Brittany Ferries entered the final phase of its £60 million project to install scrubbers on six cruise-ferries in its fleet in April 2016. These exhaust systems, which were installed during an 18-month period, strip sulphur from funnel emissions and permit the ongoing use of the cheaper marine grade heavy fuel oil. Brittany Ferries’ 40,859gt/2004 built flagship Pont Aven (above) was the last of the six vessels to return to service following the installation of the new scrubber system, which she did at the end of March after modifications at Gdansk, Poland.

The new scrubbers aboard the 2,400-passenger ferry will be fine-tuned over the next few weeks and then put into full use. Sadly the new full width funnel structure atop the ship is an abomination and completely ruins the lines of one of the finest looking cruiseferries. The project was launched in 2014, beginning with the Normandie (ruining her appearance) and the Barfleur (her lines were almost unaffected). The Cap Finistere followed (with only moderate changes to her funnel profile) and then the Mont St. Michel which gained a huge and fairly unsightly scrubber structure between her two funnels.

The last two to be dealt with were the Armorique (giving her a slightly larger funnel profile) and the Pont Aven. The investment in the latter two ships amounted to £30 million with most of the vessels being converted in Santander. The Bretagne escaped disfigurement as she has not been converted. The entire project, and ruination of some ships (not just in the Brittany Ferries fleet) is all the result of the international Maritime organization’s (IMO) stringent sulphur oxide emissions regulations, which propose a reduction of the maximum sulphur emission for all seafaring vessels by 90% in the Emission Control area (ECA), that came into effect from the beginning of 2015. The IMO also approved maximum permissible sulphur content outside of ECAs from 3.5% to 0.5% by 2020.

Corsica Linea is the new name for the SNCM operations rescued from the company ruined by prolonged strikes and financial woes, largely created by operating days lost to strikes. The ships transferred to the new operation are the Jean Nicoli, Danielle Casanova, Paglia Ora, Monte d’1ro Mediterranean and Pascal Paoli. The 29,968gt/1998 built Jean Nicoli emerged in a striking new red livery at the beginning of April with the other ships set to be repainted in the coming months. Corsica Linea serves the Marseille-Ajaccio/Bastia/l’ile Rousse/ Porto-Vecchio/Propriano routes.

Fjord2 has welcomed back the 1960s vehicle ferry Hardingen Sr. after serving the Mediterranean island of Sardinia as the Erik P (above). The little 52m ferry made her way back to Norway via bunker calls at Gibraltar and Gothenburg. The vessel is reunited with sister vessel Skanevik on the Gudvangen- Kaupanger route this summer.

GNV’s 44,307gt/1996 built Rhapsody (former SNCM Napoleon Bonaparte) was chartered for use in Dhakla in Western Sahara to accommodate delegates at the Crans Montana Forum international conference in March. For the second part of the event the conference moved aboard the ship as she sailed to Casablanca, arriving on 22nd March.

Hovertravel revealed a new livery for its 12000Td hovercraft being built at griffon Hoverwork in Woolston, Southampton. To be named Solent Flyer (above) and island Flyer, the craft will carry a striking and dynamic design that serves as a representation of the union flag which uses the red, blue and white background of the craft to create a traditional look with a contemporary feel. The Solent Flyer made her first visit to the hoverpad at Ryde at 1400 on 21st March, departing that evening. Trials from Ryde commenced in April.

Scandlines completed the fitting out of the passenger spaces aboard the new Rostockgedser ferry Berlin before Easter. The 24,000gt vessel was expected to leave the Danish yard FAYARD in mid-April. Concurrently with the completion of the passenger areas, the vessel underwent a comprehensive and time-consuming test programme. The test programme proceeded as planned followed by a five day sea trial, before she arrives at her future ferry berth in Rostock for trials. Sister vessel Copenhagen is expected to go into operation in late summer 2016. The two new ferries will replace the 16,071gt/1981 built Kronprins Frederik and 16,071gt/1980 built Prins Joachim, which currently operate the service. In order to ensure a stable transition and to be able to continuously adapt to the traffic development, Scandlines has decided to retain the Kronprins Frederik as relief vessel for the Rostock-Gedser and Puttgarden-Rødby routes. In May 2016, the Prins Joachim will be transferred to European Seaways, which has acquired the vessel for future operation in Greece.

Red Funnel has unveiled a stylish new livery to adorn the Red Jet catamarans. The first to carry this will be the new Red Jet 6 (above) currently in build at the Columbine Building in East Cowes, I.O.Wight. The vessel will be named on 4th July and enter service soon afterwards. Another consortium is proposing an early and late passenger ferry service between Yarmouth and Lymington to operate when Wightlink does not, using a former Mersey Class lifeboat. South Boats of Cowes is also considering reinstating the Cowes-Hamble service for special events etc. Both routes were previously part of the Scoot Ferries network but that business model will not be followed again. Red Funnel’s new ferry terminal in Southampton has been given the go-ahead with news awaited on the proposals for the East Cowes site.

Tallink commenced its Stockholm-Riga service on the 6th April 2006. Since then 6 ships have operated the route and 5.5 million passengers have been transported. The first ship to operate was Fantaasia, replaced by Regina Baltica and supported by the Vana Tallinn in 2007. Since then the route has evolved but since august 2014 has been operated by only the 35,154gt/1989 built Isabelle (former Viking line ship). In 2015 460,000 passengers were conveyed compared to the record year of 2014 when 973,000 passengers used the two ship service. Nevertheless, the route celebrates its 10th anniversary in April 2016 and is looking to the future.

Wightlink’s multimillion pound plan to build a new ferry terminal at the existing Portsmouth gunwharf site has been approved, despite concerns the development will add to the city’s congested road network. Wightlink got the green light from the city council to construct a new three storey terminal, to include a second-tier car deck in conjunction with a new double-deck loading facility.