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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Ferry Operator News

14 Mar 2024

NIB to Co-Finance Norled’s Vessels and Infrastructure in Norway

Source: Norled

Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) has signed a seven-year loan to co-finance ferry operator Norled AS’ investments in zero and low carbon vessels and related land-based infrastructure in Norway during 2024-2030.The InvestEU program supports the loan under NIBs Framework Operation Green Mobility and Transport approved by the Investment Committee.This NOK 500 million (EUR 43.4 million) loan will help Norled finance the extension of its low-carbon fleet. This is NIB’s first InvestEU loan in Norway.Norway is electrifying its transport network at a rapid pace…

10 Mar 2024

Corvus Energy Develops Data-Driven State of Health Test

Source: Corvus Energy

Corvus Energy has developed a DNV-accepted method for data-driven state of health (SOH) testing.SOH tests for marine battery systems are mandatory and give an overall assessment of the condition, performance and safety of the batteries over time. These tests help determine the battery's capacity, efficiency and remaining life. Using data-driven approaches in these tests enhances accuracy and efficiency in monitoring and maintaining marine battery systems. In addition, the test…

04 Mar 2024

Fjord1 Orders Autonomous Zero-emission Ferries

(Image: HAV Design)

Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 has ordered a series of four autonomous zero-emission ferries to operate the Lavik-Oppedal crossing on the northwest coast of Norway.The newbuilds were designed by Norway-based HAV Design and will be built by Tersan Shipyard in Turkey.According to HAV Design, which will deliver ship design and an engineering package for all four vessels, said the design is based on a future-oriented operating concept developed alongside Fjord1. The ferries will…

26 Feb 2024

Many Different Vessels but One Goal – Passenger Safety

© Olivier / Adobe Stock

Because there are so many different kinds of passenger vessels, the critical topic of passenger safety can sometimes appear as a set of niche topics, each one just distantly connected to another. After all, passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean face safety issues that are much different than a commuter going from Jersey City to Manhattan or a tourist crossing from the Mukilteo, Wash. ferry terminal to Whidbey Island or a family on a fishing vessel in Miami.Importantly, though, for passenger vessel operators, a commitment to safety is not siloed.

22 Feb 2024

Virtual Marine: Simulator Training is the Real Deal

(Photo: Virtual Marine)

In the commercial maritime and offshore industries, where worker safety and competency are crucial, effective training practices are an absolute must. While hands-on, in-the-field learning will always be a vital component of any mariner’s training, marine simulation has become a welcome enhancement to the education process. And in some cases, it’s seen as a safer alternative to traditional survival craft and rescue boat training.A leader in this space is Virtual Marine, based in Newfoundland and Labrador.

16 Feb 2024

Stena Line Commences Dublin-Liverpool Freight Route

Source: Stena Line

Swedish ferry operator, Stena Line has officially commenced its new Dublin – Liverpool (Birkenhead) freight service. The addition of the new route is expected to further boost the company’s freight volumes following a record year on its Irish Sea services in 2023.The return service will operate daily from Dublin in the morning, making the evening return journey from 12 Quays terminal in Birkenhead.The addition of the new service will be Stena Line’s seventh route in the Irish Sea region complementing its Belfast - Cairnryan…

31 Jan 2024

Damen to Build Fast Ferry for South Korean Operator

FFe 4212 (Credit: Damen)

Damen Shipyards has signed a contract to build a new Fast Ferry 4212 (FFe 4212) for South Korean ferry operator KT Marine.The vessel ordered by KT Marine is already under construction at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam and is expected to be ready for delivery by mid-2024, the Dutch shipbuilder said.The latest vessel for KT Marine marks the seventh Damen’s fast ferry built for the Korean market, and the fifth to be built for South Korean operators.“Our management team holds…

15 Jan 2024

Exploring 'Future Fuels' - Methanol’s Superstorage Solution

Image courtesy SRC

Technical inquiries to SRC Group ramped up after it received Approval in Principle (AIP) for a concept which ‘reinvented methanol fuel storage’ on board ships. Delivering the answers has seen technical talk converting into project discussions        ‘Green’ methanol has the ability to one day run vessels almost emission-free, and commercial shipping increasingly investigates. Derived today principally from natural gas, methanol is nonetheless available, relatively easy to handle and predictable.

