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2019 Newsletter week 36

Sep 06
0

!! BREAKING NEWS !!

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New Amsterdam-Newcastle Ferries To Create More Value For Passengers And Freight Customers

DFDS has entered into an agreement with Moby to acquire the two ro-pax ferries MOBY WONDER and MOBY AKI, for the purpose of raising the customer experience and the capacity for both passengers and freight customers on the Amsterdam-Newcastle route. The ferries are built in 2001 and 2005, respectively.

Moby will in turn acquire the two passenger ferries currently operating on Amsterdam-Newcastle — KING SEAWAYS and PRINCESS SEAWAYS, built in 1987 and 1986, respectively.

“The new ferries are ideally suited for our Amsterdam-Newcastle route. Their modern onboard facilities and higher car-deck capacity will allow us to grow revenue by fulfilling the growing demand from high-yield car passengers. To freight customers, we will be able to offer increased capacity that can remain constant throughout the year”, says Peder Gellert Pedersen, EVP and Head of DFDS’ Ferry Division.

The agreement is expected to be completed in the second half of October 2019. DFDS will subsequently bareboat-charter King Seaways and Princess Seaways from Moby until January and February 2020, respectively.

Meanwhile, the acquired ferries from Moby will be refurbished to suit the Amsterdam-Newcastle route. This includes commercial and technical investments on board as well as port investments. The refurbished ferries are expected to be deployed on Amsterdam-Newcastle during the first quarter of 2020.

The freight capacity will increase around 40% on a full-year basis. The car capacity will increase around 5% on a full-year basis supported by a cabin configuration that is well suited to the requirements of holiday-makers travelling by car.

In 2018, Amsterdam-Newcastle carried more than 600,000 passengers, 122,000 passenger vehicles and 350,000 lane metres of freight.

The capacity increase will provide an opportunity to accommodate further growth in trade and travel, including a large tourism flow, between UK and Continental Europe.

Renewal supports WIN23 strategy and ambitions
In June 2019, DFDS launched the WIN23 strategy driven by four strategic pillars. The renewal of Amsterdam-Newcastle is a key part of the fourth pillar: Creating more value for passengers.

“I’m very pleased to already be able tick off an important milestone of our WIN23 strategy. We now have a strong set-up to continue to grow the route”, says Torben Carlsen, CEO of DFDS.

Revised outlook 2019

The expected completion in October 2019 of the sale of the two ferries is estimated to entail an accounting profit of around DKK 100m to be recognised under Special items in Q4 2019. The full-year outlook for Special items is thus increased to
DKK 70m from previously DKK -30m.

The investment in the renewal, including proceeds from the sale of Princess Seaways and King Seaways, is expected to amount to around DKK 1.0bn of which DKK 650m is expected to be paid in 2019. The remaining DKK 350m is expected to be paid in 2020. The investment includes a substantial investment in refurbishment.

The investment outlook for 2019 is therefore changed to around DKK 3.4bn from previously DKK 2.8bn.

(Press release DFDS)

MOBY WONDER  

  • Built 2001 by Daewoo
  • LOA 174m
  • GT 36,093
  • Pax 1880 (1190 in cabins)
  • Lane metres 1950
  • Cars 665

MOBY AKI

  • Built 2005 by Fincantieri
  • LOA 175m
  • GT 36,400
  • Pax 2080
  • Lane metres 1950
  • Cars 710

PRINCESS SEAWAYS

  • Built 1986 by Schichau Seebeckwerft
  • LOA 161m
  • GT 31,356
  • Pax 1700 (1320 in cabins)
  • Lane metres 1400
  • Cars 550

KING SEAWAYS

  • Built 1987 by Schichau Seebeckwerft
  • LOA 161m
  • GT 31,395
  • Pax 2280 (1686 in cabins)
  • Lane metres 1250
  • Cars 550
Sep 06
0

TOP STORY

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Short Interview With Torben Carlsen CEO And Peder Gellert EVP, DFDS Group

 FSN met the DFDS top executives in DFDS House, Copenhagen, talking about present and future.

With many DFDS activities on the UK -Continent trade, Brexit was a natural topic. Torben Carlsen says that DFDS has worked with both the UK and the continental customs, as well as with freight customers, to find smooth digital solutions.

All customs have been very cooperative and especially the UK is aware about the challenge and is as prepared as possible.

DFDS pointed out that it is of course also the Belgian, Dutch, Swedish and French side that will be affected and prepares itself.

In general, DFDS believes that there might be a period of 3-6 months with some problems, but the very big and important UK/EU trade eventually will find its forms.

DFDS is also prepared to restart the tax-free business, even if the profitability is not what it used to be.

In DFDS, approximately 80 % of the business is freight related when including the DFDS Logistic, and 20% is passenger related. However, the passenger revenue is bigger than at any time before in the long DFDS history.

On the tonnage side, the confirmed 4+2 big 6,500 lane metre China-built ro-ro ferries are partly delivered, under way or in preparation. The first two delivered are sailing in the Mediterranean and the next two will be in North Sea operation. Number 3, HOLLANDIA SEAWAYS is expected in November, December.

