoPax: Again? In our previous interviews
over the last few years, you have
always said it was the best year, and I
have the feeling that your company`s
results are increasing more and more.
Congratulations!
Emanuele Grimaldi: The best performing
company in the Group was Grimaldi
Euromed, followed by Grimaldi Deep Sea.
Minoan Lines improved and we saw a
small improvement also in Trasmed; Finnlines’
performance is still positive but not
as good as in the past, as the company suffered
a lot from the ongoing geopolitical
crisis.
The war in Ukraine has had a big impact
on the economies of the most industrialised
countries of Europe, including
Germany. Here in the south, the economies
of Italy, Greece and Spain have
suffered less and are relatively better
positioned today.
RoPax: Are your vessels crossing the Red
Sea?
Emanuele Grimaldi: The presence of the
Italian navy in the region helps us keep our
schedules and deliver goods on time. But
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
INTERVIEW / 25
we pay a lot more in terms of insurance for
our vessels in this area.
RoPax: How do you see the ETS system?
For Finnlines’ route between mainland
Finland and Aland you don’t have to pay
ETS. Isn’t this unfair for people travelling
to and from Europe’s large islands,
for example in Italy or Spain, where the
system is applied?
Emanuele Grimaldi: Everybody who is
sailing to islands with less than 200,000
inhabitants is exempted from ETS. For
example, no exemption exists for islands
such as Mallorca, Sicily or Sardinia.
What is absurd is that we, maritime operators,
are paying for the ETS despite competing
with road transport, which produces
more GHG emissions than sea transport.
RoPax: What is your position as Chairman
of ICS (International Chamber of
Shipping) representing 80% of the world
merchant fleet? Is ETS an unfair tax
which will jeopardise the development of
shipping in Europe?
Emanuele Grimaldi: Let me be clear on
this issue: being a regional measure, the
EU ETS will only cover about 7.5% of the
world’s shipping GHG emissions, the latter
having a tiny share of 2% of global
emissions caused by human activities: at
the end of the day, this means addressing a
negligible 0.15% portion of all GHG
emissions produced globally.
“ETS – Carbon emission
is a global issue and should
be addressed globally.”
Instead, at ICS, we asked to reach the net
zero emission target – one year in advance
before the IMO did – and we proposed a
global measure to achieve it.
Our suggestion is the “Fund and Reward”
system. The fund would be obtained by
taxing, for example with USD 50.00, each
tonne of fuel consumed. With a total of
250 million tonnes of fuel consumed yearly,
this is equivalent to about USD 10
billion. Half of this amount would go to
the developing countries which are the
main victims of the ongoing climate
change, and which could produce green
fuels. The remaining half of the money
could be given to the pioneering shipowners
who use modern carbon-neutral
fuels.
For example, traditional fuels cost about
USD 500.00/tonne, while the price of new
fuels is USD 1,000/tonne. 80% of this extra
cost could be reimbursed to those
shipowners who use hydrogen, methanol,
Grimaldi Group
„Atlantic Sea“ in Liverpool
or ammonia. I think the cost of these new
fuels will fall by economy of scale. But if
the cost doesn’t decrease, you need an
increase in state funds of 55%-100%. It
would be good to give the money to the
producers of the new fuels to produce
more competitive and cleaner fuels. If you
start to take the methanol from gas it is not
fossil free. If you do it from garbage, it is
good.
Dr. Emanuele Grimaldi together with J.P. Eckmann
RoPax: Could you produce this fuel from
wood and forestry?
Emanuele Grimaldi: Only from used
timber, not from the forest. Probably we
can even do it from the collection of
emissions. Even from carbon capture you
can produce these fuels. The renewables
can produce hydrogen. Here I refer to
carbon capture not on the vessels, I mean
shore production in refineries.
You can buy the certificates of carbon
capture and use them together with the
normal fuel: if you buy more carbon
capture and you use good fuel, then you
will become “carbon negative”.
Today there are technologies available
ashore to capture carbon which are much
more effective than using all the systems
on board ship.
JPE
RoPax: Last year you indicated your
plans for a responsible and pragmatic
solution, are you continuing with this?
Emanuele Grimaldi: We discussed this
regarding the EU-ETS: a responsible and
pragmatic solution is the “Fund and
Reward” system. Firstly, funds should be
collected to be spent on environmental
projects on a global scale. One such project
is the production of new green fuels.
Secondly, and this is very important, you
should reward the early backers of these
fuels for bearing the cost of operating
emission free technologies.
As a shipping company, we think that
Europe has made a big mistake in introducing
the EU-ETS. With regards to the
port industry, if there is a convenient
non-European feeder port, which is
therefore exempted from the payment of
ETS, ships and cargo will clearly go there.
This is why we say that greenhouse gas
emissions are a global issue and should be
addressed globally.
RoPax: What do you think about the
upcoming systems from all scrubber
manufacturers to capture carbon on
board by 30 or 40%?
Emanuele Grimaldi: Some experts say this
carbon is totally harmless and can be used
in many ways. For example, it is very useful
for insulation in houses.
RoPax: A company is selling the captured
carbon as a fertilizer for plantations but
then the carbon is not completely
captured because it will go back into the
atmosphere again via the plants.
Emanuele Grimaldi: Fertilizers today are
produced by using 250 million tonnes of
ammonia. The problem is how you
produce this ammonia. One way is via the
Haber-Bosch system, which is very
polluting. In the future it should be
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
26 / INTERVIEW
produced by green energy like solar panels
and wind. If you use this energy to produce
green ammonia, thus combining renewable
energy, then you have a nice type of
fuel.
“We will use ammonia on
Ro-Ro ships and methanol
on Passenger Ferries.”
RoPax: Ammonia is a little bit toxic in its
use and handling.
Emanuele Grimaldi: This is why we considered
in the early years to use ammonia
only on Ro-Ro ships and methanol on
passenger ships. That is our strategy for the
coming years.
RoPax: How will the classification society
Rina certify the safety of the new vessels?
Emanuele Grimaldi: The first thing is that
the ventilation system of the engine room
must be totally isolated, and the machinery
spaces must be operated remotely.
People will be sitting on the bridge like on
highspeed craft. With no ventilation you
will have no contamination. We believe
ammonia is the best hydrogen carrier
which can be produced with less energy
and stored under pressure at ambient temperature
and not at cryogenic temperature.
RoPax: Your newly ordered ammoniaready
PCTC vessels will come into
service in the next few years.
Emanuele Grimaldi: These PCTCs will be
a success. However, it is not good that
people feel that ammonia is not available
today. We are already working on the
transformation of the shipping industry.
Finneco 3 one of the successful GG5G class RoRos of Finnlines
Finnfellow the first Finnlines RoPax in service at the new line between Malmö (Sweden)
and Świnoujście (Poland)
Ports and shipowners must work on it as
well, while engine manufacturers must
offer new engine types and retrofit the
existing ones. Today it is not wishful
thinking, it is possible, and we are doing it,
but the world is not ready. Any delay in
progress has nothing to do with the
shipowners.
Grimaldi Group
RoPax: Now you must pay ETS as from
this year, but ammonia is not yet ready
for use as a fuel, how is your position
with regards to this unfair situation?
Emanuele Grimaldi: ETS risks both
making Europe less competitive and
provoking a modal backshift from sea to
road. The EU should start taxing road
transport, the most polluting mode, rather
than a less polluting alternative. Otherwise,
the risk is to bring trucks from the
sea back to the road. This is extremely
dangerous.
Secondly, motorways of the sea connecting
islands of over 200.000 inhabitants will be
subject to ETS. This will put these islands
in a very difficult situation because they
are already located in peripheral areas,
they have extra costs for the import and
export of goods. Some of these islands’
maritime connections are publicly subsidised:
it is a nonsense that operators who
get subsidies for providing such services
must pay ETS-related costs back to the
State.
Then, there is also a legal issue: are we sure
that we can impose a European tax outside
our waters and our sphere of economy?
When a vessel is crossing the Red Sea it
must pay. Why do we want the money of a
vessel navigating outside of Europe, probably
polluting Arab and African countries?
Why should we enforce an EU regulation
when our ships pollute elsewhere, outside
Europe, in another jurisdiction? We are
saying to the Chinese companies when
they are passing that we want their money.
How easy is it for this traffic to go to a
non-European port and avoid our ports?
Let’s not forget that through the EU ETS
we are addressing only 7.5% of the world’s
shipping GHG emissions…
Why are we so in a hurry as Europeans instead
of addressing the issue globally? The
global solution is via the IMO, and there
we have a very good Secretary General
who is working on this issue. The IMO has
agreed to reach the 2050 zero emissions
target. We are fighting against other systems
considering the IMO has already introduced
a special fuel standard. We will
have better fuels. We will have 5% of biofuels
in use soon, and this percentage will
increase.
JPE
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
INTERVIEW / 27
RoPax: Are you talking to Brussels about
adjusting this system?
Emanuele Grimaldi: Yes, we are in contact.
As ICS, we hope to convince the EU to
review their position. But we know that
ECSA and many national associations are
in the front line to achieve such a result.
“Poland – Sweden
is operating.”
„Great Abidjan“ naming and delivery ceremony hosted by Diego Pacella,
President of Grimaldi Deep Sea S.p.A.and Amelia Grimaldi.
Grimaldi Group
RoPax: Congratulations, in April you
opened your new service between
Świnoujście and Malmö. I think you have
fought for a long time to get permission
for this. Do you see a change in Poland
with the new government?
Emanuele Grimaldi: We hope so. Anyway,
we have finally started our operations
between Poland and Sweden, and this has
improved the competition.
RoPax: Do you also see a change of cargo
volumes on the east corridor route via
Poland to the North?
Emanuele Grimaldi: Now that our new
service has finally started operating, we
keep seeing a high potential in this traffic.
RoPax: Let’s have a look at the Irish Sea.
Are you still successful with your line
between Zeebrugge and Rosslare and how
do you see the market development there?
Emanuele Grimaldi: To be honest, I am a
little bit disappointed with the fact that a
lot of trade between Europe and Ireland is
still transiting through the UK before
entering European countries. It is like
Brexit did not happen. We expected that
Irish cargo would move without passing
through the UK. This is not the case. In
fact, 65-70% of the cargo to and from
Ireland is still passing through the UK.
Ireland is considered as a small region of
the UK market. It is not going as we had
expected. Currently, 20 ships are operating
between the UK and Ireland and only
7-8 ships are operating directly between
Ireland and the European mainland. This
is the reality.
Although we are satisfied with the results
of our Zeebrugge-Rosslare service, we
expected the European business to grow
more. We did not expect that important
cargo volumes would keep transiting via
the UK. Why should cargo from France or
Italy go to Ireland via the UK? The fact is
that distributors to Ireland are mostly
located in the UK and will distribute from
there to Ireland. I cannot understand
why, unfortunately, the logistics are not
changing.
➔ On our webpage www.ropax.de you
can read the complete interview with
Emanuele Grimaldi.
MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF
HIGH-FREQUENCY DATA
FOR YOUR FERRY BUSINESS
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
28 / NEWBUILDING
Manxman
Hybrid Douglas-max ro-pax
for Isle of Man lifeline service
In August last year, the Isle of Man
Steam Packet Company replaced its
Heysham-Douglas route mainstay,
“Ben-my-Chree”, by the hybrid dieselelectric
“Manxman”. This handy-size ropax
ferry has been specifically designed to
provide reliable year-round lifeline services,
boasting methanol-ready engines.
The Isle of Man is heavily dependent on
imports from mainland Britain with
Heysham being the main gateway to the
island. As per its Sea Services Agreement
with the Manx Government, the Isle of
Man Steam Packet Company (IoMSPCo)
has the exclusive rights to use the linkspans
in Douglas, the island’s sole port
with ro-ro facilities. Shortly after its
mid-2018 takeover by the Isle of Man
Government, the IoMSPCo decided to
replace the 1998-built “Ben-my-Chree” as
the primary ‘lifeline ship’. A typical 1990s
off-the-shelf platform from Dutch builders
Van der Giessen-de Noord, “Ben- my-
Chree” had been ordered when the IoM-
SPCo was still under Sea Containers
ownership. While the vessel served its
purpose, it definitely had its shortcomings,
including a lack of decent passenger
facilities.
PURPOSE-BUILT PLATFORM
A new Sea Services Agreement between
the IoMSPCo and its owner was signed
in spring 2019. In return for the exclusive
use of the island’s linkspans, the Manx
Government required the company to
invest in a new vessel to guarantee robust
sea links with its neighbours throughout
the year. So, the new Sea Services Agreement
provided the contractual criteria for
the design and characteristics of the
newbuild ferry. The draught limitations in
Heysham and the length limitations to
turn within the tight confines of Douglas
determined “Manxman’s” hull envelope.
As per its Sea Services Agreement, the
IoMSPCo had to squeeze 1,250 freight
lanemetres and at least 800 passengers in a
compact ‘box size’. To meet peak demand,
especially during the TT Races and Manx
Grand Prix, the IoMSPCo further increased
the number of passengers to 949.
With the parameters set and all the boxes
of the Sea Services Agreement ticked, the
ferry operator went out to a number of
naval architect firms to tender for the
concept design and concept specification
works, a job eventually awarded to
Houlder. For the construction of the
133.25m long and 25.70m wide “Manxman”
no fewer than 17 shipyards in both
Europe and Asia were approached, but it
was Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) that
eventually landed the GBP 78 million
contract.
1
VEHICLE DECKS
As the Isle of Man hardly exports goods,
freight is typically moving in one direction
only with most trailers returning empty to
the mainland. So, one of the lessons
learned from “Ben-my-Chree” was to have
enough ballast capacity and heeling tanks
to assist with the loading. Another novelty
is the flexibility to load passenger cars and
trailers simultaneously. Particularly for the
Heysham-Douglas overnight crossing, car
passengers want to get on board as soon as
practical. To meet this demand, a 22-car
hoistable car deck has been installed on the
upper vehicle deck. Car passengers who
prefer a longer night rest in their cabins
will have their car parked on this hoistable
deck, arriving first and leaving last.
1. View from portside bridge wing.
2. Fully enclosed bridge.
3. Loading in Heysham.
4. To reduce fuel consumption, „Manxman“
has a shallow funnel with latticework.
Photos: Philippe Holthof
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 29
The somewhat ‚stocky‘ looking Douglas-max „Manxman“.
Miles Cowsill
2 4
3
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
30 / NEWBUILDING
As most trailers are shipped unaccompanied,
there is no drive-through access with
a single stern ramp connecting the
661.9-lanemetre Deck 3 with the linkspan.
Thanks to the increased deck height, 4.9m
high trailers can be stowed on both decks
3 and 5 which are interconnected by a
hoistable ramp. The 636.4-lanemetre
upper deck is open at the aft, allowing for
the stowage of certain categories of
hazardous goods.
Photos: Philippe Holthof
3
4
5 6
1
2
THE HYBRID ELEMENT
Although not a government requirement,
it was the IoMSPCo’s desire to operate a
vessel with the lowest possible emissions
footprint, also guaranteeing zero emissions
in port thanks to the ship’s own 3.146
MWh energy storage system (ESS). The
lithium-ion batteries are charged at sea
using peak shaving, being charged to 85%
during the last part of passage and manoeuvring.
As there is no LNG supply in
this part of the Irish Sea, LNG was never
considered as an alternative fuel with
“Manxman” burning low sulphur MGO.
However, the ship’s propulsion pack is
methanol-ready with only a small part of
the piping that needs to be replaced. To
comply with Safe Return to Port (SRtP)
rules, the four gensets are stowed in two
separate machinery compartments with
one Wärtsilä 8V31 and one 10V31 in each
compartment. The gensets have an output
of 4,880kW and 6,400kw, respectively at
750rpm and 100% MCR. The engine
room’s aftmost compartment contains two
electric propulsion motors which each
have a 7,850kW maximum propulsion
power, driving the controllable pitch
propellers via Wärtsilä gearboxes.
A TASTE OF THE ISLE OF MAN
Probably the biggest improvement from a
passenger perspective concerns the
accommodation with more and far better
facilities, a higher space ratio and double
the number of cabins, including balcony
cabins. The interior design is the work of
SMC Design whose team spent a lot of
time to study the Isle of Man’s rich heritage
and culture with facilities named after
‘touch points’ around the island.
Passenger facilities are concentrated on
decks 7 and 8 but forward on Deck 6 there
is a pet exercise area integrated into the
covered fo’c’sle, connecting to kennels that
are housed in the side casings.
Forward on Deck 7 is the Cornaa Café, the
ship’s main lounge that gives direct access
to the side casings used by embarking/
disembarking foot passengers. Deck 7’s
midship section narrows due to the MES
1. Niarbyl Lounge forward on Deck 8
2. Deck 7 aft bar
3. Barrule Lounge
4. Self-service restaurant
5. Balcony suite
6. Injebreck Exclusive Lounge.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 31
7. + 8. Bridge
9. One of two battery rooms
10. Engine control room
11. Wärtsilä genset
12. Upper vehicle deck (Deck 5)
7 8
and fast rescue boat stations on either side.
This open plan section holds a walkthrough
shop with information desk on
the portside and a children’s play area to
starboard. Just abaft the shop is a quiet
family zone with corridors on the starboard
and port side of the casing leading to the
open plan aft section with central galley
and store rooms. The Eatery self-service
restaurant to port connects seamlessly
with The Bar to starboard.
On Deck 8, the aft fire zone boasts the
124-seat Barrule Premium Lounge on the
port side and the Executive Club Lounge
to starboard. The 42-cabin area is located
midships with twin corridors leading to
the Niarbyl reclining seat lounge forward.
Just aft of Niarbyl, on the centreline, is the
windowless Injebreck Exclusive Lounge
with 26 fully reclining seats. Forward on
Deck 9 is the bridge with the SRtP bridge
located on Deck 10, below the mast. The
rest of Deck 9 is taken by crew cabins and
facilities. The starboard part of the aft open
deck is passenger accessible, yet the
portside open deck is for the crew only.
Philippe Holthof
9
11
10
12
Scandinavia’s largest RoRo port
Port of Trelleborg is Scandinavia’s largest RoRo port for rolling traffic, one of Sweden’s five
core ports designated as strategically important by the EU, as well as Sweden’s only port with
rail ferries. The port is an important node for Sweden’s import and export, and thus has an
important meaning and role for the climate transition of freight transports.
