CEO Updates

Hello Ferry Friends,

Let me start by saying how great it was to see so many of you at the Shippax Ferry Conference. Thanks to Elizabeth and Victor Mandersson and their staff, as well as Interferry member Grimaldi Lines and Emanuele Grimaldi, for hosting our Interferry team onboard the Cruise Barcelona. It’s always nice to catch up with so many of our members and industry colleagues. I was extremely encouraged to hear how many people have booked, or are about to book, their travel arrangements to Hobart, Australia for Interferry2023.

In addition to talking about the Shippax Ferry Conference in this month’s report, I would like to highlight our April 24 Operators Policy Committee meeting; reflect on our visit to Marrakesh, Morocco, to prepare for Interferry2024 next year; and remind you that Interferry’s conference registration site for Hobart is now open.

Shippax Ferry Conference

Johan Roos, Interferry’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, and myself each had the opportunity to present to delegates at the recent Shippax Ferry Conference. Johan focused on the European Union/IMO emissions reduction regulations and taxation, as well as recent findings about electric vehicle battery fires from the EU’s LASHFIRE project on ro-ro fire safety, in which we are partners. Johan was pleased to report that comprehensive testing has shown that fires emanating from battery electric vehicles have a similar risk profile to those from conventionally-fueled vehicles. In other words, the carriage of electric vehicles on ferries presents no greater risk than transporting petroleum cars – provided of course that onboard firefighting crews are properly trained for both scenarios.

In my portion of our presentation, I gave the audience an Interferry update focused on the two key issues that continue to face our industry: (1) how we attract, train and retain people for a career in the ferry industry; and (2) shipping’s ongoing challenges in trying to develop a clear path forward to comply with the variety of emissions reduction regulations entering force in the upcoming years. There is still much uncertainty in the overall industry as to which fuel might provide the best pathway towards zero emissions. Thankfully, however, it is much clearer for ferries – electrification and/or hybrids is the horse we want to hitch our wagon to, depending on the length and duration of route. For short routes taking about one hour or less, batteries are most able to provide the best solution, while on longer routes a hybrid option combining batteries and another fuel source likely makes the most sense.

Operators Policy Committee (OPC) • Barcelona meeting • April 24

We continue to break records with the number of participants at our OPC meetings – our Barcelona meeting was attended by 23 participants representing 17 companies. The OPC meets three times per year (twice in person and once virtually), enabling the heads of our Level 1, 2 and 3 operator members to discuss and agree on the regulatory priorities for Johan and myself to pursue at the IMO and EU. The Committee adheres to a strict anti-trust code and only deals with regulatory matters affecting the entire ferry industry. At this meeting, the topics were mostly the same as those in Johan’s brief to Shippax delegates as detailed above. We ended by setting July 12, 2023 as the date of our next meeting, which will be conducted virtually.

Marrakesh Site Visit for Interferry2024

Prior to Barcelona, Götz Becker, CEO of FRS and Interferry2024 host, Shari Corrigan, Interferry’s Conference and Finance Director, and I took the opportunity while relatively nearby to visit Marrakesh to continue preparations for our 48th annual conference. We were all very pleased to see the excellent state of the conference hotel, Movenpick, and the other conference venues. It has been a few years since I’ve been to Marrakesh and the progress it is making in becoming a world-class city and tourism destination is quite remarkable. After what I’m sure will be a highly successful event this year “Down Under” in Hobart, we are set up extremely well to host our first-ever event in Africa – while at the same time being very close to central Europe and well served by international flight connections.

Interferry2023/Hobart registration now open and Call for Speakers deadline approaching

By now you probably know that we are open for business for this year’s conference and, if you haven’t already done so, it’s high time that you register. To avoid disappointment, we always recommend that you sign up asap… especially with regard to securing your room at the conference hotel.

Click here to go to our conference online registration page.

Our Interferry family in Hobart includes conference host Bernard Dwyer, CEO of Spirit of Tasmania; Technical Tour hosts Robert, Kim and Craig Clifford of Incat; and former Interferry chairman Mike Grainger, managing director of Liferaft Systems Australia (LSA).They are all extremely excited to show you a great time in November.

Bearing in mind the conference theme – “The Leading Edge: Elevating the Customer Experience and Sustainability” – I want to remind you that the Call for Speakers portal to submit your proposal is open until May 31. It is important that submissions should include all the requested information, with particular attention to the specifics of what we are looking for relative to the theme of presentations.

Click here to go to the Call for Speakers page and portal.

Thanks for reading this month’s report. Please feel free to pass along any comments, questions or suggestions you may have for me at any time.

