Denmark-headquartered Scandlines said it has entered into a contract with Turkey’s Cemre Shipyard to build an emissions-free freight ferry for the Puttgarden-Rødby route. The ferry will enter service in 2024.

With a crossing time of one hour, the ferry is emissions free. It can also be operated as a hybrid ferry like the current passenger ferries on the Scandlines routes between Germany and Denmark. As a hybrid ferry, the crossing time is 45 minutes.

Initially, the ferry will exclusively charge in Rødby. Already in 2019, Scandlines invested in a 50 kV / 25 MW power cable to Færgevej in Rødbyhavn. This cable will now be extended to the ferry berths, where a transformer and charging station will be installed. In the longer run, the plan is to also be able to charge in Puttgarden when a good solution has been found for the purchase of green energy.

The new vessel will be able to transport lorries on both the upper and lower decks. Therefore, berth 3 in Rødby and berth 1 in Puttgarden will be rebuilt to also load lorries on the upper deck. At the same time, a new lorry storage area will be established in the terminal of Puttgarden.

The vessel has a capacity of 66 freight units, which increases the current capacity by 23%. And the modular construction of the vessel makes it possible to later adjust the vessel in order to also carry cars.

“With the added capacity, we will be able to meet the increasing need from freight customers. In 2021, the number of freight units has already increased by 12%,” says Scandlines’ CEO Carsten Nørland.

“Scandlines has for several years focused on the entire area of sustainability. The hybrid system was a quantum leap in green ferry operations. Scandlines not only operates the world’s largest fleet of hybrid ferries, the system is also being copied worldwide and has been a huge success. Now we are ready to take the next big step and insert the first zero emission ferry. The next generation of ferries is ready to take over on the Puttgarden-Rødby route,” says Chairman of Scandlines’ Supervisory Board Vagn Sørensen.

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Nippon Yusen and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Japan’s biggest and third-biggest shipping companies, reported record quarterly profits as they benefited from higher freight rates amid the chaos hitting global supply chains.

The logjams and bottlenecks in the world’s trade system, which threatens to derail a recovery from the worst health crisis in a century, has provided a bonanza to such companies as freight rates soared to the highest since 2008. “Port and inland congestion did not improve due to a shortage of drivers for inland haulage,” Nippon Yusen said on Thursday in comments on the results for the three months through Sept. 30.

Quarterly profit came to 260 billion yen, more than 25 times last year’s amount, according to calculations by Reuters from the company’s first fiscal half earnings announced on Thursday.

That is the highest quarterly profit for the company, according to Refinitiv Eikon data going back to December 2002.

Supply chain snarls have contributed to fuel shortages in Europe and Asia as the winter approaches and are threatening Christmas shopping even as freight rates have come off their highs.

Transport executives and analysts say the problems are likely to continue into 2022 and a U.S. agency is investigating improper freight charges.

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Viasat agreed to buy British rival Inmarsat on Monday in a $7.3 billion deal to broaden the U.S. based company’s satellite and land-based communications services.

The takeover of London-based Inmarsat comes just two years after it was taken private in a $3.4 billion deal by a consortium of British-based Apax partners, U.S.-based Warburg Pincus and two Canadian pension funds.

While Viasat offers connectivity and communications services to residential, aviation and defense customers in North America, Inmarsat is a provider of satellite-based communications services to shipping, aviation and government departments, including Britain’s Ministry of Defense.

Viasat’s shares fell sharply and were down nearly 13% at 1815 GMT following news of the cash and equity acquisition, which is likely to attract the attention of British regulators, who have probed transatlantic takeover such as Ultra Electronics and Meggit on security grounds.

“The combined company will cooperatively engage with the U.K. government with a view to operating in the U.K. consistent with the commitments previously made by Inmarsat,” the companies said in a joint statement announcing the transaction.

The deal to buy Inmarsat includes $850 million in cash, about 46.4 million of Nasdaq-listed Viasat’s shares valued at roughly $3.1 billion and the assumption of the British firm’s $3.4 billion net debt, the companies said in a joint statement here.

Viasat said it has signed up for $2.3 billion of new debt facilities to partially fund the deal as it also reported its second-quarter results.

“Joining with Viasat is the right combination for Inmarsat at the right time,” said Rajeev Suri, a former Nokia executive who became Inmarsat Chief Executive in February. Inmarsat was subject of an investigation here in 2019 when it was taken private.

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Product tanker MOSTRAUM contacted steel dolphin in New Lock harbor, Brunsbuettel, while entering Kiel Canal, at around 0100 LT Nov 8. Ship’s hull was holed some 3 meters above waterline in portside cofferdam area, so tanker had to berth in Brunsbuettel harbor in Kiel Canal, for repairs. As of 1330 UTC Nov 8, the ship was still berthed. She’s en route to Kokkola Finland, ETA Nov 9.

New FleetMon Vessel Safety Risk Reports Available: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

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General cargo ship BIRGIT G ran aground in front of windmill landmark at Swinoujscie entrance, Poland, while entering port in the morning Nov 8, on arrival from Norway. The ship reportedly, managed to refloat by own means, and was berthed at Swinoujscie later in the day. no damages reported.

New FleetMon Vessel Safety Risk Reports Available: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

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Cargo ship with container capacity RISE SHINE drifted aground and broke in two in the morning Nov 9 in Vostok Bay west of Nakhodka, Russia, Japan sea, in stormy weather. The ship issued distress signal at 0602 LT (UTC +10) Nov 9. Understood the ship arrived at Vostochniy Port from Busan, moved to Vostok Bay to shelter from storm, but couldn’t hold on against wind and seas. 14 crew, all Chinese, said to be safe, they were still on board as of 0300 UTC Nov 9. SAR tug LAZURIT already left Vladivostok, arriving on site soon.

New FleetMon Vessel Safety Risk Reports Available: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

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General cargo ship VISSAI VCT 12 drifted aground on Cua Lo beach, Nghe An province, Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam, in the morning Nov 8, in adverse weather conditions. The was at anchor when storm struck, engine was started, but the ship couldn’t stand against wind and sea, and drifted aground. Understood she arrived at Cua Lo anchorage from Ho Chi Minh.

New FleetMon Vessel Safety Risk Reports Available: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

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Nov 9 UPDATE: Crew managed to repair and restart engine, the ship resumed voyage in the evening Nov 8, though it seems, at a reduced speed. New ETA Le Havre Nov 12.

Nov 8 UPDATE: Was anchored around noon Nov 7, as of 0440 UTC Nov 8 seemed to be at anchor or in process of heaving up anchor, not clear yet. Anyway, fire understood to be either extinguished or contained, no firefighting boats nearby. CG ship is in the vicinity, still on standby.

Nov 7 0945 UTC UPDATE: Finnish CG was alerted at around 0000 UTC Nov 7 by fire report from container ship MSC SHANNON in western Gulf of Finland, southwest of Helsinki. Fire erupted in engine room, the ship was disabled, but according to official statement issued later, the ship was about to resume her voyage. According to her track and some other details, though, accident isn’t yet over or probably, is far from over. The ship apparently was towed in northern direction, most likely in order to get her from busy shipping lanes. She’s still adrift with two CG SAR ships nearby.

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