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Stena Line launches the world's first methanol ferry

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 March 2015 30 March 2015

Sustainable sea transports demand new solutions. Stena Line has chosen to focus on the alternative fuel, methanol, and now the world's first methanol powered ferry, the Stena Germanica, has been launched, which operates on the route Kiel–Gothenburg.

On 26 March, the Stena Germanica re-entered service after a couple of months' intermission. Now, as the world's first methanol powered ferry. Stena Line is thus the first shipping company to operate with environmentally friendly methanol as the main fuel. On Friday the 27ththere was an inauguration ceremony in Kiel and today, Monday the 30thof March there was a ceremony in Gothenburg

"We are very enthusiastic about methanol's possibilities and it has the potential to be the maritime fuel of the future. We want to pursue change and development in the shipping sector and, with the Stena Germanica, our environmental impact will be completely different to what the industry has seen before," Carl-Johan Hagman says.

Methanol is a biodegradable, environmentally friendly and cost efficient fuel that reduces the emissions of sulphur and particles by 99 percent. The ferry's fuel system and engines have been adapted in the shipyard in a collaboration between Stena Line and Wärtsilä. The technology is called dual fuel – methanol is the main fuel, but there is the option to use MGO, Marine Gas Oil, as backup.

The conversion of the Stena Germanica was carried out in Gdansk, Poland, at the Remontova shipyard and it started up at the end of January and continued until the end of March. The project has received support from the EU's Motorways of the Seas and has had a total cost 22 million euros.

The conversion has already attracted praise for the innovative new technology and the progress this means for the marine environment.

"I think Stena Line's initiative in being the first in the world to use methanol as an alternative fuel is extremely pleasing. Together with the impressive efforts made in its Energy Saving Programme, ESP, over a number of years, this demonstrates a great commitment to sustainable development. This is showing shipping the way, both in Sweden and globally, for how to protect responsibly the environment and climate," the Swedish Maritime Administration's Director General, Ann-Catrine Zetterdahl, says.

"Stena Line is steering a sustainable and particularly environmentally friendly course. We are proud that the route between Kiel and Gothenburg was chosen and that we are part of this outstanding pilot project," says Dr. Dirk Claus, managing director of Seehafen Kiel GmbH & Co KG.

On both events prominent guests were attending. In Kiel the owner of Stena, Dan Sten Olsson, held a ceremonial speech and so did also Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Reinhard Meyer, Schleswig -Holstein's Minister for Enterprise and Work, Dr. Ulf Kämpfer, Kiel's Mayor and Björn Ullbro from the Finnish engine manufacturer Wärtislä.

In Gothenburg ceremonial speeches were held by Stena Lines CEO Carl-Johan Hagman, Swedish Maritime Administration's Director General, Ann-Catrine Zetterdahl, Her Excellency Dr. Lisa Emelia Svensson, Ambassador of Sweden for Oceans, Seas and Fresh Water and Pierpaolo Barbone from the Finnish engine manufacturer Wärtislä.

Fincantieri delivers Viking Star

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 March 2015 29 March 2015

Viking Star, the first of three cruise ships which Fincantieri is currently building for the company Viking Ocean Cruises, was handed over today at Marghera shipyard. The other two sister ships are Viking Sea and Viking Sky. The ceremony was attended by Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking Cruises, while Fincantieri was represented, among others, by Giuseppe Bono, CEO.

Viking Star, like its two sister ships, will be placed in the small cruise ship segment. In fact, with a gross tonnage of about 47,800 tons, it will have 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers. The ship has been designed by experienced nautical architects and engineers, including an interior design team of London-based SMC Design, and Los Angeles-based Rottet Studios.

Fincantieri has built 69 cruise ships since 1990 and other 15 ships are currently being designed or built in the Group's yards.

TUI says cruise sales continue to grow

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 March 2015 27 March 2015

TUI AG, the world's largest tour operating company, says its cruise business is enjoying a rise in sales on the back of growing capacity and improved performance of its niche brand.

"Winter 2014/15 is closing out as expected, with our Mainstream programme almost fully sold and higher average selling prices in most source markets. We are pleased with Summer 2015 trading, with continued strong demand for our unique holidays and a significant increase in online bookings. Hotels & Resorts are performing well and Cruise sales continue to grow, with the launch of Mein Schiff 4 this June and improved fleet performance by Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten," Peter Long and Friedrich Joussens, joint chief executives, said in a statement.