The investment and expansion of Port of Trelleborg makes it possible to meet future volume
increases of freight, significantly increase the capacity with intermodal freight transports,
freight by rail and the ability to receive the next generation of RoRo vessels, so-called Green
Ships, with less climate impact but significantly greater capacity. With the new ferry berths
number 11, 12, 13 and 14, the freight flows can be handled even more efficiently. Port of
Trelleborg is well equipped to handle the increasing freight volumes and passenger traffic of
the future in a competitive way.
www.portoftrelleborg.se
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
32 / INTERVIEW
Manxman
Andrew Cooke
MANXMAN DATA SHEET
Operator: Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. Ltd
Yard: (Contract) Hyundai Mipo
Dockyard, South Korea
Yard No.: 8311
IMO No.: 9917244
Classification: Lloyds Register
Flag:
Isle of Man
Port of Registry: Douglas
Date of delivery:11 th May 2023
Service: Heysham-Douglas
Douglas-Belfast
Douglas-Liverpool
PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS
Length Overall: 133.25 m
Length Waterline: 122.00 m
Beam:
25.70 m
Hull Depth: 8.60 m (to Deck 3)
Hull Draught: 5.60 m
Scantling Draught: 5.80 m (max)
Air Draught: 36.24 m
Deadweight: 3,096t
Gross tonnage: 24,161gt
Displacement: 12,483t
Net Tonnage: 7,248 nt
PROPULSION
Main engines:
Fuel:
2x Wärtsilä 8 cylinder (4,880Kwh) &
2x 10 cylinder (6,100Kwh)
Marine Diesel Oil
Hybrid Battery Capacity: 3Mw
Propulsion Motors: 2x Wärtsilä 7,850kW
Propulsion Gear: 2x Sets of 2 Wärtsilä Nickel Aluminium Bronze CPP
4,300mm diameter each
Steering Gear: 2x High Lift Becker Rudders –
Max. angle 65 degrees
Thrusters: 3x Wärtsilä Bow Thrusters
Service speed: 19.25 knots
CARGO ACCESS
Stern ramp(s): (l x w)
Not Supplied
Bow ramp(s): Stern Loader Only
Side ramp (s): n/a
Internal ramp(s): Hoistable Deck 3-Deck 5 + Mezz Deck
Lift (s): 3 (Passenger)
Lane Width: 3.10m (average)
PASSENGER CAPACITIES
Total capacity: 949 passengers
Accommodation: Located on Decks 7 & 8
Cabins:
42 (Pax) | 53 (Crew)
Beds:
140 (pax)
Crew:
51 crewmembers
REMARKS
Keel Laying Date: 24th December 2021 | Launch Date: 14th June 2022
Hybrid Diesel Electric Propulsion System
Clear Height Deck 5 under deployed Mezzanine Deck: 4.90m
Classification: +100A1, Roll on - Roll off passenger ship, ShipRight (ACS(B)), LI,
*IWS, +LMC, BWTS, UMS, NAV1, IBS, Hybrid Power, PCAC 2,3 with descriptive note:
ShipRight (MPMS, DIST(M), IHM, SCM, SRtP, SERS)
6x Cabins equipped with balconies. | Family Area | Shop
7x lounges including 1x Reclining Seats, 1x Dog Owners Lounge, Exclusive Lounge/
1x First Class and 1x Executive Members Only. | No. of Decks: 10
3x Stern Deck Areas – Deck 7 Public/Deck 8 First &
Executive Lounges/Deck 9 Public & Crew Areas | Crew Accommodation – Deck 9
Built as a Douglas/Heysham-max design – the largest dimensions for operation
in both ports. | Steering Gear: Kongsberg
Passenger and bunker station doors, Stern ramp, Hoistable ramp, Ramp,
Hoistable car deck: MacGregor
Pax Cabins: (42 Total) | Outside: 18x | Inside: 10x
Balcony: 10x | Accessible: 6x | Pet Friendly: 4x
Freight Driver: 2x (6 berths per cabin)
CAPACITY OF HOLDS DECK-AREA IN SQM DECKLOAD (TON/SQM) FREE HEIGHT CARS LANE METERS FOR TRAILERS TRAILERS
Tank top: n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Main Deck 3: Not Supplied Not Supplied 5.20m 155 666lm n/a
Upper Deck 5: Not Supplied Not Supplied 5.20m 107 623lm n/a
Weather Deck: n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Mezzanine Deck: n/a n/a 2.40m 18 n/a n/a
Total: 280 1,289lm 75
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
DATA SHEET / 33
34 / REPORT
Marko Stampehl
Wasaline – well positioned
for the green future
Wasaline introduced 2021 its low emission ferry “Aurora
Botnia”. The line developed very successfully between Umeå
(Sweden) and Vaasa (Finland). The RoPax vessel is today
one of the best solutions to operate emission free in the
future.
The next step is to study the possibilities
to rebuild an engine to a greener propulsion
system. The target for the innovative
ferry company is to be able to operate
emission neutrally in 2030. RoPax spoke
with Peter Stahlberg the CEO of Wasaline
about the next steps and the new cargo
corridor from continental Europe via
Sweden to Finland.
RoPax: You have reported good transport
figures but a little less in cargo how
is the situation actual do you have a fully
booked vessel when the people go to
winter holiday?
Peter Stahlberg: Yes, during winter holidays
we had fully booked departures. In
general, winter time is really well booked
and after many years winter traveller volumes
have been growing continuously.
These people are going to the Swedish Lapland
for skiing and winter activities. A lot
of people from this area in Finland and
even from the south are using this route
with us to Sweden.
RoPax: Do you see an effect that is more
attractive to go to Sweden due to the
currency exchange rate?
“We also see more
and more German
passengers using
our ferry”
Peter Stahlberg: Yes, the Swedish krona is
quite low and people found out that they
can buy wine or beer in Sweden because
the Swedish tax is a little bit lower. I got a
comment from a passenger that they are
comparing prices and that it is cheaper to
go with us to Sweden to buy alcohol than
going all the way via Åland with tax free
lines. I mean it’s not cheaper on the ferries
anymore.
RoPax: How is your pre booking situation
for 2024?
Peter Stahlberg: We have some percent less
booking than last year. But the main businesses
we see today are the conference
guests. We had the strikes in Finland and
e.g. a lot of big paper factories have had
layoffs. Cargo is growing again. The LNG
prices are at 24 to 25 Euro per Megawatt
and the diesel fuel is at 70 Euro. I’m happy
that we have a dual fuel operating ferry.
When the gas prices were over 150 Euro
per Megawatt and the diesel was about 50-
60 Euro per MW hour, we used diesel as
main fuel. Today we do whatever is needed
to reduce the emissions. We have budgeted
ETS at 90.50 Euro per ton. Now it is
60-70 Euro per ton. I’m sleeping well even
if we have a small dip on the passenger
side. We also see more and more German
passengers using our ferry and the German
bus groups are increasing
RoPax. How will Wasaline effected in
2024 by ETS system? In this year 2024 we
speak only 40% of your CO 2
emissions
will be tax.
Peter Stahlberg: I had a presentation some
days ago for my crew. I said that we will
benefit from the ETS. I mean that when we
made the budget, we calculated €90 per
ton. We haven’t either used any fuel surcharge
for the passengers. Of course, we
had the challenge with the fuel prices, but
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
INTERVIEW / 35
we put quite a big amount for passengers
and cars, so I have not got any bad feedback
because it’s quite transparent. The
ETS is about €60-70 per ton. We have an
efficient vessel where we reduced CO 2
with
5% per voyage even in wintertime. We are
mainly using only 1.4 of the engines, which
is very good instead of all 4 generators.
This year we will benefit from the ETS.
RoPax: What are you plans in the next
years to reduce more CO 2
do you have
something where you can adjust more at
“Aurora Botnia”?
Peter Stahlberg: We got money from our
owners for research about the next huge
plans, which will be realized in 2027. This
would mean that we wouldn’t have to pay
anything for the ETS. A lot of projects are
going on. In Umeå in Sweden there is a
company, which will start to produce
methanol in 2026-2027, and the final decision
will hopefully be made later this year.
The company will first install a production
unit in Örnskoldsvik. They will set up a
production facility together with Umeå
Energy. It means that then we could have
the opportunity to use locally produced
energy with short transportation costs. We
have started a project with the specialists,
where we investigate different possibilities
to convert one or more generators to use
CEO Peter Stahlberg
for instance Methanol or to add more
batteries on board. Today we have 2.3 MW
batteries on board.
RoPax. You will increase the battery
capacity up to which size?
Peter Stahlberg: We know more about it
after the studies to obtain the most optimal
capacity. That’s why we are doing this study
to see how much battery capacity we can
add that we don’t have to rebuild the
existing charging stations in the ports. We
are studying what is the maximum we can
get and of course you don’t get them 100%
Wasaline
Along
Every Voyage
Many improvements done and the development work continues.
We are ready – when you are ready for Travel and Transport.
We bring people and goods together
to boost sustainable growth.
portofhelsinki.fi
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
36 / INTERVIEW
charged during the half an hour to one
hour stop in the port. But during the night
we are staying longer in the ports meaning
that we then depart with full charge. It is
still unclear what the level of Methanol will
be and the rules are still not in force with
for instance the pooling. It is very difficult
to calculate the ROI and the OPEX but one
thing is for sure, our goal is to be a forerunner
in the Industry.
“In the future we will not
use any fossil fuels.”
RoPax: I think it is very interesting that
you are investigating for instance to
rebuild one or two engines to methanol,
and you can get local your methanol,
that is a very good situation and much
better to transport methanol by truck or
rail long distances to the port.
Peter Stahlberg: I think we are getting
more and more autarky with this system to
generate our resources to operate the
vessel from local sources. Today, when we
look at the situation if for example the Kiel
Canal is closed or we have problems in the
traffic up to Gotland to get our oil to
Finland, it is much better to have local
methanol production to operate our vessel.
We also have a new cargo solution where
we can have multimodal transports to
Gothenburg connecting to trains from our
ferry. There are several companies having
train connections to Umeå and the traffic
is growing instantly. We work in close
cooperation with logistic companies like
Nurminen and ferry operators like TT. In
the future we will not use any fossil fuels.
This transit traffic will increase and we are
prepared, and in the future we have no
The new green alternative transport to Finland
via Sweden with TT Line and Wasaline
CO 2
emissions. If the Russian market will
come back, we will see much more opportunities
for more cargo and traffic also to
China and Japan by train.
RoPax. Are you building up an alternative
for transports from Continental
Europe via Sweden to Finland?
TT-Line
View from the bridge
Peter Stahlberg: Yes. If you look into the
future the cost for all the small vessels to
operate will be much higher. Small ships
have let us say 10 containers in and out in
one port. You can unload them in the
South or West of Sweden to the rail. In
Sweden they have a very good rail network.
That is a totally green transport then to
continue with our ship let us say in 2027
when we have totally emission free
operations: Green transports are growing
bigger and bigger and everybody wants to
do green transport, but nobody wants to
pay for it. We have one logistics company,
Ekeri, who has done the next step to
integrate us in their network by having
totally green transports.
RoPax. I saw that your cargo volumes
were a little bit decreased last year
because due to the Russian effect.
Peter Stahlberg: Yes, our export is plus /
minus. The decrease is caused by lower
export of paper. We transported a lot of
special paper from the factories in Sweden,
but the demand has decreased. There is a
stable volume for cardboard. Our Russian
cargo volumes were about 3% of our whole
volume and now it’s 0 %. Our market share
between Finland and Sweden has grown
even if we had a little bit less cargo. The
intermodal cargo by train is growing
constantly and it means that we will have
more feeder traffic here. The signals are
good.
I often say that Wasaline will not become a
rich company because of our income but
because we are efficient. We have to watch
all costs all the time. We have a very small
organisation, a small crew and quite a few
people in the office. We have so many
brains on board so let them work – what I
mean is that we don’t have to manage
everything from the office.
➔ On our webpage www.ropax.de you
can read the complete interview with
Peter Stahlberg.
JPE
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 37
38 / INTERVIEW
Headquartered in Västerås, a prominent
port situated on the shores of Mälaren
Lake in the Stockholm metropolitan region,
Lakeway Link is poised to redefine
maritime logistics. In a recent interview
with CEO Fredrik Hermansson, RoPax
gained insights into the company‘s innovative
approach.
RoPax: Your new maritime service
presents an intriguing solution. Could
you elaborate on your partnership with
Wallenius and Greencarrier?
Fredrik Hermansson: Wallenius and
Greencarrier, both privately owned
entities, epitomize a shared ethos rooted in
family ownership. Wallenius boasts a
distinguished pedigree with affiliations
such as Wallenius Wilhelmsen and
Wallenius SOL, alongside collaborations
with UECC and NYK in Japan. The collaboration
between Wallenius and Greencarrier
arose organically, driven by mutual
values and a shared commitment to
sustainability. This alliance seeks to
harness waterways as a viable alternative
for cargo transportation, particularly
considering recent challenges like adverse
weather conditions and driver shortages
across Europe.
Introducing Lakeway Link:
The New RoRo Route
Connecting Poland to Sweden
Lakeway Link is set to inaugurate a distinctive maritime route
between Poland and Sweden dedicated to cargo transportation.
This route will link Gdynia to Södertälje, with plans to
extend service to Västerås through the scenic Mälaren Lake.
The maiden vessel on this route, the RoRo ship „Miramar
Express,“ will be rechristened as the „Lakeway Express.“
Lakewaylink
RoPax: Despite the vessel‘s capacity to
accommodate up to 12 drivers, you‘ve
opted against having them onboard.
Could you shed light on this decision?
Fredrik Hermansson: Our decision is
consistent with our overall environmental
goals. “Lakeway Express” has room for
drivers, but our focus is to minimize
emissions and maximize efficiency. We see
a future where collaboration takes place
between different truck transport companies,
alternatively the companies have
their own stationary drivers in both
Sweden and Poland, like those that have
already started to be implemented by
several companies during the covid-19
pandemic, which make operations more
efficient. As pioneers on the East Coast, we
aim to complement initiatives taken by
companies such as DFDS on the West
Coast. By prioritizing Port-to-Port
solutions based on unaccompanied truck
transports, we strive to optimize our
environmental footprint.
RoPax: How do you perceive competition
with existing Polish operators,
given their emphasis on RoPax services?
Fredrik Hermansson: There‘s minimal
overlap in our respective markets. While
Polish operators cater predominantly to
passenger traffic, our niche lies in, RoRo,
and project cargo. Our strategic departure
points from Södertälje and later Västerås
set us apart, ensuring efficient handling of
trailers and project cargo. We‘re committed
to delivering exceptional service
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
INTERVIEW / 39
tailored to the unique demands of our
clientele.
RoPax: Will Lakeway Link target cargo
from companies like Scania and Volkswagen
based in Södertälje?
Fredrik Hermansson: Absolutely. Our
discussions with various stakeholders,
including Scania and Volkswagen, have
been promising. However, fostering robust
partnerships with freight forwarders and
logistics operators remains paramount.
Our eco-friendly shipping solution resonates
with forward-thinking businesses
seeking sustainable alternatives.
“Our robust schedule and
vessel capacity underscore
our commitment to meeting
the region’s burgeoning
cargo demands.”
RoPax: When is the anticipated launch
date for your service?
Fredrik Hermansson: We‘re aiming for a
May 2024 debut. The „Lakeway Express,“
currently undergoing modifications
following dry dock maintenance in Spain,
will soon adhere to our stringent Lakeway
Link standards.
CEO Fredrik Hermansson
Fredrik Hermansson: Lakeway Link and
Wallenius SOL operate as distinct entities
with no partnership. Our focus remains on
establishing our own presence within the
maritime industry.
RoPax: What strategies will Lakeway Link
employ to attract the Polish market?
Lakewaylink
Fredrik Hermansson: We‘ve appointed a
dedicated sales manager in Poland to
spearhead our outreach efforts. By offering
competitive tariffs and engaging with local
stakeholders, we aim to capture market
share across the eastern corridor. Our
robust schedule and vessel capacity underscore
our commitment to meeting the
region‘s burgeoning cargo demands.
RoPax: Are there plans to develop intermodal
connections in Sweden or
Poland?
Fredrik Hermansson: At present, our focus
lies solely on port-to-port connections.
While intermodal solutions remain an
intriguing prospect for the future, our
organizational structure necessitates
prioritizing our core service offerings.
RoPax: Your website hints at future
expansion. Could you elaborate on
Lakeway Link‘s growth trajectory?
Fredrik Hermansson: Undoubtedly, expansion
is on the horizon. Our owners are
eager to explore additional opportunities
in line with our overarching vision. While
consolidating our presence in the Mälaren
region remains our immediate priority, we
remain receptive to potential ventures that
align with our strategic objectives.
RoPax: Thank you for your insights.
•
RoPax: Given the vessel‘s vintage, are
there plans to retrofit it for reduced
emissions?
Fredrik Hermansson: Absolutely, Upgrading
the ship to minimize emissions is a priority.
While we initially researched charter
options to no avail, we purchased Lakeway
Express due to a lack of suitable vessels. Although
the size presents challenges as we
do not enter Lake Mälaren at present.
The ship is too big but will be able to
handle the new restrictions when the new
lock, which is under production, is ready
in 2026. We hope to be able to enter
Västerås in 2026.
In addition, we develop designs for new
vessels tailored to Lake Mälaren specifications,
aptly named „Mälarmax“.
RoPax: Will Lakeway Link receive
subsidies similar to Gotlandsrederi from
the Swedish state?
Fredrik Hermansson: Subsidies have been
discussed internally but we haven‘t made
an active decision to review the possibilities
so far. We launch our service regardless
of subsidies or not.
YOUR TRANSPORT.
Besuchen Sie
uns auf der
Breakbulk Europe
Stand B11-C11
in Halle B1
Auf uns ist Verlass. In Sachen Pünktlichkeit, Sorgfalt, Sicherheit.
Für Sie finden wir Wege, die perfekte Anbindung und passgenaue
Lager- und Transport-Lösungen für Ihre Projekte.
Ihr größter deutscher RoRo-Hub an der Ostsee:
Hochfrequente Seeverbindungen in den Norden – Ihr Tor nach
Skandinavien und ins Baltikum
Auf Schiene oder Straße – Ihre multimodale Anbindung
nach Mittel- und Südwesteuropa
Alles aus einer Hand – Ihr Logistik-Partner auf ganzer Strecke
RoPax: How does Lakeway Link work
with Wallenius SOL, if at all?
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
JPE
NEWBUILDING / 41
P&O Pioneer
A real game-changer
True to its name, the Guangzhou Shipyard
International-built “P&O Pioneer”
introduces many firsts on the English
Channel. Besides being the first
double-ended ferry on the Dover Strait,
P&O Ferries’ new flagship also pioneers
the hybrid element.
Although P&O Ferries had already contemplated
a double-ended design in the
early 2000s, it only surfaced again shortly
after the so-called Ship of the Future
project kicked off in 2017. When the
Spirit-class sister ships were ordered in
2008, alternative fuel options for large
ro-pax ferries, let alone hybrid technology,
were still few and far between. Not surprisingly,
this resulted in a conservative
approach with a conventional propulsion
plant of four main engines and four
auxiliaries.
