Wärtsilä has received all relevant regulatory approvals in Norway for the acquisition of the ship design group Vik-Sandvik. The acquisition has now been closed for Vik-Sandvik's Norwegian companies Vik-Sandvik AS, Vik-Sandvik Marine Services AS and Skipkonsulent AS, which form the substance of the acquisition.
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Extending three RoRo vessels increases the ships’ cargo carrying capacity by 25% and provides the required capacity for the cargo route between Sweden and the United Kingdom. Both operating costs and environmental impact will be reduced.

DFDS has signed a contract with MWB Motorenwerke Bremerhaven AG for extending the three RoRo vessels cargo ships Tor Begonia, Tor Freesia and Tor Ficaria by 30 metres.
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Mutual Pension Insurance Company Ilmarinen has initiated action against Finnlines Plc in the City Court of Helsinki. Ilmarinen objects to the decision of  Finnlines’ Annual General Meeting held on 20 May, 2008 to distribute EUR 180,216.39 as a minimum dividend. Ilmarinen demands primarily that the minimum dividend is to be altered to EUR 17,181,000.
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Ferries could be rendered uncompetitive with other modes of transport if there is no level playing field on fuel quality, the operators’ organisation Interferry has warned.

In a submission to the International Maritime Organization, ahead of October’s Marine Environment Protection Committee, the trade association has argued that the costs associated with proposed revised sulphur level reductions from 1% low sulphur fuel to 0.1% — estimated in North Europe to be...
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British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.
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Norwegian cruise operator Hurtigruten is looking to sell off its ferry contracts and non-core business operations as it battles to keep costs down, writes Craig Eason.

The company has released second quarter figures showing a pre-tax profit of NKr26m ($4.8m), compared with NKr102m for the same period last year, adding to the woes of a pre-tax loss of NKr108m in the first quarter.

It says bunker costs and debt expenses have risen by NKr85m, overshadowing the gains...
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British coastguards were due to end a 48-hour strike yesterday evening, with no major incidents reported by the time Lloyd’s List went to press, writes David Osler.

The stoppage — by members of Public and Commercial Services union — is the fifth in a series of one- and two-day walk-outs since March this year, designed to put pressure on Maritime and Coastguard Agency management over an ongoing pay dispute.

PCS argues...
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The newest addition to the fleet of French Channel ferry operator SeaFrance has missed the summer tourist season following delays in the refurbishment of its passenger accommodation, writes Andrew Spurrier in Paris.

The SeaFrance Molière was due to go into full service at the start of July but is not now expected to start carrying tourist vehicles until next month.

In the meantime, however, it has come into service as a freight...
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Forty years ago Robert Clifford was running tour boats around the pleasant harbour of Hobart, Tasmania.
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Portsmouth is planning to lengthen two of the harbour’s berths in preparation for the introduction of LD Lines’ new service to Le Havre, writes Sandra Speares.

The berths will be extended by 50m to accommodate the 186m Norman Voyager, which is due to commence operations in November.

Portsmouth ferry port manager Phil Gadd said: “Ships are getting bigger and we have made the investment to cater for this. It’s a real business need.
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