Shetland Island Council’s car ferry 230gt/1985 built Fivla hit rocks on the morning of 27th December whilst on her way into Unst. There were no passengers on board, only four crew members, and no injuries were sustained. The ferry went alongside in Unst with the Fire Brigade pumping out water which was taken on board following the incident. 

Scandlines and Stena Line have each sold their 50% share in the Helsingor- Helsingborg (Sweden-Denmark) ferry service to the First State European Diversified Infrastructure Fund. The route and five ferries are included in the transaction, which became effective on 31st January.

DFDS Seaways has confirmed its participation in the Polferries sell off process and, according to Polferries, the 23,842gt Scandinavia (formerly Stena Felicity) will conclude her Polferries sailings on 17th April from Nynäshamn to Gdansk. The 25,318gt/1980 built Wawel (former Stena Fantasia) replaces her on this service from 18th April and the 29,289gt/1996 built Euroferry Brindisi is joining Polferries as the Mazowia. The Scandinavia is expected to transfer to Ventouris Ferries in Greece. When the 51,837gt/2001 built Stena Germanica is converted to use methanol as fuel at Danzig the 21,856gt/1997 built Stena Feronia will cover for her on the Kiel- Göteborg service. Further to previous reports, the 22,152gt/1998 built Stena Alegra has indeed been chartered to KiwiRail for five years to operate on their Wellington- Picton services. On 9th December the 30,285gt/2001 built Stena Superfast VII collided with the fenders at her Cairnryan berth upon arrival from Belfast. The damage caused resulted in services being suspended for a time.

Balearia’s 20,238gt/2009 built SF Alhucemas departed from Ibiza on 2nd December and sailed to Florida via Tenerife in readiness for a new service between Grand Bahama and Fort Lauderdale.

The non availability of dry docks at Portsmouth this winter has seen Condor Ferries, Red Funnel and Wightlink ferries going to A&P Falmouth for annual refit. Wightlink also sent the 2,546gt/2008 built Lymington ferry Wight Sun to Cherbourg.

On 9th January the 894gt/1965 built Cape Verde ferry Vicente was reported as lost four miles from San Filipe on the island of Fago. Three passengers were rescued near the site of the sinking and 22 passengers and crew were declared missing. The ship was carrying machinery and containers but the cause of the sinking was unknown at the time of writing.