Take care and stay safe…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Hello Ferry Friends,

This month we are pleased to present our semi-annual Ferry Business report published in partnership with Cruise & Ferry Review; highlight the long-awaited agreement between the European Union Parliament and Council on the EU Commission’s proposed FuelEU Maritime regulation; officially launch our Call for Speakers for the Interferry47 annual conference in Hobart; remind you that there’s still time to register for the LASH FIRE “Fire on a Ro-Ro Deck” webinar; and highlight our upcoming April meetings and conference participation.

Ferry Business Report • Cruise & Ferry Review

The Ferry Business section of the Spring/Summer 2023 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review magazine is packed with executive interviews highlighting our industry and many of our members.

In this edition, following an introduction from me:

• Yasuo Iritani of Japan’s leading ferry operator SHK Line Group explains why the company is at the forefront of autonomous shipping in a country that, like almost everywhere else in the world,  is contending with labour shortages and environmental challenges
• Matteo Della Valle presents Italy-based Grandi Navi Veloci‘s  strategy to deliver high-quality services that will exceed customer expectations and win business back in the post-Covid era
• Heidi Wolden of Norwegian ferry operator Norled AS – and Interferry Board member – highlights  plans to become a zero-emissions organisation by 2040
• Viking Line’s Jan Hanses explains how the Finnish operator is continuing to improve its environmental footprint
• As Stena Line celebrates its 60th anniversary, Ian Hampton provides an interesting insight into the brand’s enduring success
• Murat Orhan of Turkey’s İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri (IDO) tells how the brand is continually developing to enhance passenger expectations
• P&O Ferries’ Peter Hebblethwaite discusses the revitalisation of its fleet pending the arrival of its two massive double-ended newbuilds Pioneerand Liberté
• Columnist and long-time ferry enthusiast Michael Grey explains why the secret to successful ferry operations lies in having helpful staff and well-equipped, well-located ports

Click here to read the Spring/Summer 2023 Ferry Business Report online.

EU’s Parliament and Council reach Green Deal agreement on FuelEU Maritime

On March 23, the co-legislators agreed on this new EU regulation, which sets the stage for decreases in shipping’s greenhouse gas (GHG) fuel intensity over time – starting from 2% in 2025 to as much as 80% by 2050.

FuelEU Maritime will help reduce GHG emissions by promoting cleaner fuels and energy sources that mandate a gradual reduction of the carbon content in ship fuel. In addition, other types of GHG emissions including methane and nitrous oxides will be taken into account.

These regulations also mandate the use of Onshore Power Supply (OPS) or alternative zero-emissions technologies at berth by passenger ships and containerships.

Interferry will continue to push for Emissions Trading System revenues to be used in constructive ways to help our operator members meet these targets. We will also work hard to ensure that pending parallel regulations on the shore side, the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulations (AFIR), provide ports with the proper incentives to invest in OPS infrastructure.

Interferry47 Call for Speakers • Hobart • November 4-8, 2023

On April 17, we will officially open the conference website portal for potential speakers at our 47th annual conference to submit their proposals on the theme of ‘The Leading Edge – Elevating the Customer Experience and Sustainability’.

This year’s event will focus on highlighting innovations that have already been successfully implemented – or that will be operationalized in the very near future – to improve customer service and environmental stewardship.

We are seeking presentations that reflect leading edge solutions for elevating the customer experience and increasing sustainability. And let me emphasise – the focus will be on proven technologies and projects that have been or are soon to be implemented.

Customer Experience submissions should exemplify innovative ways to improve the passenger experience while simultaneously improving operators’ efficiency, revenues and ultimately their bottom line. We will look for presentations that clearly demonstrate successful customer-centric initiatives from when customers first consider ferry travel until they get to their final destinations.

As for Sustainability submissions, we require proposals that definitively show how the ferry industry can reduce its environmental footprint on a total lifecycle basis. In addition to ways of reducing all types of emissions, we are keen to hear about innovations such as the handling of various types of vessel discharge; new ship construction methods; and maintenance practices ranging from on-the-run to refits and dry-docking. Presentations on sustainable shoreside and port practices are also welcomed.

We will announce the Call for Speakers with an Interferry News post (which also gets sent to our mailing list) as well as with posts on LinkedIn and Twitter. The Call for Speakers page on our conference website will have all the details on how to submit your proposal.