20 Dec 2023

Scandlines Orders Onshore Charging System for Puttgarden

Source: Scandlines

Scandlines has contracted Norwegian Electric Systems (NES) to deliver an onshore charging system to the ferry operator’s berth in Puttgarden, Germany.NES will deliver the system and connect the equipment to the power grid of the regional grid operator, Schleswig-Holstein Netz. The required components onshore include a 30MVA grid transformer, medium and low voltage transformers, and switchboards, in addition to control system and data collection system. NES will also deliver additional equipment to the ferry.Scandlines’ new zero direct emissions ferry…

01 Nov 2023

Wärtsilä Unveils New Ultra-Low Emissions Engine for Marine Industry

Wärtsilä 31DF engine has helped Wasaline further reduce methane emissions by 10 percent onboard the Aurora Botnia ferry © Wasaline

Finland-based marine engine maker Wärtsilä on Wednesday introduced a new ultra-low-emissions version of its Wärtsilä 31DF engine, which was first launched in 2015. According to Wärtsilä, while operating on LNG, this new version can further reduce methane emissions on a 50 percent load point by up to 56 percent and nitrogen oxide (NOx) by up to 86 percent.On a weighted average, this new technology can reduce methane emissions by 41 percent more than the standard Wärtsilä 31DF engine…

27 Sep 2023

Accelleron Extends Service Agreement with Starlite Ferries

Accelleron has signed a new three-year agreement to deliver turbocharger services to Starlite Ferries Inc. The passenger ferry operator, located in the Philippines, has extended the scope as well as the duration of their Turbo LifecycleCare agreement, adding one further vessel to the seven previously covered. Furthermore, Accelleron’s digital engine optimization solution Tekomar Xpert is newly implemented on all eight vessels.Starlite Ferries is one of the leading shipping companies in the Philippines, serving daily traffic of around 10,000 passengers and more than 1,500 vehicles.

12 Sep 2023

Gosport Ferry Undergoes Genset Overhaul

(Photo: Royston)

Royston’s specialist marine engineering team has completed essential repair and a service work on a power plant system used onboard a south coast of England ferry.The 32-meter-long Spirit of Portsmouth, which carries pedestrians and cyclists between Gosport and Portsmouth in Hampshire, has had one of its aft Cummins 6BT generator sets overhauled by Royston engineers at the company’s North East of England workshop facility.This involved a full engine strip down with service work completed on essential parts.

15 May 2023

AG EMS selects Hogia Ferry Systems

Picture showing from the left: Jan Meyer (AG EMS), Stefan Beekhuis (AG EMS), Niclas Blomström (Hogia), Maria Åkersten (Hogia), Claus Hirsch (AG EMS). Image courtesy AG EMS

German ferry operator Aktien-Gesellschaft EMS (“AG EMS”) has partnered with Hogia Ferry Systems to implement their standard reservation software BOOKIT.AG EMS operates a ferry service between Emden and the island Borkum, using both traditional and high-speed ferries. The company will also use BOOKIT for its river cruises and excursions.“We had reached the end of opportunities with our current system, and we needed a modern and reliable standard ferry reservation and check-in system to replace it," said Stefan Beekhuis, CIO, AG EMS.

14 Dec 2022

StraitNZ Bluebridge Opts for Hogia Ferry Systems

Image courtesy Bluebridge

New Zealand ferry operator StraitNZ Bluebridge reached an agreement with Hogia Ferry Systems for delivery and implementation of its standard reservation software BOOKIT.Bluebridge operates two ropax ferries between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island, across Cook Strait. Hogia Ferry Systems is part of the Hogia Group, one of Sweden's largest software companies with 600 employees in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom.

16 Feb 2023

2023 Shipbuilding Report: US Passenger Vessels

Casco Bay Line selected the Senesco to build a double ended hybrid electric ferry to replace an existing diesel boat. (Image: EBDG)

With travel and tourism nearing pre-2020 levels, and transit systems benefiting from a return to work, passenger vessels have seen renewed activity. In its year-end review, John Groundwater, Executive Director of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), which advocates for the sector in Washington, D.C. wrote: “As we are nearing the end of the calendar year, we are delighted to report that our industry, and our members, are reporting far and wide that they have experienced very…

27 Jun 2023

Wärtsilä to Convert Stena Line Ferries to Methanol Fuel

Source: Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä has been contracted by Swedish ferry operator Stena Line to convert some of its vessels to operate with methanol fuel. The conversions will include the fuel supply system and engine modifications, as well as integrating the new installations with the ships’ existing systems. The full scope of the supply package will include fuel tank instrumentation and valves, transfer pumps, low pressure pump skid, fuel valve trains, methanol fuel pump units and the automation of the system, engine conversions, and automation upgrade for the engine control room.

