Africa Morocco Link (AML) ferries, and also Intershipping, appeared to be on the brink of insolvency at the time of writing in early January. The company operates the 16,071gt/1980 built former Scandline ferry Morocco Star (above) on the Tanger Med-Algeciras service.

ANEK Lines has, according to the Russian and Greek media, reached an agreement with Russian cruise company Smolny (Petroupoli) to form a large passenger transport company, which initially will operate in the Baltic Sea. Two more companies are expected to participate, namely the Litinus Group and Prime. The Russian company will hold a 51% share and ANEK lines will most likely contribute their 38,261gt/1992 built cruise ferry El. Venizelos (above) with a start date as early as April 2019 if the plans comes to fruition.

CalMac’s 3,040gt/1985 built Hebridean Isles (above) departed the Garvel Dry Dock on 9th December following a prolonged refit and headed back to Port Ellen following trials the next day. The Scottish Government has dropped the tender process for the Gourock-Dunoon service and awarded it to CalMac.

Grimaldi Group’s 65,255gt/2018 built Grande Torino (above) was delivered to the fleet on 28th November as the first of seven 7,600 CEU (Car Equivalent Units) sister ships built by the Yangfan shipyard in Zhoushan, China. The Grande Torino joins the 62,134gt/2018 built Grande Halifax and the 62,134gt/2017 Grande Baltimora/ Grande New York on the weekly Mediterranean-USEC-Mexico Ro-Ro service. The 54,310gt/2008 built Cruise Roma, along with her sister Cruise Barcelona, is to be lengthened by 29m.

The P&O Dover based 47,592gt/2011 built Spirit of Britain (above) and 47,592gt/2012 built Spirit of France are set to be re-flagged to Cyprus from the U.K. to maintain the tonnage tax financing arrangements ahead of Britain’s departure from the EU. Such a taxation system allows shipping companies to pay corporation tax based on the tonnage of their vessels rather than on profit. The move will come as a blow to the U.K.’s fleet. As of November 2018, there were 1,306 vessels of over 500gt registered with the British flag, down from 1,317 in 2017, 1,328 in 2016, 1,330 in 2015 and 1,327 in 2014. P&O later reviewed the flag status of its four other ships at Dover and, by mid-January, looked set to reflag them as well.

Seatruck’s 14,759gt/2008 built Clipper Point (above) briefly ran aground at the bow as she attempted to enter Dry Dock 5 at Cammell Laird’s Birkenhead facility on 23rd December and tug Smit Sandon went to her aid.

Trasmediterranea, now owned by Naviera Armas, has renamed the 27,105gt/2007 built Dimonios as the Ciudad de Palma (above), becoming the fifth ship to carry this name and thus maintaining a Trasmediterranea tradition of naming ships after Spanish cities or prominent individuals from Spain’s history.

Ventouris Ferries chartered A-Ship Management’s Prince (above) in the New Year as refit cover for the Bari-Durres service. The 13,336gt/1974 built ship first operated as the Prinsessan Birgitta with other names including Venus (Color Line), King of Scandinavia (DFDS) and Wind Ambition (C-Beds).