Like the Spirit-class, the new Ship of the
Future or Fusion-class has the ability to
hoover up freight and cars at peak times,
but this is where any comparison ends as
the design of the newbuilds started from a
blank canvas. While all design options
were open, building an improved, ‘lessons
learned’ Mk II version of the Spirits was
never an option as P&O Ferries was poised
to build a best-in-class Channel ferry with
the lowest possible emissions footprint per
transported truck and car. As the project
gained momentum and with Denmark’s
OSK Design selected to take care of the full
design package, all the dos and don’ts as
well the pros and cons of a single-ender
versus a double-ender design were carefully
analysed with the latter being the
preferred solution. A double-ended
platform with the duplication of wheelhouses
doesn’t come cheap but the fuel
savings generated by eliminating up to ten
daily 180-degree ‘off the berth’ turning
manoeuvres during at least 20 consecutive
years outweighs the extra cost to build a
double-ended ferry. The hybrid dieselelectric
propulsion system with four ABB
Azipods is yet another additional cost that
ultimately pays off in the longer term on
account of lower maintenance costs.
BUILDING IN CHINA
At 47,653gt, the 230.5m long and 30.8m
beam “P&O Pioneer” and sister ship “P&O
Liberté” are the world’s largest double-
All photos in this article: Philippe Holthof
View from Calais-end bridge // Bridge with Kongsberg‘s K-Bridge integrated navigation system //
Dover-end bridge and funnel
ended ro-pax ferries. As both Flensburger
Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) and Remontowa
Shipbuilding had a proven track
record of building double-enders they
were logically on P&O Ferries’ radar. There
were also long negotiations with Damen
and the Dutch shipbuilding group was the
only European yard to remain in the
running until the very end. When DP
World recommended its subsidiary to take
China into consideration, P&O Ferries
started negotiations with Jinling Nanjing
and Guangzhou Shipyard International
(GSI). Other Chinese yards were also in
the mix but a EUR 260 million double
order was eventually signed with GSI in
September 2019.
BATTERIES AND AZIPODS
“P&O Pioneer’s” engine room compartments
occupy the best parts of decks 1 and
2. Midships, a ballast water room on Deck
1 and storerooms on Deck 2 separate the
Dover-end from the Calais-end engine
rooms. Each engine compartment holds
two very compact Wärtsilä 16V31 fourstroke
medium speed engines. The
22- nautical-mile stretch of water between
Dover and Calais warrants a full-electric
operation, providing the ports offer
charging facilities. While the Port of Calais
invested in a brand new outer port, it
didn’t provide Onshore Power Supply
(OPS) ifrastructure, something critical in
the future maritime energy mix. As an
OPS system is also lacking in Dover, “P&O
Pioneer’s” 1,160 individual XALT Energy
batteries are charged when power demands
from the gensets are below 85 to 90 per
cent. This is during arrival in port, at berth
and when leaving port. Located in four
battery rooms outboard of the B/5 double
skin on Deck 2, the lithium-ion NMCgraphite
batteries deliver a combined
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
42 / NEWBUILDING
2
3
1
power of 8.816MWh. The 17.6-knot design
service speed can be achieved utilising two
generator sets or one generator and the
batteries with a 15- minute autonomy. This
means that any one generator can be
removed from service for maintenance
whilst still adhering to the Safe Return to
Port (SRtP) rules.
“P&O Pioneer’s” four ABB Azipods are of
the compact DO1600 type rated at 7.5MW
each.
With energy efficiency at the heart of the
design, the Fusion-class also boasts a waste
heat recovery system while its power
management system uses software to turn
off the lighting and ventilation in empty
areas, as well as optimising the utilisation
of engines, batteries and energy recovered
from waste heat.
5
4
6
VEHICLE DECKS
On a short route like Dover-Calais, it is
paramount to find the right balance
between lanemetre intake and time at
berth. The 2,741-lanemetre cargo capacity
of the Spirit-class was deemed optimal and
a further increase of freight capacity would
have come at the expense of port
turnaround times. So, instead of further
increasing the lanemetre intake, OSK
Design and P&O Ferries looked at ways to
maximise and further optimise freight
vehicle capacity. The free deck height of
the uppermost car deck, Deck 7, has been
increased to 3.6m, allowing for campers
and vans to be parked here. This frees up
much-needed freight space on decks 3 and
5. To speed up unloading/loading operations,
the fixed ramps leading to Deck 7 are
wider and shallower than on the Spirits.
For the same reason, vehicle deck lighting
has been improved with LED lighting used
throughout. Up to 182 cars can be stowed
on Deck 7 while the eight-lane decks 3 and
5 have a freight capacity of 1,314 and 1,278
lanemetres, respectively. On Deck 5, up to
12 accompanied trailers with hazardous
goods can be stowed on the three lanes
fore and aft of the accommodation.
7
8
PUBLIC SPACES
Although Finland’s dSign Vertti Kivi & Co
provided a draft interior design, P&O
Ferries decided to keep the whole design
package under one roof, appointing OSK
Design’s interior architecture division for
9
1. „P&O Pioneer“ boasts 1,160 individual XALT
Energy batteries
2. Engine control room
3. The diesel-electric „P&O Pioneer“ has four
very compact Wärtsilä 16V31 four-stroke
medium speed engines
4. Main vehicle deck
5. Food Market, the main grab and go restaurant
on Deck 8
6. One of the quiet lounges on Deck 9.
7. Calais-end commercial drivers lounge on Deck 9
8. Protruding double-height windows in the
midship Food Market
9. Dover-end Club Lounge on Deck 9
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 43
the interior design. As these ships are here
to stay for at least 25 years, OSK Design
deliberately chose a timeless yet cosy
design that meets contemporary simplicity.
All of the ship’s heavy foot traffic areas
have highly durable vinyl flooring rather
than carpet. The vast sundecks that are
wrapped around the fore and aft sections
are covered with Herculan Marine
EcoTeak’s easy to maintain seamless flooring,
an environmentally friendly alter native
to genuine teak flooring. These well-protected,
glass-screened open decks are a welcome
change from earlier cross-Channel
ferry generations with ample fixed lightweight
seating and fur niture.
As port stays are typically very short, all
public spaces have been designed with
easy and quick cleaning in mind. For
instance, all swivel chairs self-move back
into position – ceiling-hung toilet partitions
don’t require components to be
mounted on the floor, allowing for easy
floor cleaning.
The general arrangement of the passenger
decks, decks 8 and 9, follows a symmetrical
plan on Deck 8 while Deck 9 is somewhat
asymmetrical, holding the ‘destination
venues’. Two full-width stair lobbies divide
each deck into three fire zones. Accessed
from the Dover-end stair lobby, the large
duty-free shop occupies the entire aft
part of Deck 8. Its mirror view forward,
accessed from the Calais-end stair lobby, is
the 287-seat boutique-style The Lounge
Bar. The restaurant facilities are concentrated
in the midship section, characterised
by its signature cantilevered glass
curtain wall on either side. This is also
where the ship’s main hub, the 410-seat
open plan Food Market, is located. The
starboard side (when Calais-bound) is
open 24/7 as it holds the guest services
desk with bureau de change and the main
children’s playroom – one of three playscapes.
One deck up, on Deck 9, located between
the Dover and Calais-end stair lobbies is
The Kitchen on the starboard side and the
commercial drivers’ restaurant facilities to
port. The Kitchen is a new catering
offering, serving fresh hot fast food on an
‘order to collect’ basis. The facilities for the
commercial drivers extend forward with a
plush lounge accessed from the Calais-end
stair lobby. Just aft of the commercial
driver’s restaurant is the quiet lounge
section – one lounge boasts 90 reclining
seats, the other one 107. Adjacent to the
smaller of the two quiet lounges is the Club
Lounge. Offering a premium experience in
a high-end ambience, the Club Lounge
boasts a dining area with food and drinks
buffets as well as a relaxation area. The Pet
Lounge forward on Deck 9 completes the
passenger facilities. Philippe Holthof
Port of Hirtshals
Port expansion providing new
opportunies in Hirtshals
Thorlakshofn
Seydisfjordur
Thorshavn
Bergen
Stavanger
Kristiansand
Larvik
Optimise your logistic operations with our future
port expansion, offering increased cargo
facilities, larger water depths and a
new entrance, which combined will
enhance the North European
infrastructure to support
the growing transport
demands.
PORTOFHIRTSHALS.COM
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
44 / DATA SHEET
P&O Pioneer
Philippe Holthof
P&O PIONEER DATA SHEET
Owner: DP WORLD FRANCE SAS
Operator: P&O Ferries
Yard:
Guangzhou Shipyard International
Location: Guangzhou, China | Yard No.: 19121007
IMO No.: 9895161 | Ship Type: Ro-Pax Ferry
Flag: Cyprus | Port of Registry: Limassol
Ordered: 26 th September 2019
Steel Cutting: 15 th October 2020 | Keel Laid: 21 st December 2020
Launched: 2 nd January 2022
Date of delivery:28 th February 2023 | Service: Dover-Calais
PROPULSION
Main Generators: 4 × Wärtsilä 16v31 diesel engines
30,000kw/40,240hp
Propulsion 4 × 7.5MW ABB DO1600 Azipods
Total Power Output: 30 Megawatts
Emergency Generator: Stamford (Cummins) PM73481
Battery Packs 8.80 MWh battery capacity
(6,960 cells in 290 subpacks)
Battery Manufacturer: XALT Energy (Freudenberg Group)
Shaft Generator: n/a
Fuel:
ULSFO & MGO (can run on either)
Fuel Capacity: 1,048m 3
Propellers: 4 x 5 blades, 4.00m diameter
Pods (Thrusters): 4x ABB Azipod DO1600-S2300 –
MCR 4 x 7500kW (4 x 10,060HP)
Stabilisers: Hunter Marine - 12m2 per fin. 2 sets –
one for each direction
Service speed: 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h/23.9 mph)
CARGO ACCESS
Bow + Stern
Access: Clam Shell Doors Hinged Weather
Width: 9.40m Deck 3 Doors
9.60m Deck 5
Max Ramp Load:
n/a
Deckload: See Remarks | Lane width: See Remarks
PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS
Length overall: 230.50 m | Length b.p.: 216.816 m
Beam:
30.80 m (moulded)
Hull depth: 9.80 m (moulded) | Hull Draught: 6.70 m
Displacement 27,836.1 t (maximum)
Windage: 5209.6 m 2 (at 6.70m draught)
Deadweight: 11,500 DWT | Gross tonnage: 47,653 GT
Net tonnage: 16,754 NT
PASSENGER CAPACITIES
Total capacity: 1,500 passengers
Passenger Seating: 1,642 (internal) 487 (outside decks)
Passenger Spaces: 9,800sqm
Facilities: Club Class, Pet Lounge, Quiet Lounges, Self Service
Accommodation: Restaurant, Driver’s Restaurant and Lounge,
Bar Lounge, Café.
Cabins: 71 (Crew) | Beds: 115 (Crew)
Decks 12 | Crew: 115
REMARKS
Trailer Weight (max): 46t
Axle Load: 2.0t/sqm on Deck 3 & 5.
0.5t/sqm on Deck 7
Deckload (max): Deck 3 – 2,650t; Deck 5 –
2,540t; Deck 7 – 500t
Lane width: 3.2m/3.0m (Decks 3 & 5)
2.4m (Deck 7 car garage)
Fusion Class
The world’s largest double-ended vehicle ferries
Maiden Voyage:19 th June 2023 | Project Cost: £220 million/EUR 260 million
Sea trials commenced from Nansha 23 rd September 2022 (4 days),
13 th November 2022 & 24 th December 2022-8 th January 2023.
Delivery voyage commenced 3 rd March 2023 via Singapore (7 th March),
Colombo (11 th -12 th March), Suez Canal (20 th March), Limassol (22nd March),
Gibraltar (27 th March), Poole Bay (30 th March), Sandown Bay (1 st /2 nd April), Dunkerque
East (4 th April 2023). Sistership: P&O Liberte (Delivered: 29/11/23; Arrived Dover
1/3/24; Entered Service (Freight) 16/3/24; Entered Full Passenger Service 19/3/24)
P&O Pioneer Named 26/7/23 at Dover’s Cruise Terminal 1. The ship’s Godmother was
Georgiana Woods | Ship’s Master for both delivery voyages: Captain Simon Moore
Special Thanks must go to the P&O Ferries Press Office, Captain Simon Moore & Bram
Provost for all their invaluable help with information and images.
CAPACITY OF DECKS DECK-AREA IN SQM DECK FREE HEIGHT (NET) DECKLOAD (TON/SQM) CARS TRUCKS/TRAILERS LANEMETRES
Tanktop:
Main Deck 3: Not Supplied 5.00m 77 1,319lm
Mezzanine Deck: n/a n/a n/a n/a
Upper Deck 5: Not Supplied 4.80m 76 1,278lm
Car Garage Deck 7: Not Supplied 3.60m 194 1,066lm
Total: See Remarks 258 (max) 153 3,812lm
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
DATA SHEET / 45
46 / INTERVIEW
RoPax: How was your company effected
by the Ukraine war and the missing trade
to Russia?
Niclas Martensson: If we are looking into
different areas for Stena Line, one of the
toughest areas is the Baltic Sea. We see two
reasons; the war is affecting the macro
business in the world and the interest rates
because people are not spending so much
money. For example, the reduced activities
in the building industry and the wood
industry. We need a kind of different
understanding, and we hope the market
will be back in some years. At the same
time the market is going down and we see
other operators coming in and fighting for
volumes with lower prices.
Stena Line
The fresh refurbished Stena Britannica
Stena Line expand!
Stena Line had a good year in 2023 overall. The shipping
company is well positioned in the Baltic Sea, the UK and
Ireland. As a result of Brexit, Stena Line has not been able
to record any losses, traffic between Ireland and the UK is
stable and is increasing again somewhat. Stena’s strategy
is not to buy its customers, but to invest in ports and infrastructure.
The family-owned company is currently
building a new port in Immingham.
Stena Line has ventured into the Mediterranean
and bought a 49% stake in
AML (African Morocco Link). Management
has been monitoring the market
for a long time and sees great potential
for the future in the region. RoPax spoke
with Niclas Martensson, CEO of Stena
Line.
RoPax: How was the year 2023 and the
start into 2024 for Stena Line?
Niclas Martensson: 2023 was a quite good
year. We saw volumes coming up in a
decent level. From a customer perspective
it was a good year. Stena line as all other
companies were really fighting with higher
costs. When it is coming to salaries, spare
parts, and the total cost of the interest
rates. It was a good market year but from a
cost perspective most of us had tough
times. It was the first time we really saw the
full year effect of all prices increased of
2022.
Niclas Martensson, CEO of Stena Line
Stena Line
RoPax: We got the information that
some operators lost in 2023 between 7%
and 5% volume between the continent
(Germany and Poland) and Sweden. Can
you confirm that?
Niclas Martensson: We will not comment
that it is the fortune we are not listed at the
stock exchange and will not publish our
traffic volumes. I think we see different
parameters. With the investments we have
done in Poland with “Stena Estelle” and
“Stena Ebba” and keeping “Stena Spirit”
there we have increased the capacity and
frequency and of course that is a kind of
driving the volume. Poland is a quite good
area, even it is very close to the other Baltic
countries. When it is coming to Germany
2023 there were both ups and downs. We
have a very tough competition to and from
Trelleborg. We also have products that
others cannot really compete with because
we increased our railway business. Our
line between Kiel and Gothenburg is
moving quite good.
RoPax: If we look at your business
around UK and the new line between
Liverpool and Dublin you are very
successful and expanding your activities.
Do you have no Brexit limitation in your
business?
Niclas Martensson: The entire UK we
haven’t seen that drop in the economy
between UK and Ireland. Ireland has the
highest GDP growth as a country, and it is
mostly based on services. That brings them
on a higher consumption. UK came out
well after Brexit and the unemployment
rate is going down which means it is even
more expensive people earning more
money and consumption is good. We have
a quite stable market on a good level to and
from UK. Yes, we have opened a new route
between Dublin and Liverpool. Previously
we had one logistic hub that was in Belfast
there are three routes going in and out to
Belfast. We operate seven vessels there.
With the new route we have a logistic hub
in Liverpool because we operate two routes
there and we have a logistic hub in Dublin
where we also operate two routes. We have
now three logistic hubs instead only one
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
INTERVIEW / 47
and that is creating massive improvement
for our cargo customers to share the trailer
and the cargo. We are very happy and
proud to have another route in the Irish
Sea. We have done huge investments in
new ships, and we have also done very big
position moves in investments in ports in
UK. It is easy to say we are big, and we have
a good market. We are doing impressive
investments in the region. It doesn’t come
from alone you have to be in the forefront
to invest and we have now a strong position
in some ports in UK. We are building
a new port in Immingham.
“We have done huge
investments in new ships,
and we have also done
very big position moves
in investments in
ports in UK.”
RoPax. You are moving from Kilingholme
to Immingham with your lines?
Niclas Martensson: We have done it partly.
It is today our Europort service who is going
to Immingham and Hoek van Holland
line will also move there. We will have
there another hub. Many competitors have
invested in logistic companies in acquiring
customers. We are more investing in
infrastructure and then trying to be as
attractive as possible to the customers they
go with us.
Chartered RoRo vessel „Bore Song“ at the new line between Liverpool – Dublin
happy with the good old ship and she is
well maintained. But what happened in
Rosslare from Brexit until now is just crazy.
When everybody has seen the same
kind of leading star. There we see overinvestment
and over capacity and everybody
thought they should be the most
successful company. Quite interesting to
see how kind panic movements the market
did over short term. I mean we had three
departures out of Rosslare before Brexit
now we have five. They continue to build
as the trend should continue. I am sure we
will see other trends in short time. The
complexity of customs clearance the
market get use to it. There are 70 Mio.
people in UK and 5 Mio. in Ireland. The
consumer are more in UK as in Ireland. I
think there is an overcapacity and I think
we see some changes and it will not come
back as it was.
➔ On our webpage www.ropax.de you
can read the complete interview with
Niclas Martensson.
Stena Line
Ferrybalear
Fast Catmaran „Caldera Vista“ for AML
RoPax: If we look at your operation between
Rosslare and Cherbourg where you
operate a huge RoPax vessel and how do
you see the market development, there?
Niclas Martensson: I think we have been
quite successful introducing “Stena Vision”
into that market. However, the market for
that ship is quite short from a time perspective
because it is so much focusing on
high season travel over the summer. She
makes mostly sense in the summer and
easter holidays. She is quite good we are
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
48 / NEWBUILDING
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 49
Moby Fantasy
The Med’s most impressive ro-pax
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
50 / NEWBUILDING
Clockwise: View from starboard monkey island // Deck 9 aft reception lobby // One of the de-luxe corner suites on Deck 10
all images of this article: Philippe Holthof
With the introduction of the 70,016gt
“Moby Fantasy” and “Moby Legacy” –
the biggest ever ro-pax ferries to operate
in the Med – Moby has further increased
competition on the Livorno-Olbia artery,
offering freight capacity and passenger
amenities that are second to none on this
mainland Italy-Sardinia corridor.