14 Jul 2023

New Ferry Enters Service for SeaLink in Queensland

(Photo: Incat Crowther)

A new 24-meter passenger ferry designed by Incat Crowther and built by Norman R. Wright & Sons has begun servicing a busy passenger route for commuter and tourism ferry operator SeaLink South-East Queensland. The new Incat Crowther 24, named Talwurrapin, began operating on the Redland Bay to Russell Island route in the Moreton Bay region in late January 2023, providing a vital connection between the mainland and Russell Island.Incat Crowther said it worked with SeaLink South-East…

08 Aug 2023

Hornblower Secures New NYC Ferry Operating Contract

© jjfarq / Adobe Stock

New York City has awarded Hornblower Group a new contract to continue as operator of the NYC Ferry service after the deal was put up for rebid.The 38-vessel NYC Ferry system is the nation's largest passenger-only ferry fleet, serving about 7 million riders annually with six routes that collectively span 70 nautical miles and touch all five city boroughs.Hornblower, which has served as NYC Ferry's operator since the service was launched in 2017, was awarded the new contract from…

28 Nov 2022

Stena Line Expands Its Ireland-France Ferry Service

(Photo: Stena Line)

Stena Line announced it is increasing capacity Ireland-France route with the addition of an extra vessel starting in June 2023.“Ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer in 2023, we will be doubling our sailing frequency and tripling our passenger capacity for tourists on our Rosslare – Cherbourg service as well significantly increasing freight capacity,” said Paul Grant, Irish Sea Trade Director at Stena Line.“We’ve seen increased demand for more services and bigger vessels…

13 Feb 2023

Miller Boat Line Receives Grant for Ferry Genset Refits

(Photo: Miller Boat Line)

Great Lakes ferry operator Miller Boat Line announced it has received grant funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that will help it to reduce diesel emissions from its vessels.The $239,339 grant will cover approximately 40% of the replacement cost for seven (model year 1982-1996) diesel generator sets with Northern Lights model M50T13L generators on four ferries, the Ohio-based company said.The ferry Islander will receive one new genset, and Put-in Bay, William Market and South Bass will each receive two.

16 May 2023

Corsica Linea Signs 10-year Asset Performance Deal with Wärtsilä

Corsica Linea’s LNG-powered ferry, A Galeotta, on sea trials (Photo: Corsica Linea)

French ferry operator Corsica Linea has signed 10-year Guaranteed Asset Performance (GAP) agreement with Wärtsilä to help ensure optimal performance of the power systems onboard the company’s new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled RoPax vessel A Galeotta, which will sail between Marseille and Corsica in France. The 206-meter-long ship was built at the Visentini yard in Italy. It features two Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel main engines and two Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines.The scope of the agreement includes scheduled maintenance of the main and auxiliary engines…

29 Aug 2023

Silja Symphony Adopts nauticAi Log Electronic Logbooks

Image courtesy nauticAi Log

Northern Baltic Sea ferry operator Tallink Grupp, which operates vessels under the Silja Line and Tallink brands, has selected the Finnish-developed nauticAi Log type approved electronic record book for its fleet of ships, with the Swedish-flagged cruise ferry Silja Symphony as the first one to go paperless. “We switched to paperless engine logbooks here on Silja Symphony from 1 June and feel that this is a good step towards even more modern and digitalised operations as well as our overall sustainability goal of going paperless.

10 May 2023

Stena Line Building Two New Ships for Irish Sea Service

(Image: Stena Line)

Ferry operator Stena Line announced it is building two new freight vessels for its expanding Belfast-Heysham freight service.Each of the two new 147-meter NewMax vessels has been designed to maximize freight volumes and will provide 2,800 lane meters of capacity which is an 80% increase on current ship capacities. The new vessels will be equipped to carry 12 passengers and 26 crew.The vessels will be able to operate on methanol fuel. Stena Line is currently working closely with…