Attica Holdings S.A. (Attica Group), announced on 26th October that it has reached an agreement with Minoan Lines S.A. (Minoan Lines) for the acquisition by Attica Group of 37,667,504 shares in Hellenic Seaways Maritime S.A., representing 48.53% of the share capital of the latter, for a cash consideration of Euro 78.5 million. The transaction also features the sale of the 30,902gt/2002 built Superfast XII to an operator within the Grimaldi Group for a cash consideration of Euro 74.5 million plus the sale of the 4,927gt/2005 built Highspeed 7 to Minoan Lines for a cash consideration of Euro 25 million.

Baleària is adding an ‘eco fast ferry’ with a capacity for 350 passengers to the Eivissa- Formentera service this December. This vessel is the first of a series of four being built by the Asturian shipbuilder Gondan. The four ferries will receive the names of the four natural elements, Eco Aqua (above), Eco Terra, Eco AireE and Eco Lux.

Bay Ferries, the operator of the high-speed ferry service that links Yarmouth with Portland, Maine has reported that it carried 41,623 passengers in 2017 despite engine trouble that reduced the number of crossings during the second season of operation. This is an increase compared to the 35,551 passengers conveyed in 2016 but well below the figures of 90,000 to 100,000 that Bay Ferries registered in 2007-2008 when it previously operated the service. However, the 8,127gt/2007 built Alakai (marketed as The Cat) sailed on only 84 round trips this year when 112 trips were scheduled following the failure of the ferry’s starboard outer main engine on 28th June.

Bore Line’s 19,094gt/1997 built Bore Bay (converted back to a Ro-Ro from life as UECC’s Auto Bay) has been chartered by GNV for their Genoa/Civitavecchia to Napoli/Palermo/Malta service.

Brixham Express ceased trading on 25th October, closing the troubled Torquay- Brixham passenger ferry service across Torbay. The company had been unable to achieve a commercially successful service and decided that it was therefore irresponsible to continue. The service has soaked up millions of pounds of public funds and been plagued with the predictable weather related disruption, a badly delayed and totally unsuitable new ferry in the form of the Brixham Express and high operating costs when having to charter in alternative craft to operate the schedule. It was a valiant effort but was always doomed to failure in its year-round format.

Condor Ferries’ 6,307gt/2010 built Condor Liberation was again withdrawn from service on 23rd October and proceeded to Falmouth on 26th October prior to entering dry dock there on 6th November. A fault had been found with her steering gear that required urgent attention. The 5,007gt/1997 built Condor Rapide maintained the St. Malo and Poole schedules in the vessel’s absence. The States of Guernsey and Jersey have invited expressions of interest for a ferry operator to run an Inter-Island service between Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney. So far Condor Ferries, Manche- Iles Express, Bachmann HR and Bumblebee, have expressed interest. The latter has also ceased its Guernsey- Alderney service. The proposed new service could be up and running by Easter 2018. The Commodore Clipper was delayed on 11th November as was the Commodore Goodwill. The latter suffered stern door issues and had to miss her St. Malo call as a result. The ‘Goodwill had returned to service from dry dock on 2nd November, releasing the chartered Arrow, but also had issues on 4th November when the ‘Clipper took the stranded freight.

FRS Helgoline’s fast passenger ferry Halunder Jet operated her last trip to Helgoland on 15th October prior to being repainted in readiness for shipment to Canada and a new life there. The craft bid a final farewell to Hamburg on 3rd November bound for Emden where she was to be loaded aboard a ship for the transatlantic voyage. The 910gt Halunder Jet had served Hamburg-Cuxhaven- Helgoland since delivery in 2003. The new Austal built 52m long, 36.5 knot and 692 passenger capacity replacement for the Halunder Jet is due for delivery ahead of the 2018 season.

IoMSPCo.’s 5,743gt/1998 built Manannan departed Douglas at 1446 on the afternoon of 23rd October but developed a technical issue around 60 minutes into her journey. The issue was a failure of one of the components in the ride control system and, while a partial fix was possible, the vessel had to continue her journey on reduced power, which also slightly affected her ability to manoeuvre. Port Authorities in Liverpool (Mersey VTS) advised that they would not allow the Manannan to approach the River Mersey channel without assistance from a tug due to the reduced power issue. Unfortunately, the allocated tug was delayed and the Manannan eventually arrived on her berth at 2230, departing again as soon as she was discharged and re-loaded. The Manannan had no sailings scheduled for the following two days so the failed component could be quickly replaced without further service disruption.

Intershipping has chartered the 15,375gt/ 1986 built Maestro Sun (above) to operate on the Algeciras-TangerMed route, replacing the 21,171gt/2004 built Stena Carrier.

