Ships Monthly October 2022

SHIPPING AND GLOBAL TRADE While every issue of Ships Monthly provides in-depth coverage of ships and the maritime world, we tend to focus on individual ships and companies, rather than looking at the bigger picture and the macro-maritime scene in which ships operate. But when we do assess the bigger picture, it shows what a vital role ships play in the world economy, which is now struggling under the impact of the post-Covid recovery and the shock of the war in Ukraine, while in Britain we also have the problem of Brexit to deal with. About 80 per cent of the world’s trade travels by sea and the massive acceleration of globalisation over the past three decades has resulted in a boom in shipping and seaborne transportation, and Britain, being…

Colin Smith A native of Clydebank, Colin Smith was inspired to be a shipping enthusiast from a young age by childhood trips aboard Clyde steamers. Steve Belasco Marine photographer and sailor Steve Belasco has been documenting the waters of his native Dorset coast from his motorboat for many years. John Pagni John Pagni is Australian-born and Helsinkibased. He has contributed to maritime publications for many years, combining his hobby with working around the Baltic. Conrad Waters Conrad Waters has a long-standing interest in naval history and current affairs. He is currently editor of Seaforth World Naval Review. Ships Monthly on Facebook REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Krispen Atkinson • Gary Davies • William Mayes • Russell Plummer • Jim Shaw • Conrad Waters SUBSCRIBE TO SHIPS MONTHLY SEE PAGE 20 FOR LATEST OFFERS Also…

New E-Flexer makes debut BALTIC FERRY Stena Line´s newest addition to the fleet and the latest E-Flexer to be completed, Stena Estelle, made her Baltic debut in early September. She left the shipyard in East China in June, and passed through Singapore, India, the Middle East and Gibraltar before setting course towards the Baltic Sea. She was taken to the Remontowa shipyard in Gdansk for final adjustments. On 3 September the new vessel was formally named by Deputy Mayor of Gdynia for Economy, Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, the ship’s godmother. The 240m 1,200-passenger vessel then took up service on the Gdynia-Karlskrona route on 4 September. Drought affects Rhine shipping INLAND TRANSPORT Due to the European-wide drought, concerns have been raised with regard to ships navigating the River Rhine, as water levels dropped…

CHARTERS Two well-known Baltic super-ferries from the Tallink fleet are spending the remainder of the year on charter for seven months each as accommodation ships for refugees in Holland. Only Tallink technical crew have been aboard since Silja Europa (1993/59,912gt) arrived on 20 August. She was joined a month later by Galaxy (2006/48,915gt). RP DISRUPTION Ferry arrivals in the Isle of Man were affected at the beginning of August when one of the Douglas Harbour linkspans needed work to resolve mechanical problems. Ben-My-Chree’s sailings from Heysham and high-speed crossings by Manannan using the port’s second ferry ramp at the King Edward VIII Pier were affected. RP AVOIDING SANCTIONS P&O Ferries will not face criminal proceedings over the sacking of crew members earlier in the year. The Insolvency Service ruled in…

THE BUSY SUMMER AT DOVER Three operators and ten ferries run to Calais CHANNEL SITUATION After the lengthy disruption due to Covid-19, followed by the shock dismissal of 800 crew members by P&O Ferries and their replacement by cheaper agency staff, the Dover-Calais ferry route returned to something close to normality during the summer. In September DFDS Seaways, Irish Ferries and P&O were running a total of ten vessels between them, offering more than 40 return trips in each 24-hour period, with crossings taking 90 minutes each way. P&O currently operate up to 18 daily services using four ferries, with the 47,592gt sisters Spirit of Britain and Spirit of France, delivered in 2011 and 2012, taking up to 2,000 passengers and 194 cars on dedicated decks. Also operational are 30,635gt…

Grounded HURTIGRUTEN One of the seven ships operating Hurtigruten’s share of the Norwegian Coastal Express ran aground in Sogne Fjord on 5 August. Richard With (1993/11,205gt) was heading to Bergen to take up service on 8 August after an extended visit to the Myklebust shipyard, where she had been converted for hybrid running. There were 53 crew on board at the time, but no passengers, and no injuries were reported. The ship was refloated on the next tide and returned to the shipyard at Gursken for repairs, restricted to the bulbous bow. Hurtigruten said that the incident was caused by a temporary loss of control, caused by a technical system error. Covid update INDUSTRY NEWS Although cruising is almost back to normal, there are still some restrictions, but these vary…