LASH FIRE “Fire on a Ro-Ro Deck” Webinar

There’s still time to register for the LASH FIRE “Fire on a Ro-Ro Deck” webinar taking place on April 5 between 14h00 and 15h30 (CET). Interferry is a partner in the LASH FIRE consortium, a wide-ranging maritime fire safety research project which most recently assessed the efficacy of drencher systems in case of a battery thermal runaway. In this respect the results are encouraging, as there is no indication that such an incident would pose a larger risk than a fire in a conventional vehicle.

Interest is very high as there are already more than 550 registrants. The free webinar will include a welcome by Interferry’s Director of Regulatory Affairs Johan Roos.

Click here to register and for more information about topics and presenters.

Upcoming Meetings and Presentations

April is going to be a very busy month for Interferry. We start with a site visit to Marrakesh, Morocco to continue preparations for our 2024 conference together with Götz Becker – CEO of host company FRS – and his team. Then it’s off to Brussels, where we will meet with EU officials and decision makers regarding various regulatory topics, including those covered in this update. Next, we will hold what is looking to be a very well attended Operators Policy Committee meeting in Barcelona on April 24. And shortly after that, we’ll be on board the Grimaldi ferry Cruise Barcelona for the trip from Spain to Italy and back to attend and present at the 2023 Shippax conference.

I hope to see many of you this month somewhere on our travels.

Take care and stay safe…
Mike Corrigan, CEO – Interferry

Greetings Ferry Fans,

As the calendar turns to March, I think I can speak for the majority of us in the northern hemisphere when I say that we are very much looking forward to seeing the first signs of spring, while I’m sure that those of you on the southern side of the equator are cherishing the late summer sunshine and warmth.

In this month’s report, I would like to report on Interferry’s latest board meeting; highlight our participation at the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) of America conference; provide details of an important webinar on battery electric vehicle fires on ro-ro decks; and announce the long-awaited theme of the Speakers Program for our 47th annual conference in Hobart, Tasmania, this coming November.

Interferry Board Meeting • February 7 • Whistler, Canada

We had a successful Board meeting here in Canada under the leadership of new Interferry Chairman Tim Mooney. In reviewing the preliminary results for 2022, both management and the Board of Directors agreed that it was an exceptional year by all accounts with records being set for earnings, conference attendees, sponsorship and membership growth. At the same time, significant progress was made in the communications and regulatory affairs areas to heighten the association’s stature and effectiveness – especially related to Onshore Power Supply, IMO’s Green House Gas deliberations and the European Union’s Green Deal roll-out.

At our first meeting of this calendar year, the Board approved Interferry’s 2023 budget and the accompanying management objectives that will carry us through the final year of our current “Stronger Together” strategic plan. At our next Board meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden on June 9, we will conduct a long-term planning session that will set the stage for Interferry’s 2024-2026 strategic plan.

Other business of note included setting dates for the next two Interferry Board meetings – starting with November 4 in Hobart, Tasmania in conjunction with our annual conference, followed by February 2 next year in San Francisco, California. While in the Bay area, we would like to take the opportunity to visit the many local ferry operators in the region who continue to lead the charge towards zero emissions in the United States and arguably North America.

Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) Conference • Long Beach, California  

Speaking of the US, Tim Mooney and I were pleased to represent Interferry at the PVA annual conference and take the opportunity to meet with current and prospective members. During our presentation to delegates, in addition to providing an Interferry overview and update, we highlighted the key themes and takeaways from the “Power and People” Speakers Program at our annual conference in Seattle last October.

One of the main messages we delivered to PVA attendees is the importance of domestic ferry operators engaging with Interferry on regulatory matters. This is important because domestic regulators – for example, the Coast Guard in the US – ultimately look to the IMO when setting their national shipping regulations. Since Interferry has consultative status at the IMO and actively participates in all issues affecting ferries and ferry operations, there isn’t a better or more cost-effective way to proactively ensure each domestic ferry operator’s voice is being heard than being part of the Interferry family.

LASH FIRE Webinar • “Carriage of Electric Vehicles – Fixed and Manual Firefighting”

As part of the LASH FIRE project – a European Union initiative in which Interferry is one of 27 industry and research partners – our Regulatory Affairs Director Johan Roos will help host a webinar on April 5 presenting findings on the fire safety risk of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) onboard ferries and extinguishment techniques.

With the increasing prevalence of BEV, concerns have been raised over the management of fires emanating from lithium-ion battery packs. LASH FIRE research has evaluated the efficacy of conventional sea-water drencher systems and assessed when and how to best intervene manually to contain a BEV fire.

The results show that, while BEVs present a different fire scenario, there is no increased risk for SOLAS-compliant ships to carry battery electric vehicles. I’m sure you won’t want to miss the webinar, so here’s a link to more information including registration details.