The Livorno-Olbia route is the main freight
gateway to Sardinia as Moby competes
head-to-head with Grimaldi Lines that introduced
the 3,060-lanemetre and 413-passenger
cabin “Cruise Europa” and “Cruise
Sardegna” (ex-“Cruise Olympia”) ahead of
Moby’s June 2023 introduction of “Moby
Fantasy”, followed by sister ship “Moby
Legacy” in February this year. Completed
by China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International
(GSI), the 3,853-lanemetre and
2,370-passenger capacity pair is a
modernised and upgraded evolution of
“Moby Wonder” and “Moby Aki”, the
mainstays on the Livorno-Olbia route for
The bridge on Deck 11
many years. “Moby Wonder” and sister
ship “Moby Freedom”, sold to Eckerö Line
in 2012, had an as-built capacity of 1,965
lanemetres and 1,880 passengers. Completed
by the then Daewoo Heavy Industries
(currently known as Hanwha Ocean)
in 2001, they were four years later joined
by a third ship in the series, the
Fincantieri-built “Moby Aki”. When still
working at KNUD E. HANSEN (KEH),
Anders Ørgård was instrumental in the
ship’s design, the concept of which was
essentially the brainchild of shipowner
Vincenzo Onorato who had been inspired
by “Moby Vincent”. Completed as “Stena
Normandica” in 1974, “Moby Vincent”
pioneered the ‘box principle’ whereby the
superstructure extended right out to the
stern, maximising the ship’s dimensions
and capacity. When Ørgård left KEH, he
continued to work closely with Onorato
through OSK Design who are both the
naval and interior architects of the 237.0m
long and 33.0m beam “Moby Fantasy”.
Deck 3 vehicle deck with side-hinged ramp cover
ALMOST 4KM OF TRAILERS
The triple stern access and the layout of the
vehicle decks with the fixed ramp arrangements
more or less follows that of DFDS’
GSI-built “Aura/Luna Seaways”, the
concept design of which was equally the
work of OSK Design. However, as foot
passengers board and disembark the vessel
via a stern walkway that connects to a
portside outer casing with escalators,
elevators, and stairs, the outer portside
stern ramp and fixed ramp connecting to
Deck 5 is single lane. The mirror view
outer starboard ramp is twin lane. A
central three-lane ramp gives access to the
main deck, Deck 3. It has a 1,370-lanemetre
capacity with four 3.1m wide lanes
on either side of the central casing. On the
casing’s starboard side, a fixed ramp with
flush two-section side-hinged cover,
connects to the six-lane, 286-lanemetre
lower deck which would be sacrificed
should Moby later decide to retrofit two
LNG storage tanks. Up to 1,217 lanemetres
of freight can be stowed on Deck 5, 120m
of which on the fixed ramps. Two
40-lanemetre capacity single-lane outboard
fixed ramps lead to the 980-lanemetre
top vehicle which has passenger
cabin accommodation forward. Thanks to
the direct ramp access to decks 5 and 7,
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 51
Clockwise: Sports Lounge with shop // 126-seat portside promenade with inboard A.O. Grill // Food court principle in the midship Sports Lounge //
Main self-service restaurant: Bistro Mascalzone Latino.
unloading is very smooth with cars
typically stowed on Deck 7 and the
hoistable Deck 8 with a total capacity of
217 cars. Up to 263 cars can be parked on
Deck 7 and the ship’s total nominal car
capacity is 1,270! As tourist vehicles are
parked on decks 7 and 8, it takes passengers
just two or four short flights of stairs
to reach the main public spaces deck, Deck
9. In addition, there are five passenger
elevators. In the large Deck 7 and 8
recesses, six Jiangsu Jiaoyan Marine
Equipment lifeboats are nested, supplemented
by four Viking MESs, a rescue
boat, and a fast rescue boat.
Engine control room
To meet Safe Return to Port (SRtP) rules, a
longitudinal centreline bulkhead separates
the portside from the starboard engine
room, each boasting a pair of 10,800kW
Wärtsilä 9L46F main engines and Wärtsilä
9L20 auxiliaries. Wärtsilä also supplied the
ship’s hybrid scrubber. While a 27-knot
service speed was specified for “Moby
Fantasy’s” 2001-built predecessors, this has
now wisely been reduced to 23.5 knots.
The ship’s windage area is huge and
especially in a confined port like Livorno,
manoeuvring can be challenging which is
why “Moby Fantasy” has three powerful
bow thrusters with an output of 2,200kW
each.
A TASTE OF ITALY
The layout of the public decks is logical
and very straightforward with bar and
restaurant facilities concentrated on Deck
9. The escalators from Deck 3 end in Deck
9’s spacious reception lobby, located on the
portside of the engine casing. Abaft the
lobby are two capacious reclining seat
rooms occupying the ship’s full width.
During the low season, only the 204-seat
port side reclining seat lounge is open.
Forward of the 200-seat starboard reclining
seat lounge is a 27-cabin section with
11 cabins for passengers with reduced
mobility. This is a very clever solution as
wheelchair guests don’t have to move
between decks. Forward of these cabins
and the reception lobby is the ship’s beating
heart, the Sports Lounge with large TV
screen that broadcasts sports events.
Notwithstanding its 726-seat capacity, this
full-width midship lounge doesn’t feel like
a huge monotone room thanks to mixed
seating arrangements and dividers.
Entering the Sports Lounge from the aft
stair casing, there is a small shop on the
portside and a children’s play area to
starboard. Probably the most innovative
feature is the central three-sided ‘themed’
servery that is inspired from food courts
on terra firma. This food court principle
has been repeated for the main Bistro
Mascalzone Latino, forward on Deck 9. It
has its own freshly home-made pasta
laboratory with front cooking station. Aft
of this 456-seat forward self-service
restaurant is the main stair casing with
large panorama windows on either side.
Abaft is the central galley, connecting to
the Bistro and Sports Lounge serveries. A
portside promenade with 126 seats
connects the Sports Lounge with the
forward stair casing. Inboard of it is the
ship’s pièce de resistance, the 120-seat à la
Entrance to the A.O. Grill à la carte restaurant
carte A.O. Grill, the initials referring to the
late Achille Onorato, Moby’s founding
father as well as the father of Vincenzo and
grandfather of Achille jr., Moby’s CEO and
vice chairman. This upscale dining venue
uniquely boasts a set of windows, giving
diners views of the galley. The restaurant is
a meat-eaters Valhalla, complete with a
cured meats display at its entrance. On the
starboard side of the galley is a 272-seat
quiet room that serves as an extension to
the Sports Lounge on busy days.
HOTEL AT SEA
One deck up, on Deck 10, there are a total
of 159 inside and 121 outside cabins,
including six forward-facing de-luxe suites
as well as the V.O. owner’s suite. In contrast
to many other ferries, the cabin corridors
are hotel-like wide. Aft on Deck 10 are
dedicated pet cabins with vinyl flooring
rather than thick carpet. The forwardmost
sections on Deck 7 and 8 contain 122 more
standard four-berth inside and outside
cabins as well as 12 de-luxe suites, bringing
the total number of cabins to 441.
Last but not least, Deck 11 is the bridge and
crew accommodation deck with the
well-protected sundeck forward of the funnel
boasting deck furniture and a café bar.
Philippe Holthof
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
52 / DATA SHEET
Moby Fantasy
Philippe Holthof
MOBY FANTASY DATA SHEET
Designer: OSK Design
Operator: Moby S.p.A.
Owner: Onorato Armatori, Italy; ICBC Leasing China
Yard: (Contract) CSSC Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd (GSI)
Yard No.: 18121002 | IMO No.: 9837509
Ship Manager: Moby S.p.A., Piazzale dei Marmi 57123 Livorno LI, Italy
Ship Owner: Fortune Ropax II Shipping Ltd, c/o Moby S.p.A.,
Piazzale dei Marmi 57123 Livorno LI, Italy.
Classification: RINA C ✠ MACH Ro-Ro passenger ship,
STAR-HULL, STAR-MACH, AUT-UMS, SYS-IBS,
MON-SHAFT, COMF-NOISE-B, COMF-VIB-B,
COMF-AIR, GREEN STAR 3, ICE CLASS 1B,
INWATERSURVEY, MLCDESIGN, GAS READY
(Design, Users (MErr, AErr, Brr))
Flag:
Italy | Port of Registry: Napoli (Naples)
Date of delivery: 14 th April 2023 | Service: Livorno-Olbia
PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS
Length overall: 237.00 m | Length b.p: 232.50 m
Beam: 33.00 m | Hull depth: 9.65 m
Hull draught: 7.20 m (design)
Deadweight: 11,956dwt
Gross tonnage: 70,016gt | Displacement: 35,402.9t
Air Draught: 43.20m | Net tonnage: 45,284 nt
PASSENGER CAPACITIES
Pax Capacity: 2,370 passengers | Accommodation: See Remarks
Pax Cabins: 19 De Luxe – 163 std. outside cabins
248 std. inside | 11 RM cabins
Cabins (441 total)
Pax Beds: 1,735 | Crew: 130 | Crew Beds: 140
Crew Cabins: 44 single cabins 48 twin bed cabins
PROPULSION
Main engines: 4x Wärtsilä 9L46F
Total Power Output: 43,200kW (4x 10,800kW)
Auxiliary Engines: 4 x Wärtsilä 9L20 | Total Power Output: 7,200kW
Gear boxes: Not Supplied
Propulsion Gear: 2x Controllable Pitch Propellers
Bow Thrusters: 3x 2,200kW | Service speed: 23.5 knots
Maximum Speed: 25.0 knots
Stabilisers: 2x Shanghai Marine Equipment Research Institute
Fuel (MGO): 322.2m 3 | Heavy Fuel Oil: 1,293.3m 3
Ballast Water: 2,140.8m 3
CARGO ACCESS
Stern ramp(s): 20 x 11 (l x w) Centre Ramp (approx.)
20 x 8 (l x w) 2x Outer Ramps (approx.)
Internal ramp(s): Between garage decks
Passenger Lift (s): Yes | Lane Width: 2.8m-3.1m
REMARKS
The Mediterranean’s largest ro-pax ferry.
Contract Date: 11th February 2018 (LoI) – 27 th June 2019.
Steel cutting: 1 st June 2020 | Keel Laid: 25th December 2020
Entered Service: 18 th June 2023 | Sistership Moby Legacy introduced in February 2024
Godmother: Sofia Goggia (Italian Olympic Ski Champion)
Naming Gala: 17th-18th June 2023
Number of complete decks: | Number of partial decks: 8
Passenger Facilities: 2x Reclining Seat Lounges Deck 9: 404 seats
Sports Bar – Deck 9: 726 seats | Promenade – Deck 9: 126 seats
Restaurant – Deck 9: 120 seats | Café – Deck 9: 272 seats
Self Service Restaurant – Deck 9: 456 seats | Reception – Deck 9: 58 seats
Sun Deck – Deck 11: 328 seats | Total Seating: 2,490 seats | Deck 9: Public spaces
Deck 10: Cabin Accommodation | 7 dining options available on board.
404-seat Pullman Lounge. The à la carte restaurant offers a Made in Italy menu, for
which the new brand „Gusti Giusti“ has been created.
The restaurants and recreational areas onboard, which occupy around 6,700m², are
comparable to those aboard some modern cruise ships.
The ship’s design allows the Deck 1 tank top space to be converted for LNG tanks if the
ships were converted to LNG as the primary fuel.
The hull design of the new ships, and overall improvements in efficiency allow fuel
consumption to be reduced by up to 30% compared to the earlier generation of
newbuilds. | Hybrid exhaust gas scrubbers
CAPACITY OF HOLDS DECK-AREA IN SQM DECKLOAD (TON/SQM) FREE HEIGHT CARS – PCU (lm) LANEMETERS FOR TRAILERS TRAILERS
Hold Deck 1: 71 (366) 286lm
Main Deck 3: 372 (1,757) 1,370lm
Upper Deck 5: 347 (1,481) 1,097lm
Deck 3-5 Ramps: (220) 120lm
Deck 5-7 Ramps: (168) 80lm
Deck 7: 263 (1,086) 900lm
Deck 8: 217 (1,058) n/a
Total: Not Supplied Not Supplied Not Supplied 1,270 PCU/Cars 3,853lm 300
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
DATA SHEET / 53
54 / INTERVIEW
ESK: a one-stop-shop in PR,
PA, and communication
An interview with Magnus Ehrenberg
ESK, short for EHRENBERG SØRENSEN Kommunikation, recently celebrated 30 years of
cross-border public relations (PR), public affairs (PA), and communication. By virtue of the
agency maintaining close ties with the ferry shipping community, RoPax spoke with the
company’s founder and president, Magnus Ehrenberg.
ESK started as a one-man show when
Magnus Ehrenberg set up shop in Lübeck,
Germany as EHRENBERG Marketing &
Kommunikation in 1993. “The Marketing
suffix was later dropped as PR and communication
were way more embedded in
our DNA,” Ehrenberg told us. Born and
raised in Limhamn, Sweden, Ehrenberg
grew up with the Limhamn-Dragør ferries
in his backyard. This route was axed eight
months ahead of the 1 July 2000 opening
of the parallel Öresund fixed link. “As a
small boy, I was really fascinated by the
coming and going of these ferries,” Ehrenberg
said. “Later on, the frequent trips with
my aunt on the larger Malmö-Travemünde
ferries really fuelled my interest in ferries,”
he went on. At the tender age of 17, he got
a student summer job on board of TT
Saga-Line’s “Nils Dacke”, something which
whetted his appetite for ferry shipping
“When I was young, I had
two dreams. One was to
work in ferry shipping, the
other was to move to
Germany.”
even more. However, following a training
in political science, Ehrenberg took the
plunge into politics – first in local politics
as the assistant to the mayor of Malmö,
followed by a spell in German politics.
“When I was young, I had two dreams,”
Ehrenberg smiled. “One was to work in
ferry shipping, the other was to move to
Germany.” Both dreams came true as he
married a German girl and settled in
Lübeck. Through the agency he created,
Ehrenberg combines the best of both
worlds: PR and PA. “PA is all about facilitating
interaction between our customers
and decision makers on local, regional,
Magnus Ehrenberg
national and even European level,” Ehrenberg
explained when we met in Brussels
where he also had an appointment with
MEPs. “We act as the door opener to
politicians, especially in Sweden, Germany,
Denmark and the EU,” he added.
FRANS SUELL: A FERRY LIKE NO
OTHER
Ehrenberg’s connections with local
politicians together with his sharp business
acumen made him the candidate of choice
to set up and lead the German office of
newly created Euroway in the early 1990s.
Elling Ellingsen-controlled Euroway was
an upscale cruise ferry operation that initially
connected Lübeck and Travemünde
with Malmö, competing with TT-Line. For
reasons beyond Ehrenberg’s control,
notably the late delivery of newbuild
tonnage as well as Sweden’s then financial
crises, Euroway turned out to be a complete
flop. “I set up the German organisation
from scratch,” Ehrenberg recalled.
“My negotiation skills came in handy as
one of the main challenges was to obtain a
permission to operate from Lübeck’s
EHRENBERG SØRENSEN Kommunikation
central Burgtorkai as the Euroway concept
was inspired by other successful city tocity
cruise ferry offerings.” Although
Euroway folded less than two years after
“Frans Suell’s” maiden voyage, 30 years on
the company’s pioneering ship – today
Viking Line’s Helsinki-Stockholm cruise
ferry “Gabriella” – is still one of Ehrenberg’s
favourite ferries. “It really has a
special place in my heart as I still consider
it as ‘my’ ship,” he confessed.
MORE THAN FERRIES ALONE
Although Ehrenberg lives and breathes
ferries, EHRENBERG SØRENSEN Kommunikation
as the company is known
today has evolved to a multi-disciplinary
PR and PA agency. “I believe in the value
of specialisation,” Ehrenberg said. “We
have been specialising in shipping, logistics
and tourism since day one but more
recently, in 2020, we acquired the Nordic
activities of the global agency Sopexa. So,
we have added food and wine to our
portfolio. Curiously, there are synergies
between the three main sectors we represent:
transport, tourism, food & wine.
In fact, there’s kind of cross-pollination
between the transport and tourism sectors
on the one hand and between tourism and
food & wine on the other.”
The name of Sørensen became part of the
agency’s brand name four years after Allan
Sonne Sørensen, who first joined the
company in 2010, became a partner in
2014. He has been the company’s CEO for
the past nine years with Ehrenberg
remaining president and chairman of
the board, focussing on key accounts and
PA.
With offices in Hamburg, Copenhagen,
Malmö and Stockholm, ESK is a leading
PR and PA agency in Germany, Denmark
and Sweden but on the back of a recently
announced partnership with France’s
Hopscotch Interface Tourism, ESK is now
also spreading its wings outside of
Northern Europe. “Hopscotch Interface
Tourism is a leading marketing and
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
INTERVIEW / 55
communications agency in the tourism
sector in France, Spain, Italy and the
Netherlands,” Ehrenberg elucidated. “We
are now the exclusive partner agency
for Hopscotch Interface Tourism in
Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
“We are now the exclusive
partner agency for Hopscotch
Interface Tourism in
Denmark, Sweden, Norway
and Finland.”
This partnership should make us stronger
but should also be the stepping stone to
assist Southern European ferry operators
with PR and PA.”
But, as Ehrenberg pointed out, “PR and PA
are a long-term commitment and investment
which I often compare with a fire
insurance. You might not need it today, but
when the shit hits the fan, it’s good to be
insured. When you take out an insurance
only once the house is on fire, then you’re
too little, too late and are in deep trouble.”
Philippe Holthof
ESK MILESTONES
1993
Started as EHRENBERG Marketing & Kommunikation. Europa Linien, the
ferry operator whose operations were eventually amalgamated with those
of Scandlines, was the agency’s first customer. Thirty-one years on and
Scandlines is still an ESK customer.
1997
The first full-time employee joined the company.
2002
The agency had established a multinational team with German, Swedish
and Danish consultants.
2010, 2014, 2015
Allan Sonne Sørensen joined EHRENBERG Marketing & Kommunikation in
2010, becoming a partner in 2014, and CEO in 2015.
2018
To underline the role and commitment of Allan Sørensen, the brand name
became EHRENBERG SØRENSEN Kommunikation.
2020
The Nordic activities of the global agency Sopexa were acquired, adding
food & wine to the mix.
2024
A new powerhouse in tourism communications and marketing was created
through an exclusive partnership with Hopscotch Interface Tourism.
