Karen Dyrskjøt Boesen has been appointed new CFO for the DFDS Group starting on 1 July 2024. She replaces Karina Deacon as CFO following her resignation in November 2023. Karen will join Torben Carlsen in the Group’s Executive Board as well as the Executive Management Team.
After almost 16 years in Canada, ATLANTIC VISION, the former SUPERFAST IX is back in Europe. She reached Fayard, Odense, and is being prepared for future deployment. By who remains an open question.
Photo: Marine Atlantic
After almost 16 years in Canada, ATLANTIC VISION, the former SUPERFAST IX is back in Europe. She reached Fayard, Odense, and is being prepared for future deployment. By who remains an open question.
Photo: Marine Atlantic
Ferry company Africa Morocco Link gets new owners:
- Attica Holdings S.A. sells 49% to Stena Line Holding B.V.
- Bank of Africa sells 51% of its shares to Compagnie de Transports au Maroc (CTM)
Remarks
- Both Bank Of Africa and CTM, are entities belonging to O Capital Group, owned by Mr Othman Benjelloun.
- The ships Morocco Star and Highspeed 3, owned by subsidiaries of Attica Group, are included in the transaction.
- Attica: The total consideration amounts to €49m and the net profit is expected to exceed €21m.
- Competitor DFDS entered the Strait of Gibraltar market on 10 January 2024 buy acquiring FRS.
- AML was founded in 2016 by Attica Group and Bank of Africa.
Sources:
Press release CTM (in French)
Through its subsidiary Attica Blue Hospitality, Attica Group is expanding into the hotel industry with a €14 million investment. They acquired the Galaxy Hotel, adjacent to the Naxos Resort Beach Hotel (bought in 2021-, on the island of Naxos.
Additionally, the Group has acquired adjacent land parcels totaling approximately 20 acres, paving the way for future development. With a combined capacity of 142 rooms and 286 beds, Attica Group aims to expand further, respecting the island’s character and environment.
Mr. Panos Dikeos, CEO of Attica Group, highlights the strategic importance of this expansion, emphasizing its contribution to local economies and Greece’s tourism sector. With a growing presence in Naxos and Tinos, Attica Group remains committed to providing quality services and supporting sustainable tourism growth.
DFDS acquires international transport network connecting Türkiye and Europe from Ekol Logistics, strengthening DFDS’ market position in the transport corridor between Türkiye and Europe. The transaction is expected to be completed in Q4 2024, pending EU merger control approval.
Source: DFDS Media
The financial outlook for 2024 has been revised:
- The DFDS Group’s revenue is in 2024 now expected to increase by 8-11% compared to 2023 assuming the acquisition is closed at the beginning of Q4 2024. The previously expected revenue increase in 2024 was 5-8%.
- The 2024 outlook for EBIT is unchanged DKK 2.0-2.4bn.
- Due to an expected integration period of 2-3 years, the time for achieving the financial ambition of a ROIC of around 10% in 2026 is extended to 2027.
- The above-mentioned acquisition is at closing expected to increase DFDS’ financial leverage, NIBD/EBITDA, by around 0.3x on a pro forma basis.
- The financial ambition of reducing financial leverage to 2.5x in 2026 is unchanged as is the financial ambition of generating an annual Adjusted free cash flow of DKK 1.5bn in the period 2024-2026.
Photo: EKOL
Finnlines’ new daily maritime bridge between Sweden and Poland started on 10 April 2024.
Route: Malmö, Sweden – Świnoujście, Poland
Ship: RoPax Finnfellow (Swedish flag) – 440 pax – 3,000 lane metres
Antonio Raimo, Line Manager at Finnlines:
“The launch of a new route will benefit Swedish and Polish exports and imports and expands Finnlines’ operations outside Finland, as well as confirming Finnlines commitment to Polish security of supply by calling both the port of Gdynia and soon the port of Świnoujście. We have already strengthened the shore organization and opened an office in Świnoujście.”
On April 7 and 8, 2024, the latest acquisitions of Seajets, HSC Orchan Gazi 1 and Osman Gazi 1, arrived in Greece under tow. Both sisterships were purchased last February from the Turkish company Istanbul Deniz (IDO). They operated daily from Istanbul to Moudania and are among the 8 ships that Seajets acquired in the last 8 months following a tremendous expansion plan.”
These vessels are:
- Champion Jet 3 (ex-Incat 045)
- Eurochampion Jet (ex- Natchan Rera)
- Superruner Jet II (ex-Gotlandia)
- Super Star II (ex-Color Viking)
- Express Skiathos
- Santorini Palace
- HSC Orchan Gazi 1
- HSC Osman Gazi 1
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
During the past year, H2 Energy and DFDS have worked together on a project to analyse the feasibility of retrofitting large ferries with a hydrogen propulsion system. Now, the project has been finalized contributing with important knowledge for further analysis on the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel for sea and road transport. The project was supported by the Danish Maritime Fund.
DFDS has recently launched its ‘Vessels of tomorrow’ programme, which will see two methanol, two electric and two ammonia vessels added to the company’s fleet over the next six years.
Although hydrogen is not included in the programme and DFDS is not planning to use hydrogen as a fuel in the very near future, DFDS will continue to contribute to the development of knowledge on hydrogen as part of the company’s ongoing analysis of possible net-zero scenarios for both vessels and road transport.
Read more here (DFDS) and here:
Photo: DFDS
- Port of Tallinn’s subsidiary, OÜ TS Laevad, recognized by the Ministry of Regional Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture for successful bid in public procurement process.
- Partnership secured for provision of passenger transport services on Virtsu-Kuivastu and Rohuküla-Heltermaa ferry lines.
- Public service contract to be signed between Ministry and TS Laevad for seven years, from October 1st, 2026, to September 30th, 2033.
- Currently, TS Laevad operates under public service contract signed with Estonian Transport Administration until September 30th, 2026.
The newly built ferry Nerea, operated by Caronte & Tourist Isole Minori, has successfully completed the first LNG bunkering operation in the port of Trapani through a truck-to-ship operation. Following the dual-ended vessel Elio, Nerea is the second dual-fuel ferry (MGO-LNG) in Caronte’s fleet. A third one, already renamed Pietro Mondello and under construction in Turkey, will enter into service next year. Nerea is deployed on the link between Trapani and Pantelleria island and will be regularly fueled with the truck-to-ship system supplying biogas, a 100% sustainable fuel obtained from organic waste, on which Caronte & Tourist is already focusing its attention.