Mein Schiff 4 is the second of four 99,300 gross ton cruise ships TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), the world's second largest cruise shipping group, has on order at Meyer Turku Shipyard in Finland.

Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten is fully owned by TUI and it focuses on the luxury and expedition segments of the cruise market. TUI has its headquarters in Hannover in GErmanhy and its shares are traded on the Frankfurt and London stock exchanges.

MSC Sinfonia re-enters service after refit

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 March 2015 27 March 2015

MSC Cruises, the world’s fourth largest cruise line and largest privately-owned cruise company, said its that MSC Sinfonia has left Genoa, Italy, to resume service following ground-breaking enlargement and enhancement work at Fincantieri’s shipyard, in Palermo, Italy.

The work was part of €200 million Renaissance Programme to refit and extend four ships of the MSC Cruises fleet, and involves bisecting the ship before inserting a new 24-metre section into the space.

MSC Sinfonia entered drydock in January and returns to duty ten weeks later with renewed amenities and enriched onboard spaces for cruise guests. The ship now has even more balcony cabins, more spacious public areas, a greater choice of restaurants and new clubs dedicated to younger guests, including the outdoor Spray Park with exciting waterfalls and water slides.

Thanks to recently agreed partnerships between MSC Cruises and best-in-class childcare and toy brands, MSC Sinfonia also has special kids’ areas equipped with Chicco and LEGO products.

MSC Sinfonia will now set sail first for a mini cruise to Ajaccio, Barcelona and Marseille before heading out of Genoa on March 31 for a series of western Mediterranean cruises, with calls in the Canary Islands, Madeira, mainland Spain and Portugal.

On May 6 the ship will leave Genoa for the seas of northern Europe and a busy summer of seven-night itineraries. Travellers on MSC Sinfonia will be exploring the fjords along the Norwegian coast or the jewels of the Baltic: Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm, Saint Petersburg and Tallinn.

MSC Sinfonia is the second MSC Cruises ship to undergo restyling and extension, after sister ship MSC Armonia, which returned to sea in November 2014. In April, MSC Opera will sail to Fincantieri’s shipyard, in Palermo for her 10-week enhancement work and at the end of August 2015, MSC Lirica will also undergo her Renaissance, with a return to sea scheduled for end of June and end of October respectively.

Carnival group earmarks four ships for 2015 disposal

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 March 2015 27 March 2015

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise shipping group, has earmarked four ships for disposal this year, it said in a statement.

"Carnival Corporation & plc's fleet enhancement strategy will add two new ships to its fleet in 2015 and remove four ships from the fleet," the company said in a statement, in which in unveiled a strategic agreement with two shipyards to build a total of nine ships up to 2022.

The company has recently sold Grand Celebration, a mid-1980s built vessel of 47,262 gross tons, to a Florida based buyer to be employed on short cruises to the Bahamas. Late last year, the 1985 built Grand Holiday of 46,052 gross tons was sold for Cruise & Maritime Voyages in the UK.

Carnival group still employs several ships that are more than 20 years old. The oldest units in its fleet are Holland America Line's 1988 built Prinsendam and P&O Cruises Australia's Pacific Pearl, which is of similar vintage. Pacific Dawn and Pacific Jewel, the other two ships of the Australian company are also more than 20 years old. It will receive two Statendam class vessels from the Holland America Line fleet later this year. These early 1990s built ships will undergo a major refit before entering service with the Sydney based company.

The eight strong Fantasy class of Carnival Cruise Line was built in Finland in 1990-98, while the Sun Princess class of Princess Cruises that comprises four ships was built in 1995-2000. P&O Cruises in the UK celebrates the 20th anniversary of its 69,840 gross ton Oriana this year.

On the 2015 addition side, P&O Cruises UK officially launched Britannia, at 143,760 gross tons the largest ship ever designed exclusively for Britain, in a majestic naming ceremony earlier this month. Later this year, the AIDA Cruises fleet will welcome the 124,500 gross ton AIDAprima, which is expected to be one of the most technically advanced and sustainable cruise ships ever built, the Anglo-American company said.