Regular passenger traffic in the Swedish seaports in 2022

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Port of Ystad

The last years were very tough for the ferry market, especially for the passenger sector. Although the freight market was not so much affected by the pandemic and started to recover earlier, the passenger traffic was more exposed to restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2022, total passenger traffic in Sweden amounted to nearly 21 million passengers, which indicates an increase by 35% in comparison with 2021 and 61% compared to 2020 figures.

The three biggest ports in terms of regular ferry passenger traffic are:

  • Ports of Stockholm (7.5 million passengers in 2022, +69.8%). Especially, traffic to popular tourist destinations such as Åland Islands and Helsinki increased.
  • Helsingborgs Hamn – Port of Helsingborg (4.9 million passengers in 2022, +23.5%). Due to stabilization of the pandemic, the commuters came back to their offices and started regular ferry crossings to Denmark.
  • Port of Ystad (2.6 million passengers, +8.8%)

Increases were observed in the vast majority of Swedish ports.

Demand is expected to remain high, or even to increase.

Tallink Grupp reports largest quarterly passenger number since 2019

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September

The September figures reflect the fact that as of 20 September 2022, six of the company’s vessels are chartered out.

+26.5% pax / +0.6% freight units / -4.7% pax vehicles

Q3

The biggest passenger number increase during the quarter was on the Finland-Sweden route with the passenger number increasing in Q3 2022 by a total of 82.2% compared to the same period last year.

The Estonia-Finland route also saw significant recovery in passenger numbers during the quarter year-on-year with the passenger number up in 2022 by 61.7%

+65.5% pax / +13.1% freight units / +21% passenger vehicles

Commenting on the statistics, Paavo Nõgene, CEO of Tallink Grupp said: 

 “As we enter the last quarter of this turbulent year, we have taken several steps to secure our business over the low season, both through unpleasant, but vital price increases as well as various charter agreements for our vessels. Although the latter means that we have less services to offer our loyal customers over the coming months, it also means that we have secured the future of these vessels in our fleet and will be able to offer more of these services again once our vessels return to the Baltic Sea.”

Finnlines’ financial review January–September 2021: result on the upturn during Q3

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January–September 2021

+17% Revenue EUR 425.9 million (EUR 363.1 million in 2020).

+27% Result EUR 69.0 million (EUR 54.2 million)

EBITDA EUR 121.2 (107.2) million

Cargo units 583,000 (536,000 in 2020)

Cars 124,000 (102,000)

Tons of freight not possible to measure in units 1,041,000 (811,000)

Passengers and truck drivers 439,000 (390,000)

  • An upward trend continued during Q3 when cargo volumes increased nearly on all routes.
  • The automotive industry suffered from shortage of components and the summer stoppage was longer than anticipated. However, as the Finnlines fleet consists of vessels in different sizes, capacity could be moved from routes with temporarily declining demand to others where larger capacity was needed.
  • When travel restrictions were gradually eased, recreational travel recovered although passenger numbers remained far below the normal level.
  • To reach the ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral, it may be necessary to modify existing ships with new tanks and engines so that they can run on new types of fuel. However, at current rates of production, zero-carbon fuels are not commercially available at the scale needed for the global fleet. Today, Finnlines concentrates on new battery technology, hydrodynamic design in vessels, air lubrication systems and solar panels on its newbuilds. Several existing ships will be equipped to use onshore power where available. Moreover, gradual transition to carbon-free and renewable fuels is being investigated.
  • The construction of three hybrid ro-ro vessels and two state-of-the-art ro-pax vessels is proceeding.
  • Energy efficiency is the best way to reduce the emissions and reach immediate results.

PORT NEWS

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COSCO Urges For Further Investments In Piraeus Port

According to a recent report:

  • COSCO Shipping served in total 26.7 million TEU worldwide
  • Traffic increased by 1.8% compared to 2019
  • COSCO is concerned about the fact that ports that were far behind Piraeus still competing. A typical example is the port of Tangier, which served 5.7 million TEU, operating three piers. Investments are being made in order to increase capacity to 9 million TEU.
  • COSCO is concerned because the Greek Government does not approve the construction of Pier IV that will increase the port’s capacity to 10 million TEU.
  • If Pier IV is not built, then Piraeus Port will lose customers as well as its geostrategic footprint.

FERRY SHIPPING

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ANEK LINES Q3 2020 Key Financial Figures

During the first nine months (2020), traffic volumes of the ANEK Group vessels dropped by 50% for passengers, by 44% for private cars and by 8% for freight units.

Respectively, in Q3 (2020) traffic volumes decreased by 48% in passengers, by 38% in private cars and by 6% in freight units.

First 9 months of 2020 in EUR ,000 (same period in 2019)

  • Turnover: 97,004 (138,076)
  • Gross Profit:  13,893 (36,491)
  • EBITDA: 7,705 (26,582)
  • EBIT: -718 (18,080)

Consolidated profit before taxes: -7,685 (11,039)

Consolidated profit after taxes: -8,216 (10,120)

  • Q3 of 2020 in EUR ,000 (same period in 2019)
  • Turnover: 41,627 (65,573)
  • Gross Profit: 12,429 (27,711)
  • EBITDA: 10,004 (23,408)
  • EBIT: 7,155 (20,582)

Consolidated profit before taxes: 4,916 (18,069)

Consolidated profit after taxes: 4,642 (17,540)

The second wave of the pandemic and the new restrictive measures in the movement of passengers are expected to lead to a decrease in traffic and revenue during the winter period 2020-2021 compared to the same period last year, while a gradual recovery of sizes is expected after Q1, 2021.

Norled Q3 Report: All Agreed Operations Have Been Carried Out Despite the Corona Challenges

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Decrease in revenue is mainly due to changes in contract portfolio.

Revenue: -17% (Q3) and -14.6% (YTD)

Norled ended 5 contracts at year end 2019 and started 4 new contracts 1 January 2020.

  • Indre Sogn (ferries)
  • Sunnmøre (ferries)
  • Rutepakke3 Hordaland (ferries)
  • Troms (expressboats)

Increased EBITDA profitability is mainly due to changes in contract portfolio and net gain on sale of fixed assets. EBITDA: 12% (Q3) and 7.2% (YTD).

EBITDA profitability is affected by the Corona epidemic, mainly with reduced tourist related revenue in the expressboat segment.

Start of contracts on 1 January 2021:

  • Ryfylkeferjenin, Rogaland county (until 31 Dec 32)
  • Lyngensambandet, with the routes Lyngseidet-Olderdalenand Svendsby-Breivikeidetin Troms and Finnmarkcounty (until 30 April 31)

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