Irish Ferries published details on 31st October of the new sailing schedule to be introduced following the arrival in mid-2018 of its new 55,000gt cruise ferry W. B. Yeats, (above) which is currently being built in Flensburg, Germany. Highlights of the plan will see a doubling in the number of summer sailings between Ireland and France, offering daily departures alternatively from both Dublin and Rosslare to Cherbourg/Roscoff. This is coupled with an increase in autumn/winter sailings frequency, and an expansion in passenger, car and freight carrying capacities on the company’s primary Ireland-UK route between Dublin and Holyhead. When delivered, the new W. B. Yeats will be the largest and most luxurious ferry ever to sail on the Irish Sea. She will have capacity for 1,885 passengers and crew, 1,200 cars in 4kms of vehicle deck space, and 441 cabins, with a variety of cabin grades including luxury suites. A waiter service a la carte restaurant, choice of lounges, an outside promenade deck and a host of entertainment options are amongst other features. On the Dublin-Cherbourg route, new arrangements will see the W. B. Yeats operate up to four return sailings weekly on what is becoming an increasingly popular route for the summer season. In parallel, the company’s scheduled services from Rosslare to the French ports of Cherbourg and Roscoff will be served by the faithful 31,914gt/1987 built Oscar Wilde. In the off-peak winter season, the 26,375gt/2011 built charter vessel Epsilon will replace the W.B. Yeats providing a year–round service from Dublin to the Continent for both freight and tourism customers. From mid-September 2018 the W. B. Yeats will transfer to the Dublin-Holyhead route to operate alongside the 50,938gt/2001 built Ulysses. Given this additional investment in the route, the 5,989gt/1999 built Dublin Swift fast ferry Jonathan Swift will operate a summer only schedule next year and will return to Irish Sea service in early April 2019.

The 2,679gt/2000 built Northern Sea Wolf, formerly the Aqua Spirit (built as the Agios Andreas II) departed Piraeus on 3rd November on her 10,097 nautical mile journey to her new home in British Columbia. The Transatlantic voyage was expected to take approximately 35 days, depending on weather, fuel stops and canal transit. Refuelling stops included the Canary Islands, Antigua, Panama and after transitting the Panama Canal, Manzanillo, Mexico. From Manzanillo, the ship sailed up the west coast of North America to British Columbia. Once in in operation, sailings will depart from Port Hardy and Bella Coola five days per week during peak season.

Stena Line has become the first ferry operator to utilise shore power at Trelleborg whilst its ships are in port for in excess of two hours per call. The 42,705gt/1998 built Skåne and the 37,987gt/1996 built Mecklenburg-Vorpommern now connect to the electricity grid during calls at the Swedish port. At present, four of Stena Line’s six ports in Sweden are able to offer what are known as “cold ironing” facilities, and throughout the group’s network, 17% of the ports can provide shoreside connections. The objective is for 25% of the ports that Stena Line use to have an electrical connection by 2020 and 75% by 2030. Stena RoRo announced in November that it had acquired the 14,551gt/2005 built Hammerodde, a near but modified sister to the Commodore Clipper, from Danske Færger A/S for €22 million. The ship will become surplus to requirements when Molslinjen take over ferry services to Bornholm on 1st September 2018. The ship’s sister was previously sold for service in New Zealand.

The Stena Scotia departed dry dock in Rotterdam on 7th November sporting an extended funnel containing her new scrubber installation.

Correction: The December issue Ferry News included a report that the 20,028gt/ 1982 built former Stena Line ferry Sunny (ex Trelleborg), now owned by Go Shipping & Management Inc. of Piraeus, had been sold for scrap. This was incorrect and the vessel is still alive and well, unlike the 62,685gt/1999 built tanker of the same name that had indeed been sold for scrap.

Tallink Group’s 48,915gt/2008 built cruise ferry Baltic Princess, which operates on the Turku-Stockholm route, will be dry docked 10th January-22nd February 2018. During the scheduled refit at Remontowa, Gdansk, the ship will receive refurbishment work to her dining, shopping and children’s areas. This work includes converting the old Silja Line Buffet into the Grande Buffet, to follow the same concept already in use on other Silja Line cruise ships; converting the old Cafeteria to a Fastlane restaurant, following the same concept as the Fastlane on the Megastar; refreshing the ship’s Fashion Street shopping area and enhancing the Silja Land children’s play area to include many new features as well as occupying a bigger space in a new location on deck 5. The 48,915gt/2006 built Galaxy deputised for the Baltic Princess in her absence.