ÜBERSEEHAFEN ROSTOCK
Der Intermodalhafen
Opening new horizons
intermodal-rostock.de
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
56 / NEWBUILDING
NAOS Ship and Boat Design
Caronte & Tourist
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
Nerea
A new breed of Mediterranean
domestic ferry
NEWBUILDING / 57
The Mediterranean is dotted with hundreds
of small islands that rely on lifeline
ferry services. Quite often, these lifeline
routes are served by rather old ro-pax
ferries as operators have failed to invest
in a much-needed tonnage rejuvenation.
One of the exceptions is Caronte &
Tourist that recently introduced the
hybrid LNG-powered “Nerea”.
In late 2018, Caronte & Tourist already
introduced the Mediterranean’s first
LNG-powered ferry, the Messina Strait
double-ender “Elio”. Despite Caronte &
Tourist’s relentless efforts to use LNG as an
alternative fuel, continuing bureaucracy
has hindered them to do so. However, this
didn’t discourage the Sicilian ferry operator
to specify a more expensive dual fuel
setup when ordering the 8,255gt “Nerea” at
Sefine Shipyard in early 2021. Turkish
shipyards have carved a niche in the small
to medium-size ro-pax segment, Sefine
Shipyard being one of them. Besides
“Nerea”, the Yalova-based shipyard also
built “Elio” and its soon-to-be-delivered
near sister ship “Pietro Mondello” as well
as a long list of double-enders for Norwegian
and Estonian interests.
NEXT GENERATION OF ISOLE
MINORI FERRIES
As the 109.95m long and 19.50m wide
“Nerea” has been specifically built for
Sicily’s so-called Isole Minori or minor
islands, it doesn’t have to comply with
SOLAS. Even so, “Nerea” is almost fully
SOLAS compliant, being built in accordance
with EU Class A navigation rules.
So, flexibility is key as Caronte & Tourist,
linking Sicilian mainland ports with the
minor island chains under the Siremar
brand, was poised to have a one-size-fitsall
design that could operate on both
long-distance and shorter distance routes.
During this past winter, “Nerea” connected
Trapani with Pantelleria, a 93-nautical-mile
distance. Covering this long-distance
route as an EU Class A ship, the total
number of passengers is limited to 400.
The maximum number of passengers
doubles to 800 when operating as an EU
Class B navigation vessel when “Nerea” is
Photos: NAOS Ship and Boat Design
homeported in Milazzo, serving the
Aeolian Islands.
“Nerea” was designed from scratch by
NAOS Ship and Boat Design, the Italian
naval architects behind the successful
Visentini ro-pax and ro-ro series. As
befits a NAOS Ship and Boat Design
hullform, fuel efficiency is at the heart of the
design on the back of in-house CFD simulation
and tank testing. “Nerea” also comes
with the naval architecture consultancy’s
proprietary FlexBow with small bulb.
Fully enclosed bridge
MORE THAN ENOUGH POWER
ON TAP
By virtue of the lifeline element, reliability
is paramount. To optimise manoeuvrability,
“Nerea” boasts two Schottel azimuth
thrusters with an output of 2,500kW each,
supplemented by 1,600kW of combined
bow thrust power. Owing to this, “Nerea”
obtained RINA’s DYNAPOS dynamic
positioning class notation.
The ship’s diesel/gas-electric hybrid
propulsion system boasts two Wärtsilä
6L34DF gensets in the forward machinery
room and two smaller Wärtsilä 8L20DF
gensets in the aft one. This arrangement
gives the necessary energy flexibility with
the larger dual fuel gensets each having a
2,890kW output at 750rpm while the
smaller versions each have a 1,230kW
output. “Nerea’s” service speed at 80%
mcr is 16.5 knots. Located between the aft
machinery room and the thruster
propulsion room is the midships engine
control room, on the starboard side of
which is the 1.1MWh battery room. The
Corvus Energy batteries are charged while
at sea warranting zero emissions and noise
when alongside. A total of 250m² of solar
panels that cover a 180-seat semi open aft
deck on Deck 7 produce up to 50kW of
power.
The 150m³ centreline Wärtsilä LNGPac
storage tank is located below the main
deck, towards the forepeak. Although
Caronte & Tourist is pushing hard to
bunker LNG instead of MDO, LNG supply
for the maritime sector has become
problematic in Sicily. However, there was
light at the end of the tunnel when a first
successful truck-to-ship bunkering
operation of LNG was completed in the
port of Trapani in mid-April.
VEHICLE DECK
In typically Mediterranean fashion,
“Nerea” is a stern-only loader with a single
hydraulic ramp. Besides vehicles, also foot
passengers board the vessel via the stern
ramp which has a dedicated foot passenger
walkway leading to the starboard casing
with escalator. As the starboard casing
holds all engine uptakes, the ship’s funnel
is located on the starboard side. The mirror
view portside dummy funnel is used for
AC purposes. There is no portside casing,
save for a short one at the stern. Located
between both casings is a semi open and
partially covered four-lane vehicle deck.
This is the ship’s weather deck for vehicles
transporting certain categories of IMDG
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
58 / NEWBUILDING
2
3
4 5
1
goods. This 72-lanemetre semi open aft
part is separated from the five-freight lane
enclosed deck by a 2.5m-high hoistable
barrier. The 347-lanemetre enclosed
vehicle deck has a clear height of 4.85m
and has no hoistable car decks installed –
the total car capacity is 114.
PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION
Passenger facilities are concentrated on
Deck 5 with a total seating capacity of 453,
spread over the forward main lounge and
aft lobby lounge. The main lounge, which
comes with a small centreline self-serve
counter offering snacks and meals
prepared in a connecting galley, has a mix
of chairs and sofas arranged around tables.
The starboard escalator starts and ends in
the aft lobby lounge with small walk-in
shop, information desk and children’s
playroom. The main staircase, connecting
Deck 5 with Deck 6, separates the forward
from the aft lounge. Outboard of it are
MESs connected to six inflatable liferafts.
Two 150-person lifeboats and a single fast
rescue boat complete the LSAs.
When operating as an EU Class A ferry,
the crew typically lives on board with 20
outside crew cabins located on Deck 6, just
abaft the wheelhouse. In the same section,
yet inboard, are the crew’s mess with
pantry, day room, ship’s office, meeting
room, and laundry with linen store.
6
8
7
9
Semi open vehicle deck for the stowage of
hazardous goods
Aft of the main staircase is a block of 18
four-berth standard inside cabins, accessed
from a centreline corridor. Outboard of
the cabins, on both the starboard and
portside, are corridors connecting the
main staircase with a semi outer bar that
gives access to a small, 66-seat outside
deck. Along the portside corridor are two
two-person outside cabins for passengers
with reduced mobility, bringing the total
number of passenger cabins and berths to
20 and 76, respectively. More semi outdoor
seating capacity is available on Deck 7,
underneath the solar panels and abaft the
gas vent mast.
Philippe Holthof
1. The compact one-size-fits-all „Nerea“
2. Stern ramp with foot passenger walkway
3. Single vehicle deck
4. 150m³ Wärtsilä LNGPac storage tank
5. Propulsion room
6. Self-serve counter in forward lounge
7. Aft lobby lounge
8. + 9. Forward lounge
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 59
60 / INTERVIEW
The German double End ferries „Deutschland“ and „Schleswig-Holstein“
will be rebuilt to full electric ferries
Scandlines Invests in
More Electric Ferries
This year, the new electric freight ferry „Futura“ will go
into operation and in 2025 the two double-ended ferries
„Schleswig-Holstein“ and „Deutschland“ will be converted to
at least 80% electric operation.
The electric ferry „Futura“ is scheduled to enter service
before the end of 2024 and will be fully electrically operated.
With zero direct emissions from operations, the shipping
company confirms its sustainability goals.
Scandlines Scandlines
With 1,200 lanemetres available, i.e. a
capacity for 66 truck units, the ferry
complements the freight service on the
Puttgarden-Rødby route and thus has
twice as much space for trucks as each of
the four hybrid ferries on the same route.
The “Futura” will initially only be
powered by electricity in Rødby with this
infrastructure also being available in
Puttgarden from 2025.
In 2023 Scandlines transported in total 6.4
million passengers (6.1 million in 2022)
and 1.6 million cars (1.6 million in 2022)
and more than 704,000 freight units
(754,000 in 2022) on both routes.
There have also been changes in the
management of Scandlines. Michael
Guldmann Petersen was appointed as
acting CEO in February 2024 and has
served as Chief Operating Officer (COO)
since 2018. Until July Eric Gregoire will
take over the position as CEO. He will
continue in his old position as COO.
RoPax. How was 2023 for Scandlines?
Michael Guldmann Petersen: We were
affected by the decline of the Swedish
appetite to travel anywhere. It is obvious
that both the exchange rate and inflation in
Sweden have a direct impact on our
business. We had a very good summer
season in 2023, and in total the number of
passengers increased by 5%, but we
witnessed a 7% decline in our freight
business, which is also attributable to a
very large extent to the general slowdown
of the economy all over Europe.
RoPax: How is the perspective for 2024?
Do you have good pre-booking figures?
Michael Guldmann Petersen: On the
freight side, we expect a flat first half year
in comparison to what we saw at the end of
last year. Then we expect a small increase
over the second half of the year. Overall,
we do expect improved volumes on the
freight side whilst on the leisure side we
hope to see demand continue to grow
especially during the peak season. We
expect a small increase in volumes overall.
RoPax: Can you see on your lines how
many Swedish passengers use your
vessels? I saw a statistic that last year 23%
Swedish fewer passengers travelled by
plane from Sweden and instead, they
used the train or their car.
Michael Guldmann Petersen: It is a good
question! We would never know how
many people are using the alternative
routes, but I can say that in the past years
60% of the visitors we had in our Border
Shop came from Sweden. This volume has
decreased significantly in the last year. We
think one factor is the currency exchange
rate but what we also see is that the Swedish
clients spend the same amount in Swedish
Kronas as they did in the past.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
INTERVIEW / 61
Michael Goldmann Petersen
RoPax: On the other hand, you see more
Germans travelling to Denmark and
Sweden. Have you noticed an increase in
the number of German travellers?
Michael Guldmann Petersen: Yes, the
German market is good for Scandlines. We
hope that it is one of the areas where we
will see a bigger increase than we have seen
in the previous years. We saw last year as
well an increase from the German side.
Even during the ski holidays this year, we
saw a surprisingly positive number of
northbound travellers from Germany. Not
to the same magnitude as we already see
southbound but it’s better than what we
had expected. There is plenty of snow in
the north. This is a good trend and I think
the German market is becoming increasingly
important, and we are adding more
focus on the German passenger market.
JPE
RoPax: This year you will get the new
electric ferry “Futura” from Türkiye.
How is the building process and the
schedule?
Michael Guldmann Petersen: We launched
the vessel on the 25th of November with a
big celebration. The launch and entering of
the vessel into the water was very impressive.
I love ships but to see her on the water
was fantastic and she’s very beautiful.
The yard is doing all the final works now
and we expect delivery in the second half
of 2024. Deployment will depend on the
weather conditions on her route to the
north. It will take between two and three
weeks to get her from Türkiye to the
Fehmarn Belt. We will then need a little bit
of time to commission her. It is a new ship
“The German market
is good for Scandlines.
We hope that it is one of
the areas where we will
see a bigger increase than
we have seen in the
previous years.”
The rotro sail save up to 6% fuel consumption
with a new propulsion system for us and
we must be sure that the charging tower
and all systems are working.
➔ On our webpage www.ropax.de you
can read the complete interview with
Michael Guldmann Petersen.
JPE
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
62 / NEWBUILDING
Bernd Bässmann
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
NEWBUILDING / 63
Great Tema
Number 3 of 6
On the 20th December 2023 Grimaldi
took delivery at the Hyundai Mipo
Dockyard Co. Ltd shipyard in Ulsan
(South Korea) of the third Ro-Ro multipurpose
unit belonging to the innovative
Grimaldi Group “G5” Class. Her name is
“Great Tema” and she will further
improve the quality of the maritime
transport services offered by the
Neapolitan company between Northern
Europe and West Africa. She joins her 2
sister ships, the “Great Antwerp” and
“Great Lagos”, which were delivered to
the Group in April and August 2023
respectively. She will serve the ports of
Amsterdam, Hamburg, Tilbury, Casablanca,
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Cotonou,
Lagos, Tema and Abidjan along with
offering transhipment via Antwerp from
Tilbury to the full range of Grimaldi
Deep-sea ports.
With a length of 250 metres, a beam of 38
metres and a deadweight of 45,684 tonnes,
the design of the Great Tema results from
a careful study of the needs of the Group
and its customers: thanks to an innovative
and completely customised internal
configuration, the G5-class ships are
capable of transporting 4,700 linear metres
of rolling freight, 2,500 CEU (Car
Equivalent Units) and 2,000 TEU (Twenty
Foot Equivalent Units). Compared to the
previous G4-class, the new vessels have the
same capacity for rolling freight while
their container capacity is double.
In addition to loading capacity, the Great
Tema stands out on account of her
numerous cutting-edge, technological
solutions aimed at increasing energy
efficiency and reducing environmental
impact. Both the main engine and the
auxiliary diesel generators will meet the
NOx levels imposed by the Tier III
regulation, while the integrated propulsion
system between rudder and propeller will
minimise vortex losses and, consequently,
optimise propulsive efficiency and reduce
fuel consumption. She has 1,000 units
more capacity compared to the older G4
Class generation of Grimaldi.
The vessel is designed for cold ironing with
shore side supply of electricity (where
available) as a green alternative to the consumption
of fossil fuels during port stays.
Furthermore, the electrical consumption
of on-board machinery (pumps, fans, etc.)
Bernd Bässmann
Great Tema main cargo deck
is reduced thanks to the installation of
variable frequency drive devices, while the
application of innovative, low friction
paints reduces hull resistance, thus
increasing efficiency.
Finally, the ship is equipped with hybrid
exhaust gas cleaning systems for the abatement
of sulphur and particulate emissions.
As proof of her high energy and environmental
efficiency, the Great Tema enables
a reduction of CO2 emissions per tonne
transport of up to 43% compared to other
Grimaldi Con-Ro multipurpose ships.
The total investment for all 6 ConRo
vessels amounts to USD 500 million. All
G5 Class vessels have their own handling
equipment in the form of Liebherr cranes.
As with the older Grimaldi ships, there are
fixed vehicle decks in the aft superstructure.
In total the vessel can transport 5,446
cars and the Ro-Ro decks have a variety of
clear heights from 4.0m to 7.8m. The
ConRo vessels operate with a service speed
of 18 knots and will have a daily fuel
consumption of 72 tonnes, a reduction of
8% compared to the 4G Class vessels.
“The entry into the fleet and the operation
of ships like the Great Tema brings us ever
closer to the major, primary go a lot
sustainable transport”, stated Gian Luca
Grimaldi, President of Grimaldi Group
S.p.A. “Indeed, for years we have clearly
and concretely pointed our investments in
this direction: to meet our customers
‘needs while further reducing the environmental
impact of maritime transport”. The
fourth member of the G5 fleet, the “Great
Abidjan”, was both delivered and christened
at the same shipyard in Ulsan on
23rd April.
JPE
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
64 / DATA SHEET
Great Tema
Grimaldi
GREAT TEMA DATA SHEET
Owner: Grimaldi Deep Sea SpA (Via Marchese
Campodisola 13, 80133 Naples NA, Italy).
Operator: Grimaldi Group SpA (Via Marchese
Campodisola 13, 80133 Naples NA, Italy
Yard: (Contract) Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd., Ulsan, Korea
Yard No.: H.8362 | IMO No.: 9935038
Flag:
Italy | Port of Registry: Napoli
Classification: Multipurpose Ro-Ro Cargo ship
Date of Contract: 23 rd February 2021
Date of delivery: 20 th December 2023
Service: Europe-South America/West Indies
PROPULSION
Main engines: 1 x Hyundai-MAN B&W 7G60ME-C10.5-EGRBP
Total Power Output: 19,880kW @ 103 rpm MCR
Fuel:
Marine Diesel Oil/HFO
Auxiliary engines: 3 x Hyundai – HiMSEN 7H25/33 (HR)-SCR
3 x 2070kW @ 900 rpm
Emergency Generator: 1 x 300kW @ 1800 rpm
Propeller: 1 x CPP, 4 blades, 7.5m diameter
Bow Thrusters: 2 x 1,350kW, CPP, 4 blades
Stern Thrusters: 1x 1,350Kw, CPP, 4 blades
Exhaust Scrubber: 1 x Wartsila V-Sox Hybrid scrubber on ME
Service speed: 18 knots
Fuel Consumption: 72t/day (on a par with the G4 ships)
CARGO ACCESS
Stern ramp(s): 40m x 16m (l x w)
Bow ramp(s): n/a (l x w) | Side ramp (s): n/a
Internal ramp(s): Fixed & Hoistable
Lane Width (Average): 3.1m
PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS
Length overall: 249.03 m
Length Between Perpendiculars: 237.00 m
Beam: 38.70 m (moulded)
Hull Draught: 10.70 m (Design)
Hull Depth: 16.00 m (To Deck 3)
Deadweight: 47,528 t (Draught 11.20 m)
Gross tonnage: 89,797 gt
Net tonnage: 26,939 nt
PASSENGER CAPACITIES
Total capacity: 12 Drivers
Facilities: Officer & Crew/Driver Messrooms/Dayrooms/
Accommodation: Gymnasium
Driver Cabins: 12 | Driver Beds: 12
Crew: 34 | Crew Cabins: 36
REMARKS
G5 ConRo Class | Keel Laid: 17 th April 2023 | Launched: 28 th August 2023
Forward Hold Capacity: 348 TEU/968 lanemetres
Sisterships: Great Antwerp, Great Lagos, Great Abidjan
Plus H. 8364/H.8365 (Names TBC)
Class: C✠ RO-RO Cargo ship – Equipped for carriage of containers, Unrestricted
navigation, ✠ AUT-UMS, BWM-T, COAT-WBT, INWATERSURVEY, MON-SHAFT,
GREEN Plus, EGCS-NOx, EGCSSOx, STAR-HULL, HVSC, CONF NOISE PORT.
RINA – Registro Italiano Navale
Air Lubrication System: Hi-ALS (HYUNDAI)
Ramp: 1x Stern Quarter Ramp (3 main sections)
40.0m long (including flaps) x 16.0m wide x 8.1m clear height access
Maximum Load on Ramp: 150t SWL for roll trailer 350t for heavy cargo
Maximum Axle Load: 72t/4 wheel | Deck Cranes: 2x Liebherr LS-C 100
Special thanks must go to Chiara Palmiero (Research & External Relations Dept.,
Grimaldi Group, Naples, Italy) and Philippe Holthof for their invaluable help with
information, images and diagrams.