For the cruise ferry routes Amsterdam – Newcastle and Copenhagen-Oslo, DFDS is working on tonnage alternatives.

All together DFDS is operating 55 ships, in the Baltic, North Sea and the Med.

Peder Gellert informs that the big organisation is very customer- and market-driven. All back offices are common, but sales/marketing are as close as possible to the market. DFDS is focused on digital transformation, especially on the marketing side. These activities are mainly common for the group.

In the environmental area, DFDS is doing its best to improve and develop. An investment in biofuel producer Mash Energy is one example of the new CRS ambition. There are preparations to test one of the ships engines with the biofuel.

For the next 5 years the focus will be:

  • Growth solutions to selected industries like, forest/metal, automotive and cold chain transport.
  • Digitalise services to accelerate growth.
  • Develop and expand the ferry and logistic network.
  • Create more value for passengers.
Sep 06
0

FERRY SHIPPING

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Tallink Grupp has announced establishing a subsidiary in Singapore this week – Tallink Asia Pte Ltd – which is the group’s first subsidiary in Asia.  The purpose of founding a subsidiary in Singapore is to simplify the development and expansion of the group’s activities in Asia.

Press release
Sep 06
0

Oslo Welcomes The Electric King

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Commuter ferry KONGEN (‘king’ in Norwegian) has emerged from Horten Ship Repair as an electric passenger ferry.

Norled, operator of the Nesodden – Aker Brygge (Oslo) connection decided in October last year to electrify the three ferries, KONGEN, DRONNINGEN and PRINSEN.

The two other boats will be ready in December 2019 and April 2020.

Sep 06
0

FSG Delivers LEEVSTEN Charterer Unknown

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The German shipyard Flensburger-Schiffbau-Gesellschaft has just completed and delivered a vessel renamed LEEVSTEN, which is the seventh ro-ro ship handed over to SIEM.

Several media reported recently that Fratelli Onorato could be the charterer of this unit (since the fifth and the sixth, respectively renamed ALF POLLAK and MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO had been bare boat chartered to the Vincenzo Onorato-controlled company) but several sources in Italy deny this possibility, even if some negotiations were effectively ongoing in the recent past and the light blue coloured funnel of the vessel may be a clear sign of that.

The eighth vessel for Siem will be launched at the end of October at the same shipyard based in Flensburg.

Read more on the FSG website (including ship particulars)
Sep 06
0

Tennor Holding Takes Full Ownership Of Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft

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Investor Lars Windhorst has completely taken over the Flensburg shipbuilding company. His investment company Tennor Holding B.V. confirmed it has now become the sole owner of the German shipyard FSG, after acquiring all remaining shares in FSG from the former owners, Siem Europe Sarl.

In February of this year, Tennor (formerly Sapinda Holding) became the principal shareholder.

Siem Europe will continue to work closely with Tennor alongside other FSG customers and suppliers to ensure the long term growth and prosperity of the business.

Sep 06
0

LIVERPOOL SEAWAYS To Go To La Méridionale In April 2020

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As expected, DFDS agreed to sell ro-pax LIVERPOOL SEAWAYS to La Méridionale.
LIVERPOOL SEAWAYS is currently deployed in DFDS’ Baltic route network and is planned to be replaced by a ferry from DFDS’ existing fleet.
Completion of the sale is agreed for April 2020 with proceeds of around DKK 200m and an expected accounting profit of around DKK 100m to be recorded under Special items.

Sep 06
0

P&O Ferries: New Calais – Tilbury Freight Ferry Service

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P&O Ferries will launch a new Calais – Tilbury -Calais daily service operating from end September 2019. The company has announced this in a letter to their freight customers.

The service will provide space for 12 self-drive tractor-trailers and 90 unaccompanied trailers or containers per sailing. The ship is planned to arrive in Tilbury daily at 04:30 enabling the driver to be on the M25 before 06:00.

The new route gives quick and direct access to the M25 London markets, the South of England and also all the Regional Distribution centres north of London / along the M1 corridor up to Birmingham. This route saves up to 75 miles / 125 km each way versus the traditional Dover-Calais crossing.

Sep 06
0

RÖMÖEXPRESS Is On The Way To Estonia For Further Conversions

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The second Sylt ferry to be operated by the Flensburg-based shipping company Römö-Sylt Linie will operate under the name RÖMÖEXPRESS.

FRS announced in July that they had bought a second car ferry for their ferry connection to Sylt, the TRESFJORD.

The handover of the former TRESFJORD took place last Monday (2 September) in Molde, Norway. Currently the ferry is on its way to Tallinn. Shipyard BLRT Group will adapt the ship for the port facilities in Havneby (Römö) and List (Sylt).

On 4 November she will join SYLTEXPRESS, to meet the demand in connection with the construction works on the Hindenburg Dam.

The photo was taken on Tuesday 3 September, when RÖMÖEXPRESS passed Ålesund.