CAPACITY OF HOLDS DECK-AREA IN SQM DECKLOAD (TON/SQM) FREE HEIGHT (M) CARS CEU LANE METRES FOR TRAILERS TEU/FEU COMBINED
Deck 1: 8 5.6 251 1.046lm 154/58
Deck 2: 3 6.4 418 1,062lm 277/36
Deck 3: 6/3 4.8-7.8 633 1,725lm 18/28
Deck 4: 1.3 2.3-4.0 618 1,637lm
Hoistable Deck 5: 0.2/1.7 1.7 747
Deck 6: 2.3/1.0 3.6 485 1,856lm 328/4
Deck 7: 0.3 2.6 421
Deck 8: 0.25 2.1 454
Deck 9: 0.25 2.1 444
Deck 10: 0.2 1.8 444
Deck 11: 0.17 1.8 250
Deck 12: 0.17 1.8 283
Total: Not Supplied 5,446 CEU 7,326lm 2,157 (TEU)
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
DATA SHEET / 65
66 / INTERVIEW
Ferry emission intensity was further
reduced by 5.4% in 2023 driven by incremental
vessel upgrades and the
schedule optimization program Every
Minute Counts focused on reducing
turnaround time in port terminals and
updated schedules enabling lower speed,
and reduced fuel consumption.
In 2023 DFDS acquired the FRS Iberia
from the FRS group in Germany. FRS
Iberia operated with fast catamarans the
routes from Tarifa to Tanger Ville and
from Algeciras to Ceuta and with RoPax
ferries from Algeciras to Tanger Med.
DFDS made a fast change and put a third
RoPax vessel on the line between Algeciras
and Tanger Med and the first two catamarans
got the famous dark blue hull paint
with the four DFDS letters.
DFDS
RoPax spoke with Mathieu Girardin about
the next steps and the development of the
DFDS group.
RoPax: How was the year 2023 for DFDS?
Mathieu Girardin: We delivered a solid
result in 2023 despite difficult markets. For
the ferry division we have seen a challenging
context on the freight side, but the
passenger business has continued to
recover after the Covid pandemic. Because
of the tragic war in Ukraine it is a challenging
situation in the Baltic area with
overcapacity and low demand. All in all for
2023 we are quite happy with the results
and good resilience for DFDS business in
the ferry division.
DFDS new markets
and fast development
DFDS reported for its Ferry division for the year 2023 lines a
result on the level 2022 despite challenging market conditions
as freight volumes were overall decreased in 2023 by the
economic slowdown in Europe. Another highlight of 2023 was
a record result for the passenger activities achieved on the
back of a continued recovery in travel markets. The market
conditions in the Baltic Sea continued to be negatively impacted
by the war in Ukraine and the overcapacity situation
on the Dover Strait likewise continued.
Peter Therkildsen
RoPax: If we look at the other part
logistics you are heavily investing in
warehouses and new electric trucks. I
think you have now the first E trucks in
place and your trailer fleet is growing. Is
DFDS strategy to go forward to be a big
player in the logistics supply chain?
Mathieu Girardin: 2023 was the end of our
Win 23 strategy, which led to several
acquisitions in the logistics field. Last year
we went through a strategic review process
and I’m happy have launched our new
strategy called « moving together towards
2030 ». The objective of the new strategy is
to unlock the value from our expanded
network which enables usto offer end to
end transport solutions to our customers.
We offer a wider range of transport and
logistics solutions like sea, road and rail
transport, warehousing, and customs Our
strongholds is the ferry links between port
A and port B, and by combining this with
the enhanced logistics offerings we believe
there is value to be unlocked.. That means
having more synergies and working
together across DFDS to help fulfill our
customers needs. This means that our
approach for acquisitions will be more
opportunistic in the future than what it has
been in the past.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
INTERVIEW / 67
RoPax: You will go forward and look also
more in logistics to integrate it in your
network and business solutions?
Mathieu Girardin: The main focus is to unlock
the value of our network. What’s
interesting to notice it that today we are
more relevant to large industry companies
because of our scale and new capabilities.
We have grown the number of enterprise
accounts from 7 to 23 meaning industry
accounts with a yearly turnover of or above
10 mEUR. That is a clear signal that we are
basically able to compete for more
business. We want to continue to build on
this and make sure that we leverage our capabilities
within ferry transport and
log istics and continue to build partnerships
with our customers.
One of the new electric trucks for DFDS
DFDS
Mathieu Girardin with Philip Eckmann
“Today we are more
relevant to large industry
companies because of our
scale and new capabilities.”
RoPax: Very good because you are the
best positioned company for the Turkish
market and you know what’s going on.
The German economy is getting weaker
and a lot production is moving out due
to energy price increase and also the productivity.
We see a lot of activities in Turkey
and this must be transported into
European Union. You are now in the
right place because we see more manufacturers
of cars which will go to Turkey
Dennis Kjærsgaard Sørensen
I think you are also in contact with them
this will be also question to strategy are
you also looking that you will get also a
piece of this cake of this car transportation
from Turkey to Europe because
there’s now full capacity and all the ports
getting full.
Mathieu Girardin: Regarding transport of
finished vehicles, this is an important
footprint for DFDS but this is mainly on the
routes from Cuxhaven and from Gothenburg.
DFDS will continue to develop this
market segment in the future. In Turkey we
are moving cargo essentially in trailers.
Some of those trailers are linked to automotive
business, so we believe that we benefit
from this traffic. Back to your point on Turkey
we fully subscribe to the near shoring
development. This is one of the pillars of
our strategy. We believe that Turkey is
extremely well positioned to benefit from
the regionalization of trade flows and will
continue to do so in the future. The Turkish
government has taken measures last year to
limit inflation and we see the GDP forecast
for 2024 Turkey is 2.93 %, significantly
higher than Western Europe. We are
convinced that this is the right way to go.
RoPax: If we look around the corner in
Turkey one of the biggest trade countries
Russia is blocked by the Ukraine war and
WHERE SPECIAL
COMES AS STANDARD
ALLES AUSSER GEWÖHNLICH.
Wir sind marktführender Anbieter
von Spezialfahrzeugen für Logistik,
Hafen und Industrie.
Wir arbeiten Hand in Hand für
„Lösungen aus einer Hand“.
www.terbergspezialfahrzeuge.de
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
68 / DATA SHEET
„Falnders Seaways“ and port of Ghent
the development of the new silk road and
new places for production and trade are
the countries connected to the Black Sea
like Georgia, Azerbaijan Kazakhstan
and more. Do you have this market in
focus with connections via Bulgaria,
Turkey, and Romania?
Mathieu Girardin: As I mentioned we
have a large business unit in Istanbul and
we are monitoring trade flow changes, so
Black sea on our radar screen. How this
could translate into new ferry routes or
new logistic routes is still to be defined.
RoPax: If we look at your home market
you are leading operator between
Sweden, Denmark and Lithuania and
you have also now a little bit competition
there but how was in general the
development of this market also with the
issue of Ukraine war?
Mathieu Girardin: We had a challenging
year in 2023 in the Baltics because of the
impact of the theRussian aggression to
Ukraine.We saw significant slowdown of
demand and no signs of recovery yet. You
must add to that two things. One is what
we describe as the economic winter in
Sweden where the construction market is
“We consider ourselves
as a market leader in the
Baltic area, where we have
a very competitive product
with modern and cost
efficient vessels.”
down. And the other is that the market has
been impacted by overcapacity. We
consider ourselves as a market leader in
the Baltic area, where we have a very
competitive product with modern and cost
efficient vessels. Of course we continue to
adapt our capacity. That’s how we manage
to remain competitive, but it’s a tough
market.
RoPax: What is with your plans to
enter the Polish market with a new
connection? I think from the political
point the frame conditions will change
and it could be easier to come in.
DFDS DFDS
Mathieu Girardin: We believe Poland will
play an important role as a corridor
between Central / Eastern Europe and
Scandinavia in the future. Poland is also a
strategic market for DFDS. As we already
have a strong logistics presence in Poland
but at the moment we do not have ferry
routes. We believe that the time will come,
and we are always looking for opportunities.
We are convinced that Poland is one
of the countries which will benefit the
most from near shoring trend where companies
are bringing supply chains closer to
end markets like Scandinavia, Germany,
France, or the UK. We have just launched
a new intermodal train service between
Lodz in Poland and our terminal in
Vlaardingen in the Netherlands. This is
interesting because we have established
DFDS offers this concept from Incat with an
electric catamarn for the tender for Channel
Island traffic
this connection without launching a new
ferry route. This means that we can immediately
take the advantage of the growth of
our network and bring more volumes to
our ferry in Vlaardingen. More generally,
the geopolitical landscape is changing
rapidly: with the attacks in the Red Sea and
trade tensions between China and the US,
companies are looking to build more
resilient supply chains and relocate
production closer to end markets, We
believe that this is a long-term trend and
that Poland, with other countries in or
close to Europe, will also benefit from.
RoPax: The question is if you go from
Trieste or from this corridor not via the
full booked tracks in Germany or Austria
as you go the way via Poland to the
North. I think this is also project where
you work on develop but at the end you
need the ferry. We will see what will
happen in the next years, but you are also
operating the Estonian to Finland route
in cooperation how do you see this
corridor in the future?
Mathieu Girardin: At this point, we only
havea space agreement on this corridor. It
is important but relatively small part of our
operations. We have not seen increases in
volumes in this areaand we currently have
no plans to expand the offering.
➔ On our webpage www.ropax.de you
can read the complete interview with
Matthieu Girardin.
DFDS
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
DATA SHEET / 69
70 / REPORT
Ports Report
Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft gut positioniert
Sich auf die Zukunft einzustellen heißt
vor allem, größere Schiffsgrößen aufnehmen
zu können. Die Lübecker
Hafen-Gesellschaft (LHG) ist mit ihren
Neubau- bzw. Umbauprogrammen auf
einem guten Weg. Der Anleger 5 wurde
nach enger Abstimmung mit den
Reederkunden pünktlich fertiggestellt
und hat sich bestens bewährt. Durch
Optimieren der Baukonstruktion konnten
die Kosten halbiert werden.
„Es ist selbstverständlich, dass wir uns mit
unseren Reedereien sehr intensiv über
Schiffsneubauten und daraus folgende
notwendige bauliche Anpassungen
austauschen. Derzeit schauen wir uns die
komplette Anlegerstruktur an. Den
Anleger 5 a bereiten wir bereits für einen
weiteren möglichen Umbau vor“, stellt
LHG-Geschäftsführer Sebastian Jürgens
klar. Anstoß dazu gaben die Pläne der
Reederei Finnlines, in den nächsten Jahren
neue RoPax-Schiffe auf der Linie nach
Helsinki einzusetzen. Die Baumaßnahmen
werden eingeleitet, sobald die Neubauten
offiziell bestellt sind. Stellt die LHG
zukünftig auch mögliche neue Kraftstoffe
bereit? Da sieht der LHG-Chef zunächst
die Reeder in der Pflicht, sich klar auf
bestimmte Antriebssysteme und Betriebsmittel
festzulegen, bevor der Hafen
entsprechend investiert.
Im Gespräch mit RoPax äußert sich
Jürgens grundsätzlich optimistisch, trotz
eines schwierigen konjunkturellen
Umfelds: „Vor allem auf den Schwedenlinien
sind die Ladungseinheiten stabil
geblieben und auch auf einem guten
Niveau in das neue Jahr gestartet.
Inwieweit die Streiks in Finnland zu
Umroutungen über Schweden geführt
haben, können wir nicht beurteilen. Sehr
Prof Sebastian Jürgens
Lübecker Hafenrundschau
TT Lines „Nils Holgersson“ in Travemünde
erfreulich entwickelt sich zurzeit der
Verkehr mit dem Baltikum.“ Am 11. Juli
wird die LHG als Mitorganisatorin beim
zweiten Deutsch-Lettischen Hafentag in
Riga vertreten sein. Man sei sehr angetan
von dem Engagement der Unternehmen
im Baltikum und sähe weiteres Potenzial
aus der Region, so Jürgens.
Die LHG ist für die Zukunft gut aufgestellt.
Vor allem bei der Einführung des
„Emission Trading Systems“ (ETS) für
Schiffe und parallel der Erhöhung der
Netzentgelte für den intermodalen
Verkehr sieht Jürgens allerdings die
Gefahr, dass Verkehre sich von der Schiene
und auch dem Schiff wieder auf die Straße
verlagern: „Der Schienenweg muss noch
günstiger werden, er hat im Vergleich zur
Straße langfristig das größere Potenzial. Es
ist Aufgabe der Politik, entsprechende
Impulse zu setzen.“
In diesem Zusammenhang engagiert sich
die LHG auch auf Verbandsebene. Unter
anderem gehört das Unternehmen dem
Zentralverband der Deutschen Seehäfen
(ZDS) an, für den Jürgens als Vizepräsident
tätig ist. Darüber hinaus hat sich die
LHG dem Verband „Feport“ (Federation
of European Private Port Companies and
Terminals) angeschlossen, um die Präsenz
der Ostseehäfen zu stärken und mehr
Einfluss auf politische Entscheidungen der
EU im Transportbereich zu haben. Ein wesentliches
Ziel ist es, Ladungsabflüsse auf
den Verkehrssektor Straße zu begrenzen.
„From Road to Sea darf sich nicht ins
Gegenteil umkehren“, warnt Jürgens. Er
gehe davon aus, dass die Nachfrage nach
Schienentransporten automatisch steige,
sobald die Konjunktur wieder anziehe,
und fügt hinzu: „Der Fahrermangel wird
ein weiteres Wachstum der Straßenmengen
nur begrenzt zulassen.“
INTERMODAL MEHR KAPAZITÄTEN
Die größeren Schiffe bringen mehr
Ladung, die eine leistungsstarke Hinterlandanbindung
verlangt. Ein wichtiger
Schritt ist die Gleisverlängerung am
Intermodalterminal von Baltic Rail Gate,
einem Gemeinschaftsunternehmen der
LHG und Kombiverkehr. Das Bauprogramm
für die imposante Anlage mit
den zwei Portalkränen auf dem Terminal
Skandinavienkai läuft nach Plan und soll
noch in diesem Jahr fertiggestellt werden.
Die Kapazität wird von heute 140.000 auf
240.000 Einheiten hochgefahren. Ein
positiver Effekt ist, dass der Rangieraufwand
sinkt und somit die Produktivität
steigt. Dazu beitragen wird auch ein neuer
dritter Kran, der halb automatisiert
betrieben werden soll: Der Kranführer
bedient den Ausleger nicht mehr von der
Kanzel, sondern vom Büro aus. Der Markt
nimmt die Signale positiv auf: Der
Spediteur LKW Walter hat zwei neue Zugverkehre
ab Lübeck aufgenommen. Mit
CFL Multimodal geht es nach Bettemburg-Dudelange
und mit der Eisenbahngesellschaft
Potsdam mbH (EGP) nach
Herne bzw. Wanne-Eickel.
JPE
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
REPORT / 71
AUTOMATISIERUNG UND
GRÜNE ENERGIE IM FOKUS
Automatisierung hält schrittweise auf den
Flächen der LHG Einzug. So läuft die
Einfahrtkontrolle zu den Papierterminals
in Schlutup und am Skandinavienkai nun
automatisch. In Kooperation mit den
Lübecker Stadtwerken arbeitet das
Unternehmen zudem daran, „grüner“ zu
werden. Mit der Inbetriebnahme einer
Photovoltaikanlage am Skandinavienkai
trägt die Partnerschaft erste Früchte. Die
Anlage auf den Dächern des Forstprodukteterminals
(FPTSK) umfasst 1.754
Solar-Module mit einer Leistung von
annähernd 720 Kilowatt-Peak (in naher
Zukunft sogar bis zu 4.300). Rechnerisch
kann sie damit den Strombedarf von rund
260 Vier-Personen-Haushalten decken.
Doch auch der Hafenumschlag soll
emissionsärmer werden. So steht die
weitere Elektrifizierung des Fuhrparks an.
Gemeinsam mit Geräteherstellern hatte
die LHG schon im vergangenen Jahr beim
alljährlich ausgetragenen „Deutsch-
Finnischen Hafentag“ vorgestellt, was auf
dem Gebiet der schweren Hafengeräte
bereits möglich ist. Bei der Neuauflage am
27. November wird das Thema erneut eine
gewichtige Rolle spielen. Man darf
gespannt sein!
•
Rostock Port stabil im
Umschlagsgeschäft
Das Jahr 2023 war für den Überseehafen
Rostock erfolgreich. Es wurden erstmals
in seiner über 60-jährigen Geschichte
30,9 Millionen Tonnen Fracht in einem
Jahr umgeschlagen. Das entspricht einem
Plus von 6,5 Prozent bzw. 1,9 Millionen
Tonnen im Vergleich zum letzten
Umschlagrekord aus dem Jahr 2022.
Dr. Gernot Tesch und Jens A. Scharner (v.l.n.r.)
„Wir sind angesichts des wirtschaftlichen
Umfeldes mit dem Gesamtergebnis 2023
zufrieden, bestätigt es doch die Leistungsfähigkeit
aller im größten Universalhafen
an der deutschen Ostseeküste tätigen Unternehmen
und Behörden. Trotz konjunkturbedingter
Rückgänge bei Fähr-/RoRound
erntebedingter Rückgänge bei Getreide
konnte der Überseehafen vor allem
durch den enormen Zuwachs beim Flüssiggutumschlag
erneut ein Rekordergebnis
einfahren“, resümiert ROSTOCK
PORT-Geschäftsführer Dr. Gernot Tesch.
„Besonders erfreulich ist der starke Zuwachs
im wertschöpfungsintensiven
Stückgutumschlag, bei der Trajektion von
Eisenbahnwaggons sowie die positive Entwicklung
im neuen Umschlagsegment
Automobile.“
„2023 konnten mit insgesamt knapp drei
Millionen Passagieren auf den Fähren und
Kreuzfahrtschiffen im Überseehafen und
Warnemünde rund 200.000 Reisende
mehr begrüßt werden als im Vorjahr“, sagt
Jens A. Scharner, Geschäftsführer der
ROSTOCK PORT GmbH. „Mit 2,54
Millionen Passagieren auf den drei Fährverbindungen
von Scandlines, Stena Line
und TT-Line nach Dänemark und Schweden
gab es ein Plus von 40.000 bzw. 1,5
Prozent im Vergleich zum Vorjahr.
JPE
FAST. EFFICIENT. RELIABLE.
SINCE 1926
Diversity and reliability go hand in hand.
Connecting and moving the world.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
72 / REPORT
Rostock Port
Im Jahr 2023 wurden 20 Millionen Euro in
die Infrastruktur des Überseehafens investiert.
In diesem Jahr plant ROSTOCK
PORT Investitionen von über 50 Millionen
Euro in die Infrastruktur und Beteiligungen
zur Stärkung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit
des Hafens.
2024 GUT GESTARTET
Nach Aussage von Geschäftsführer Dr.
Gernot Tesch ist das Jahr 2024 im Fährverkehr
stabil gestartet mit einem leichten
Aufwärtstrend verglichen mit dem Jahr
2023. Einen starken Einfluss hat jedoch
der Streik in Finnland gehabt, da es vier
Wochen nur einen sehr eingeschränkten
Umschlag gab. Finnlines hat dennoch die
JPE
Linie über Tallinn laufen lassen, um die
Trailer von da begleitet abzufertigen. Aber
die Verkehre nach Dänemark und Schweden
haben sich in den ersten Monaten
erfreulich entwickelt. Der Ölumschlag
bleibt auf dem hohen Niveau wie im Jahr
2023.
Laut Dr. Tesch sind ist das Management
sehr positiv überrascht über das schnelle
Wachstum im neu gebauten Autoterminal
von Autolink. Das Terminal ist aktuell sehr
gut ausgelastet. Der Hafen Rostock war in
der Vergangenheit nicht auf der Agenda
der Autohersteller. Der Standort ist sehr
attraktiv durch seine hervorragende Hinterlandanbindung
und bietet auch durch
die kürzere Seestrecke Kostensenkungspotentiale
für Ostseeverkehre. Dr. Tesch betont:
„Das Autoterminal bedient nicht nur
die Car Carrier, sondern auch die bestehenden
Linien im Verkehr nach Schweden
und Finnland. Das ist ein Baustein, um
sich als Hafen resilienter aufzustellen. Der
Umschlag wächst rasant und viele Hersteller
wollen gerne über Rostock verschiffen.“
Der Hafen Rostock ist nach wie vor offen
für neue Verbindungen.
Laut Dr. Tesch sind heute noch keine
Verlagerungen aufgrund von gestiegenen
Kosten von Ladungsmengen nach Polen
offensichtlich. Rostock möchte in Zukunft
vor allem mit seiner überragenden
Eisenbahnanbindung punkten. Im
Gegenteil Rostock ist in Hinblick auf die
ETS-Steuer gut positioniert durch die
kürzeren Seestrecken nach Schweden und
Finnland, da kürzere Seestrecken eine
Geschwindigkeitsreduktion zulassen. Im
intermodalen Bereich ist Rostock sehr gut
aufgestellt. Derzeit läuft zum Beispiel ein
Projekt, die bestehende Verbindung
Bettembourg-Rostock-Le Balou/Barcelona
(CFL Multimodal / Stena Line) über
Trelleborg-Eskilstuna-Umeå Richtung
Nordschweden und weiter mit Wasa Line
nach Finnland (Vaasa) zu erweitern.
Damit wird für kranbare und nicht
kranbare Ladeeinheiten ein umweltfreundliches
Transportangebot zwischen
Spanien und Nordschweden/Finnland geschaffen,
mit dem bis zu 4,5 Tonnen
Kohlendioxid pro Ladeeinheit im
Vergleich zu Transporten mit Lkw eingespart
werden können.
•
Cuxhaven to be further expanded
It took some time until the confirmation
came that the port of Cuxhaven would be
further expanded. The owner, the State
of Lower Saxony, represented by its
organization NPorts.
About 15,000 large components for wind
turbines on land and at sea are delivered to
Cuxhaven every year. The wind energy
industry calls for more space for growing
business.
The first pile driving project, which stands
for the start of construction, is expected to
be carried out in January or February
2025. The port of Cuxhaven is to be
expanded so that more parts for windturbines
can be stored and handled in new
areas. NPorts is the port operator of the
state of Lower Saxony.
The port in Cuxhaven is to be enlarged by
three berths with a total area of about 38
hectares. Areas are also to be created by
piling up sand. The expansion of the port
Car Carrier Wolfsburg
is expected to cost around 300 million
euros. The federal government and the
state of Lower Saxony have announced
that they will each contribute 100 million.
The private sector is said to have pledged
100 million euros.
The permit for the expansion of the port
has been in place since February 2020, and
Cuxport
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
REPORT / 73
NPorts expects construction to take
around three years. The work could
therefore be completed in 2028. By
December, a commitment from the EU
Commission should be available, which
will allow NPorts to work with the money
from the federal and state governments.
RHENUS OPERATES
EXISTING CUXPORT
Cuxport, a joint venture of the Rhenus
Group and HHLA Container Terminals,
operates two multimodal deep-water
terminals in Cuxhaven at the Elbe estuary.
Cuxport handles DFDS‘s RoRo lines to
England, MannLines, UECC, Samskip
container vessels, K Line and Wagenborg
and the car carriers of Glovis at its
terminal. For the growing business with
Cuxport Car disposition into seacontainers
JPE
new vehicles from Asia Rhenus increased
its existing space by around a third and is
opened another terminal at the rear of the
port. There, the infrastructure for
additional import space is being built on
around eleven hectares and, with 4,500 car
parking spaces, space for interim storage
in automobile handling. Thanks to its
heavy-duty suitability, the area is also
interesting for industries such as the
onshore and offshore wind industry. The
area is connected to the terminal areas
near the pier via a short journey.
The vehicles arrive and leave Cuxhaven by
RoRo ship, for example, in closed or
flat-rack containers. As a multi-purpose
terminal, Rhenus Cuxport takes care of all
the intermediate steps involved, from
unloading and loading the ships to
stripping containers and intermediate
buffering for further distribution. The new
compound supports this as a supplementary
area and scores with its location
in the port hinterland with direct
connections to the A 27 motorway to
Bremen and the B 73 federal road to
Hamburg. The Mosolf Group has rented
the site from Cuxport and will prepare the
arriving vehicles for further inland
transport.
Cuxport will bid for the new part of the
port to offer end-to-end handling. •
ENGLISH SUMMARY
It means preparing for the future
above all, to accommodate larger ship
sizes to be able to. The people of
Lübeck Harbor-Society (LHG) is with
theirs New construction or renovation
programs a good way. Investor 5 was
after close coordination with the
Shipping company customers completed
on time and has proven itself
very well. Through Optimize the
building construction could the costs
are halved.
The year 2023 was for the overseas
port Rostock successful. There were for
the first time in its more than 60-
year history 30.9 million tons of
cargo in one year turned over. That
corresponds to one Plus of 6.5 percent
or 1.9 million Tons compared to the
last one Transshipment record from
2022. “In 2023, a total of just under
three Millions of passengers on the
ferries and Cruise ships in the overseas
port and Warnemünde around
200,000 travelers welcomed more
than last year.”
Quick turnarounds are essential for our business. BOOKIT
has enabled us to streamline our processes with check-in
online, self-service kiosks, ANPR and speed-gates.
Iain Robertson
System and IT Manager, Destination Gotland
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
74 / REPORT
RoPax: This was the fleet reshuffle that
saw the train ferry “Jan Sniadecki” withdrawn,
the “Galileusz” introduced, and
the “Epsilon” entered service to Trelleborg.
Björn Boström: Yes, but the “Jan Sniadecki”
had not transported rail traffic since
2018.
Ystad Port Sets New Records
for Bornholm Services
The Port of Ystad is well prepared for the future with its new
port to accommodate vessels up to 250 metres in length.
The first new vessel of such dimensions will be the RoPax
“Varsovia” of Polferries. The newbuild from the Visentini Shipyard
in Italy, will enter service in summer 2024. The port
still has a rail connection to Poland and herewith it is the
second port in Sweden with a rail ferry to the continent.
The CEO of the Port of Ystad, Björn Boström,
confirmed another record in
transported passengers and vehicles to
Bornholm in 2023. RoPax spoke with
him about the perspectives and the position
of this important ferry port in the
south of Sweden.
RoPax: How was the year 2023 for Ystad
port?
Björn Boström: It was quite fine. It was a
far better year than we had expected. We
recorded some new traffic records on the
route to Bornholm, in fact every year we
have seen an increase in these figures. We
hit new records for passengers, cars, and
buses, with the new fast ferry “Express 5”.
Björn Boström
JPE
For the Polish services, the war in Ukraine
and the recession has affected the traffic
figures considerably, especially for building
materials because nobody is building
in Sweden for the moment. So, we have a
decline in figures for this trade. The Polish
ports with ferry services have not recorded
an increase in 2023 and this includes
our connection with Swinoujscie where
ferry traffic has decreased. We cannot
speak for the traffic volumes on the
Karlskrona to Gdynia service but a lot of
cargo might be changing from one company
to another.
RoPax: Unity line has increased capacity by
introducing the newer Ro-Pax “Epsilon”.
Björn Boström: I think this is a wise move
because we will hit the rock bottom of the
market in the middle of 2024 and then
traffic will increase again. We didn’t lose
much in the passenger segment in Poland.
We saw an increase in the performance of
the Poland service in January and February
due to the deployment of the “Galileusz”
with the old ferry “Jan Sniadecki” being
sold for service in Greece. The “Galileusz”
has brought a positive effect for us because
she has almost double the capacity.
JPE
RoPax: Do you still transport rail traffic
from Ystad to Swinoujscie?
Björn Boström: Yes, we can do this with
the “Polonia” and we have a train connection
which was temporarily stopped by the
port of Swinoujscie because they carried
out work to rebuild the rail tracks into an
intermodal area. During that period, we
could not transport any trains but now this
service is open again following trials after
the work was completed.
RoPax: How is Ystad positioned in the
strategy of the Swedish state to offer
alternative rail connections should an
accident or other issues occur on the
Oresund Bridge rail link.
Björn Boström: The Trafikverket made a
report with the information that the only
rail connection besides the Oresund
Bridge is Trelleborg – Rostock. They did
not mention that we have still a rail
connection. That is not correct, and we are
working to communicate to the government
that we are also an alternative option
to Trelleborg and the Oresund bridge. The
Polish Rail company PKP is working to get
more rail traffic from Germany onto Polish
tracks and to increase the rail connection.
This might affect the port of Rostock I
think. Another point is the military
transport solution via Ystad by Rail to
Poland. Poland is part of NATO and now
Sweden is also part of NATO so we need to
boost this rail connection. We must keep
all route options open. The Ro-Pax
“Polonia” has a capacity of 740 lanemetres
for rail vehicles and she operates every
day.
RoPax: How is port of Ystad prepared for
the huge Visentini newbuild vessel from
Polferries, will she use the new part of
your port?
Björn Boström: As we know today, the
Varsovia will be delivered in June 2024, but
I think they need time to adjust her for the
service. She will go to the new berth due to
her length. We hope that she will bring
more cargo traffic back to Ystad. She will
use primarily berth no 8. We do not know
which vessel will be replaced but we are
incredibly pleased with the development,
especially if freight volumes increase once
again.
➔ On our webpage www.ropax.de you
can read the complete interview with
Björn Boström.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
REPORT / 75
76 / REPORT
Der Hafen zeichnet sich dadurch aus, dass
er seine Landstromstrategie schnell umgesetzt
hat und mit seiner errichteten Infrastruktur
schon heute Kapazitäten zur
Versorgung von bis zu sechs Schiffen hat.
Die Ziele der „Fit for 55-Strategie“ der EU
wird der Kieler Hafen damit schon 2026
erreichen. RoPax war in Kiel und sprach
mit dem Geschäftsführer Dr. Dirk Claus:
Seehafen Kiel, Ostufer Hafen
RoPax: Ergebnis 2023 ist positiv! Wie ist
der Ausblick für 2024? Sie hatten im Jahr
2023 etwas weniger LKW und RoRo
Ladung aber im Vergleich moderat zu
anderen Häfen. Sie konnten mehr
Massengutumschlag verzeichnen, wird
da mehr kommen im Jahr 2024?
Dirk Claus: Der Massengutumschlag ist
Split und Baustoffe, da haben wir das erste
Mal die Marke von 1 Mio. umgeschlagenen
Tonnen erreicht. Wir könnten da
gerne mehr machen, sind aber eingeschränkt
mit unserem Platz. Den haben
wir zu weiten Teilen schon ausgenutzt –
etwas Potential haben wir da aber sicher
noch. Im Papierbereich war das Jahr 2023
stabil. Wir hatten leichte Zuwächse: Mit
dem Schwerpunkt auf Verpackungsmaterial
und einer umgebauten Papiermühle,
steigern Iggesund und SCA
sukzessive die Mengen. Wir sind damit
sehr zufrieden. Im Fährbereich haben wir
auch auf dem Klaipėda Dienst wieder
positive Zahlen. Auf die, im Jahr 2022
verlorenen 20 % Ladung, folgen nun
wieder Mengenzuwächse, die vor allem im
Zusammenhang mit den neu eingesetzten
Fähren auf der Route stehen. Und auch
wenn wir seit diesem Jahr statt der sieben
Seehafen Kiel weiterhin
erfolgreich
Die SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG schließt mit einem
Frachtvolumen von über 7,89 Mio. Tonnen und 2,82 Mio.
Passagieren für das Jahr 2023 ab. Mit einem breit aufgestellten
Passagiergeschäft im Fähr- (1,64 Mio. Fährpassagiere)
und Kreuzfahrtbereich (1,19 Mio. Kreuzfahrtpassagiere),
hohen Frachtniveaus auf den Skandinavien-Verkehren und
sich erholenden Mengen Richtung Baltikum verzeichnet
der Kieler Hafen sowohl im Fracht- (+3,1 Prozent) als auch
im Passagierbereich (+22 Prozent) ein gutes Wachstum
gegenüber dem Vorjahr – und erreicht in beiden Bereichen
Rekordergebnisse.
Landstromanlage am Ostseekai mit Illumination
Stena Line am Ostseekai in Kiel.
nur noch sechs Anläufe pro Woche haben,
ist die Mengentendenz durch die größere
„Aura Seaways“ deutlich positiv. Mit
einem höheren Passagierpotential steigt
nicht nur die umgeschlagene Menge,
sondern bietet auch Raum für Wachstum
im Passagierbereich.
RoPax. Die Perspektive ist positiv das da
mehr Passagiere gen Klaipėda reisen
werden?
Dirk Claus: Ja, im vergangenen Jahr haben
wir insgesamt 130.000 Passagiere abgefertigt.
In den ersten zwei Monaten dieses
Jahres sehen wir schon einen positiven
Trend im Vergleich zum Vorjahreszeitraum.
Seehafen Kiel
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
REPORT / 77
RoPax: Hafenerweiterung am Ostuferhafen
– wie ist der Stand und die Planung?
Dirk Claus: Die Gebäude des Kraftwerks
auf der von uns erworbenen Fläche sind
weg, aber die Fundamente müssen noch
be seitigt werden. Wir arbeiten parallel am
Planfeststellungsverfahren, dann wollen
wir die Fläche mit 6,5 Hektar integrieren.
Ich denke das wir im Jahr 2026 einen
ersten Bauabschnitt integrieren können.
RoPax: Was wird da zukünftig stattfinden,
da es ja keinen weiteren Liegeplatz
geben wird?
Dirk Claus: Wir wollen da Lager und
Logistikflächen schaffen. Durch das
GKK-Gelände ergeben sich Endzerrungen
auf den bestehenden Flächen, die zu einer
Optimierung der Prozesse im Fracht- und
Passagiergeschäft führen.
RoPax: Fährverkehr – wie kommt der
Rückgang zu Stande vor allem im intermodalen
Bereich?
Dirk Claus: Wir hatten in der Vergangenheit
bei Stena Line über 35% Anteil bei den
Intermodaleinheiten. Da haben wir in
Spitzenzeiten 26.000 Einheiten umgeschlagen.
Da ist leider einiges weggefallen
und auf die Straße zurück gegangen. Das
liegt zum einen an der Preispolitik und
auch der fehlenden Zuverlässigkeit der
Deutschen Bahn. Stena Line konzentriert
sich jetzt auf Verona und wird auf dieser
Strecke in Zusammenarbeit mit Kombiverkehr
einen Direktzug anbieten.
RoPax: Kiel hat eine super Stellung im
Kreuzfahrtbereich, trotz Covid und
Ukraine Krieg konnten Sie Ihre Position
halten und weiter ausbauen.
Dirk Claus: Wir sind breit aufgestellt im
Passagierbereich und wir merken, dass die
Nachfrage für Kreuzfahrten in die Ostsee
langsam wieder zunimmt. Wir sehen, dass
Kreuzfahrtreisen nach Rückgängen in den
Jahren 2022/2023 für die Jahre 2025/2026
wieder vermehrt in den Ostseeraum gehen.
Auch wenn St- Petersburg weiterhin
nicht angesteuert werden kann, steigen die
Anlaufzahlen für die östlichen Ostseehäfen
wie Helsinki und Stockholm. Das wirkt
sich auch positiv auf den Kieler Hafen aus.
RoPax: Wenn wir bei der Kreuzfahrt
sind, wie ist der Trend zu kleinen und
Dr. Dirk Claus
“2026 ist die erste
Integration der neuen
Flächen am Ostuferhafen
geplant.”
JPE
mittelgroßen bis zu den ganz großen
Schiffen bei Ihnen im Hafen zu sehen?
Dirk Claus: Wir machen den „Turnaround“
für große und kleine Produkte
wie z.B. Hapag Lloyd, die wir in den ersten
Wochen des Jahres 2024 bereits zweimal
mit ihren hochwertigen Schiffen abgefertigt
haben. Wir haben im Kieler Hafen drei
große Liegeplätze, an denen wir alle
Schiffsklassen bis zu 6.500 Passagiere
abfertigen können. Ein wesentlicher Vorteil
im Vergleich zu anderen Häfen ist für
das Turnaround Geschäft unsere gute Innenstadtlage
und die unmittelbare Nähe
zum Bahnhof. Im Stopp-Over Bereich sind
wir auch gut positioniert. Wir liegen an
der Ostsee und Kiel bietet eine ideale Ausgangslage
für Destinationen nach Lübeck,
Hamburg, das Wattenmeer und die Schleswig-Holsteinische
Schweiz. Berlin ist international
natürlich sehr angesagt und
das kann man von Rostock deutlich besser
machen. Insgesamt sind wir in Kiel aber
gut aufgestellt für die Kreuzfahrtindustrie.
➔ Lesen Sie auf unserer Website
www.ropax.de das komplette Interview
mit Dr. Dirk Claus.
ENGLISH SUMMARY
SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG
closes with Freight volume of over 7.89
million tons and 2.82 million passengers
for 2023. The port recorded in
Ferry passenger business 1.64 million
ferry passengers and cruise sector 1.19
million cruise passengers, high freight
levels on the Scandinavian transports
and volumes towards the Baltics are recovering
both in freight (+3.1 percent)
and in Passenger sector (+22 percent)
showed good growth.
Seehafen Kiel
Stena Germanica
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
78 / REPORT
Sweden and I will have a next meeting in
September 2024 with the general director
we are going to start building a new intermodal
terminal here.
Port of Trelleborg – one year
ahead!
Port of Trelleborg, which is Scandinavia’s largest RoRo port,
has about 34 arrivals and departures every day. The four
shipping companies that currently operate the port are
TT-Line, Stena Line, Unity Line and FRS Baltic. Together
they have 15 RoPax ferries and one fast catamaran serving
Trelleborg to Travemünde, Rostock, Sassnitz, Swinoujscie
and Klaipeda.
Trelleborgs Hamn
RoPax: You will get more space and rail
tracks in the future? Our last meeting, we
spoke about the fence which you should
move to get more rail tracks.
Jörgen Nilsson: I’m really convinced it’s
not a big problem but it’s difficult for traffic
administration or in Swedish “Trafikverket”.
I have so many political people that
really would like to go in public and support
me with this because everybody talks
about move volumes from road to rail. We
are the largest RoRo port in Scandinavia
for trailer traffic. We have all the possibilities
to connect where Europe meets Scandinavia
with our network from Klaipeda to
Travemünde. We can bring all the volumes
in here and we can put it on the train. It
might be that it will not be up and running
2026 but as it looks for now I would say I
will be surprised if we will not be up and
running in 2027 and then we will create a
solution for 150,000 trailers. Three times
more than today.
RoPax: Today you have a capacity about
max 50,000 units.
Jörgen Nilsson: If we look at it today, you
know everybody would like to come in at
his wished time and they would like to go
out at their wished time. We have time
schedules, which will cause difficulties to
The port invests in the last years heavily
in its facilities and increased its capacities.
Today there are 500,000 square
meters space for cargo trucks and intermodal
and the port has now 5,400 meters
of quay. RoPax spoke with Port of Trelleborg’s
CEO Jörgen Nilsson about the
next steps and the high performance of
his port.
RoPax: How was the year 2023, did you
have a decrease or stable volumes?
Jörgen Nilsson: It depends how you look at
it, but we have a decrease about 5,2%.
When we look at the routes, we lost some
loads at the Klaipeda route. But it was not
so much, it was a better performance than
we expected because of TT-Line’s move to
Karlshamn with one vessel. But we lost a
little bit when we look at the lines to
Swinoujscie. TT-Line performed better
and Unity Line performed a little bit worse,
in total I would say it was roughly the same
level as the year 2022.
RoPax: How performed the German connections
to Rostock and Travemünde?
Jörgen Nilsson: The German connection
was quite ok. When it comes to Rostock it
was also a little bit less than last year and
Travemünde was also more or less on the
level as it was 2022.
RoPax: If I remember in 2022 on Travemünde
there was a decrease in the volumes.
Jörgen Nilsson: Yes, that’s correct because
Poland was increasing, I would say for a
long time. But I think we lost a little bit;
TT-Line was performing better but Unity
Line lost a little bit more.
RoPax: How was the performance in intermodal
traffic are you on the same level
as 2022?
Jörgen Nilsson: No, it increased with
12.4%. Even if the cargo volumes went
down by roughly 5% we had an increase in
intermodal traffic with 12.4%. We handled
40,000 trailers intermodal 2023.
“Intermodal
traffic increase”
RoPax: You are on your track because
you told me two years ago you have the
plan to handle 50,000 units per year until
2025.
Jörgen Nilsson: Yes, we are on schedule. I
had a meeting with the regional manager
for the rail traffic administration here in
The new canteen in Trelleborgs Hamn
new port building
operate over 50,000 units with the existing
facilities. We can manage up to 50,000
units. I think we can go up with 5,000 units
this year and 5,000 more next year. Then
we will have the new terminal and we will
offer more capacity for these peaks. I’m really
convinced that we will get the new terminal
ready in 2027 at latest. There is no
one to tell me this is not possible. Of
course, we have some dialogues regarding
how the new terminal should look according
to our standard. I would say that we’re
using the tracks that they have today. We
are going to do a total refurbish of everything
because we need to have another
construction. We are not thinking of having
these gantry cranes. We will use reach
stackers as it looks for now. One reason is
because of the private apartments that are
JPE
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
REPORT / 79
ND
Jörgen Nilsson CEO Trelleborgs (right)
on the other side of the street. We will have
problems immediately with the citizens for
disturbing their sea view. It will take a little
bit more space for us when we use reach
stackers but our operation will be much
faster, and we will have the space. We are
expecting to have four lengths of racks
based on Swedish standard, we will have
10 more tracks about 400 meters each
where we can put trains on for waiting.
Due to this plan of our increased capacity,
we will still be able to handle the railway
ferries.
Trelleborgs Hamn
RoPax: What is with your plans to get the
new gate here in the east part of the port
do you have more information about the
road plans?
Jörgen Nilsson: We are waiting for the ring
road around Trelleborg but that is not in
our hands. It will take longer time than we
have expected but when it comes to our
new intermodal terminal, we have much
more possibilities. It is really necessary
that we have the possibility to create fulllength
trains of app 720-750 meters from
Trelleborg. Then we don’t need to go inside
to Malmö. There is no space in Malmö and
it’s not possible to doing anything inside
Malmö. We compile the train there together
because it’s much more efficient. We can
go direct from here to Stockholm or Oslo
for example and much more other destinations.
On 750 metres we can work with 7
reach stackers that means we can work
from one side with 3 and from the other also
with 3 and we have one extra for failure
or other problems. I can buy 7 reach stackers
for the same price as for one gantry
crane and it will be faster and more flexible.
RoPax: Do you have enough drivers? Is
this also an issue here like in Germany in
some ports they have not enough drivers
for tugmaster, forklifts and stackers?
Jörgen Nilsson: No, we have an attractive
work model. We can compare ours with
the model in Rostock. I think we are paying
a lot more than in Rostock compared
to the working time per year. Today our
stevedores work seven days on one-week
shift and then they are free for seven days.
Additionally, they have six weeks also of
“I like to push things to be
fast and try it to be simple
and possible.”
holiday. That means they’re working 20
weeks in the year. Most of them have
sometimes an extra job in the free time. It
is very attractive, and we have no problems
to get drivers.
RoPax: If we look at your port development
you have reached the next stage of
the launch of your wonderful terminal
building in autumn 2023, and it looks
very good. What comes next?
Jörgen Nilsson: We are proud to be one
year ahead of our plan and we are going
forward.
➔ On our webpage www.ropax.de you
can read the complete interview with
Jörgen Nilsson.
NORWAY
FINLAND
SWEDEN
Nynäshamn
ESTONIA
Gothenburg
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Halmstad
Grenaa
Karlskrona
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IRELAND
Cairnryan
Heysham
Killingholme
Dublin Liverpool Immingham NETHERLANDS
Holyhead
GREAT BRITAIN
Rosslare
Hoek van
Fishguard Harwich Holland
Rotterdam
Trelleborg
Kiel
Rostock
Travemünde
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LITHUANIA
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PORTUGAL
MOLDOVA
AUSTRIA
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HUNGARY
SWITZERLAND
SLOVENIA
ROMANIA
CROATIA
BOSNIA AND
A sustainable future
HERZEGOVINA
based on caring
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ITALY
MONTENEGRO
KOSOVO
BULGARIA
MACEDONIA
SPAIN
ALBANIA
GREECE
For us at Stena Line, sustainability means the ability to sustain in the long run. Our
TURKEY
commitment to a sustainable future is based on a broad understanding, one that
is based on care: care for the planet, the humans, and the business.
ALGERIA
TUNISIA
MOROCCO
Read more about our work and services at stenalinefreight.com
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
80 / REPORT
operate without these political strikes. The
unions are expecting that the government
will start some negotiations with them, but
there might be another strike this spring.
Increased Passenger Volumes
for Helsinki Port
Helsinki is one of the busiest passenger ports in Europe with
daily ferry connections to Tallin, Stockholm and Travemünde.
It is also Finland’s leading general port for foreign cargo
traffic, serving both the business world and well-being of
the Helsinki region and the nation. In the last month the
port was hit by a political strike and only accompanied cargo
could be moved.
Helsinki Port
RoPax. Is there no quick resolution to
the strikes?
Ville Haapasaari: The reason for the strikes
is the new legislation that includes new
labour laws. The government is pushing
for change and one element is to limit the
right to political strikes. Hopefully the
government will get that law in to force in
May 2024, then this kind of prolonged
political strike action will no longer be
possible. It is a difficult situation. Last year
we also had a long strike at the ports, but
the latest situation is political, like a
demonstration. We expect the economic
growth to resume in the autumn of 2024.
RoPax. How does the strike affect your
revenue and your figures?
Ville Haapasaari: I think this strike will
cost the port 1 million Euro in revenue, but
we have had some positive developments
after shifting unaccompanied trailers to
transportation by truck. But we have been
30-35% below our 2023 figures during the
strike weeks. Also, industries have stopped
production due to the strikes because the
warehouses are full and the goods could
not be supplied to clients. These companies
then lay of all personnel whilst there
is no work.
In 2023 the port recorded higher passenger
volumes, but not at the levels seen before
Covid. Helsinki now has two green
shipping corridors in place, one to Tallin
and another as part of the X-Press Feeder
service, which will operate using green
methanol as fuel. RoPax spoke with CEO
of Port of Helsinki, Ville Haapasaari,
about the situation.
RoPax: Your valued client Finnlines
plans to order new Ro-Pax vessels with a
higher capacity for the future. Do you see
Helsinki becoming even more attractive
as a destination if the port hosts more
vessels with greater capacities in the future
as a follow-on from Finnline’s concept
of newbuilds?
Ville Haapasaari: Yes, I think so. The port
is more reliant on people travelling to Finland
to stay for a period of time rather than
cruise traffic. It is interesting to consider
the potential benefits from the new ferries.
It would be good if we could see such a
type of ship as the Superstar Class vessels
„Finnsirius“and “Finncanopus” here in
Helsinki serve a route to Germany.
RoPax: How was the year 2023 for the
port of Helsinki?
Ville Haapasaari: It was better than 2022.
We as a company made a negative result in
2021 and 2022 due to the lack of passenger
business. In 2023 we achieved our first
positive result since the pandemic. Passenger
traffic picked up quite well and the port
handled over 9 million passengers. Before
the pandemic the port saw 12 million passengers
in a year. That was a positive result
in 2023 but the economic situation in Finland
and Europe saw a negative trend in
cargo traffic. Since Covid began, the port
has maintained a very good development
in cargo handling. In 2023 there was an 8%
increase in cargo volumes and for 2024 the
expectations were that the volumes would
pick up. However, now the situation is
“Since Covid began, the
port has maintained a very
good development in cargo
handling.”
really difficult, and the port has been
burdened with the political strikes here in
Finland. The port had to close for a total
close of 5 weeks due to the strikes.
RoPax. Is the strike on-going?
Ville Haapasaari: In February it started for
one week and in March we had four weeks
of strikes. In April the port started to
Voussari Port with Star class RoPax of Finnlines
RoPax: Do you have passengers visiting
again from Asia, including Japan, South
Korea and China, like before Covid
times?
Ville Haapasaari: This market sector is still
very limited. If I look at the other Scandinavian
countries, they are back to pre-
Covid passenger levels but here we have a
totally different situation because we have
a lack of Asian tourists. We had approx.
over 1.5 million passengers visiting
Finland from Asia per annum but now we
are getting more tourists from the south
due to the increase in local temperatures
in summertime. In the winter we also
get an increase in passengers for Lapland.
We have enough snow there plus the air
connections have increased in the past
year.
Helsinki Port
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
REPORT / 81
RoPax: How is the trade between Estonia
and Helsinki?
Ville Haapasaari: The cargo volume has
dropped by -6% but the volumes in passenger
business have improved. However,
compared to 2019, the figures are less at
-10%, but there is an increase again since
2023. Some shipping companies that
operate a Ro-Pax service from the port of
Vousaari to Muuga in Estonia have
approached the port of Helsinki with a
view to operating from Tallinn. The market
has yet to recover and there is plenty of
capacity on the existing ferries.
RoPax: How is the Western Port project
progressing regarding volumes and
restructuring?
Ville Haapasaari: There is a bit of a delay
with the planning and overall progress
because of political issues. We want to
build a tunnel from the harbour to the
Ville Haapasaari
JPE
to Travemünde and Stockholm. From July
2024 we open another green corridor with
X-Press Feeders when they commence a
feeder service with methanol-powered
vessels between Helsinki and Antwerp.
They will be bunkering the methanol in
Rotterdam because today we cannot
provide it due to not having the required
infrastructure. Finland has two other
green corridors, Turku- Stockholm and
Vaasa-Umea.
RoPax: How do you see the effect of ETS
on your shipping lines from Helsinki?
Could it shift cargo flows to shorter
routes and other ports?
ai171473441717_RoPax 2024 PORT OFKIEL 178x126.pdf 1 03.05.2024 13:06:58
Ville Haapasaari: I think overall we are
worried about cost increases, but I think
shipping companies will put the additional
cost into their prices. I think somebody
must pay but the question is will having it
really affect the cargo volumes and the
production output in Finland. We were really
worried 15 years ago about the rules to
operate with zero sulphur, and we thought
we would lose a lot of our exports and
would have to double the prices. But, in the
end, we lost nothing. Hopefully, ETS will
have the same kind of consequence, and we
will not see costs increase and prices rise.
RoPax: Thanks for the talk.•
Helsinki Port
“The cargo volume has
dropped by -6% but the
volumes in passenger
business have improved.”
western highway in Helsinki. There is quite
a lot of opposition to the project so now
C
there is a lot of discussion concerning
alternative routes for the tunnel. I think it M
will take more time and we will start
Y
maybe in 2027 with completion in 2031. It
is not easy to develop such a project in CMa
city area, but we are progressing.
CY
RoPax: The ports of Lübeck, Trelleborg
and TT Line have signed a Memorandum
of Understanding for a green
CMY
ship-
K
ping corridor to strengthen their services
against future competition from the
Fehmarn Belt tunnel. Might you also
create something like that with Lübeck
and Finnlines?
Ville Haapasaari: We have a green corridor
between Helsinki and Tallin as
announced in autumn 2023. This is a kind
of umbrella arrangement with all parties
working together, plus we are calculating
both the benefits and a reduction in
emissions. The next step for us in the
maritime sector would be with the routes
MY
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
82 / REPORT
Das Trailer Geschäft war relativ stabil. Das
Papiergeschäft war durchwachsen im
zweiten Halbjahr wurde es etwas schwächer
und zum Winter weniger aber im Januar
und Februar hat es wieder angezogen.
Unternehmensgruppe Lehmann
in Lübeck – Herausforderungen
im Schienen-Hinterlandverkehr
Die Unternehmensgruppe Lehmannn in Lübeck betreibt vier
eigene Hafenterminals mit einer Kai Länge von mehr als 2500
Meter. Das Unternehmen ist breit aufgestellt und bietet den
Umschlag und die Abfertigung von RORO, LOLO, Stückgut,
Massengut, Schwergut, hochwertige Güter wie Papier und
Zellulose sowie Fahrzeuge aller Art an.
Die Reedereiabteilung betreibt derzeit
10 Minibulker auf den Europäischen
Meeren für den Transport von Bulkladungen
ein neues Schiff wird dieses Jahr
die Flotte vergrößern. RoPax sprach mit
den beiden Geschäftsführern Sven Lohse
und Henrik Lehmann über die derzeitigen
Herausforderungen.
RoPax: Wie war das Jahr 2023 für die
Unternehmensgruppe Lehmann im Bereich
der Reederei ?
Auf der Reedereiseite war das Ergebnis
sehr stabil und noch gut aber nicht so gut
wie die Jahre 2021 und 2022. Der Markt
wird jetzt gerade etwas weicher. Die Eissituation
hat etwas geholfen in Finnland.
Sven Lohse
Lehmann
Die Zeitcharterraten für Kümos sind derzeit
stabil. Das ist nach wie vor der Situation
geschuldet, dass es zu wenig Schiffe auf
dem Markt gibt. Es wird zurzeit viel auf
Korntrakten gefahren, wir fahren auch zu
60% auf Kontrakten. Wenn das Eis weg ist,
dann wird man sehen wie das Baltikum
sich aufstellt und wie die Ernte ausfallen
wird.
“Im Jahr 2023 war der
Intermodale Verkehr sehr
herausfordernd.”
RoPax: Ist die Lehman Gruppe vom
Streik in Finnland betroffen?
Im Reederei Bereich laufen wir überwiegend
nur private Häfen an wo gearbeitet
wird. Bei einem weiteren Kunden, wo im
Hafen die letzten Wochen gestreikt wurde,
haben wir den Fahrplan entsprechend
kurzfristig geändert.
RoPax: Wie ist das Jahr 2023 im RoRo
Umschlag im Hafen gelaufen?
Lehmann
RoPax: Wie ist der Containerumschlag
gelaufen?
Im Jahr 2023 war der Intermodale Verkehr
sehr herausfordernd, bedingt auch durch
die vielen Streiks auf der Schienenseite.
Somit wurden viele Verkehre wieder auf
die Straße verlagert. Dann läuft das nicht
über unser Terminal, sondern direkt zum
Kunden. Heute haben dreimal die Woche
Züge nach Schweden sowie nach Lehrte
und Verona in Italien. Aktuell machen uns
die Verspätungen der Züge innerhalb
Deutschlands sorgen, weil dadurch sich
auch alle weiteren Abfahrten im Zweifel
verspäten. Eine weitere Herausforderung
sind die erhöhten Preise bei Bahn Akteure,
dadurch entstehen leider wieder
Verlagerungspotentiale auf die Straße.
Zusammenfassend war das Geschäftsjahr
2023 schon herausfordernd, gerade im
Papier und KV-Bereich ist das Volumen
etwas runter gegangen. Im Massengutbereich
haben wir dafür aber ein Plus
verzeichnen können. Die zwei Jahre davor
waren die Zahlen sehr gut, von daher ist
das Bild insgesamt stabil durch unsere
Diversifikation. In den ersten Monaten
des Jahres 2024 sind die gesunkenen
Energiekosten ein positiver Faktor. Auf der
anderen Seite haben wir weiterhin
gestiegene Personalkosten durch die
erhöhten Mindestlöhne. Da haben wir
jetzt das Thema mit den Kunden das wir
die Erhöhungen zumindest teilweise
weiterreichen müssen und dass bei der
angespannten Marktlage in der Industrielandschaft.
Dazu kommen auch noch die
höheren Kosten unserer Lieferanten auch
getrieben durch die hohen Personalkosten.
➔ Lesen Sie auf unserer Website
www.ropax.de das komplette Interview
mit Henrik Lehmann und Sven Lohse
ENGLISH SUMMARY
The Lehmannn group in Lübeck
operates four own port terminals with
a quay length of more than 2500
Meter. The company has a broad base
and offers handling of RORO, LOLO,
general cargo, Bulk cargo, heavy
cargo, high value goods such as paper
and Cellulose and vehicles of all kinds.
The shipping department is currently
operating 10 minibulkers on the
European Seas for the transport of
bulk cargo a new ship will be this year
expand the fleet.
RoPax 13 / 05.2024
GRIMALDI GROUP
The FIRST GREEN
Ro-Ro OPERATOR
in the MEDITERRANEAN
Pursuing sustainable
maritime transport
www.grimaldi.napoli.it