Hobart Speakers Program • “The Leading Edge – Elevating the Customer Experience and Sustainability”

I’m excited to announce the above theme for the Speakers Program at Interferry’s 2023 annual conference taking place in Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, Australia.

I’m sure many of you know that one of my favourite expressions going back to my days at BC Ferries is “we want to implement leading edge… not bleeding edge technologies!” And that’s what we’ll be focusing on at this year’s event with presentations that highlight innovations that have already been successfully implemented – or that will be operationalized in the very near future – to improve customer service and environmental stewardship.

With regard to the customer journey, we will be looking for proposals that exemplify innovative ways to improve the passengers’ experience from the first time they think about taking a ferry trip until they arrive at their destination. We will specifically be taking into consideration learning coming out of the pandemic as to how customer expectations and interactions with transportation companies have changed. Of course, we cannot forget about the ferry operator’s bottom line, so we will be looking for presentation submissions that clearly demonstrate to our operator delegates how they can increase all types of revenues during a time when there is significant cost pressure in all facets of their business.

In the area of sustainability, we will be considering speakers’ proposals that clearly demonstrate how the ferry industry can reduce its environmental footprint on a total life cycle basis. In addition to ways of reducing all types of emissions, we are keen to hear about innovative ways to handle the various types of vessel discharge; new ship construction methods; and maintenance practices ranging from on-the-run to refits and dry-docking. Everything is fair game, but remember it has to be proven practices and technologies – not R&D-type projects.

We will be officially issuing our Call for Speakers in early April. This should give those of you interested in being on the main stage at the Hobart Speakers Program plenty of time to come up with a proposal that will educate and engage our delegates. Keep an eye out for our Interferry News announcement and watch your email for more details.

Until next month, take care and stay safe…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Greetings Ferry Friends,

I hope your 2023 got off to a great start. It certainly did for us as we visited the “Land Down Under” to make final arrangements for the Hobart conference. While in Australia, we also grasped the opportunity to meet with ferry operators and suppliers in Brisbane and Sydney to see their operations and to personally invite them to this year’s conference.

January also was the perfect time to take stock of the IMO and EU GHG files and set a course of action for the first half of 2023.

Hobart 2023 • The 47th Annual Interferry Conference • November 4-8, 2023

We are excited to confirm our event schedule for the Hobart conference being hosted by Spirit of Tasmania and its CEO, Bernard Dwyer, who is also an Interferry Board member and our current President.

The conference will be held at the Hobart Convention and Exhibition Centre (HCEC), located within the conference hotel – The Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart. The HCEC is the largest purpose-built conference and events facility in Tasmania and promises to be a fantastic venue. The conference will offer many networking opportunities, including coffee breaks and Happy Hours held in the HCEC. Sponsors and exhibitors will enjoy a flexible and open exhibition area in which to display their products and services.

Other networking opportunities and events include pre-tours to Port Arthur and Bruny Island; partner tours to Bonorong Park & Puddleduck Vineyard; the Sunday Welcome Reception at the Henry Jones Art Hotel and Atrium; the Monday Networking Reception at AURA; and the Farewell Dinner at Wrest Point which will include a Variety Show and Casino Night. Last but not least, the Technical Tour hosted by Incat founder and Interferry board member Robert Clifford will be a must-attend event and a fitting finale for the conference.

We have not yet chosen a theme for this year’s conference but expect to do so in the next month or so with the Call for Speakers to be issued in early spring.

Sponsor commitments have been brisk, as companies are keen to participate and support Interferry, the ferry industry at large as well as to promote their businesses. There still are sponsorships available, but they are filling up fast – so I encourage you to act earlier to avoid disappointment.

Please continue to check our conference website, follow our LinkedIn and Twitter accounts (hashtag #Interferry2023) and watch your email for ongoing conference updates.

Visits to Brisbane and Sydney

After spending the better part of a week in Hobart, we traveled to the equally beautiful cities of Brisbane and Sydney to visit ferry operators and suppliers.

In Brisbane, we were hosted by the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) who provided a tour of the river city and all that it has to offer. BEDA is keen to get on our roster of potential future conference locations. We then were met by Tommy Ericson of Aus Ships Group and Len Kidd of RiverCity Ferries who took us on a fantastic tour of their respective operations, as well sailed down the Brisbane River on one of RiverCity’s ferries. The day culminated with a ferry trip on board the Tangalooma ferry from Moreton Island.

After a few days in Brisbane, we were off to Sydney to meet with the many ferry operators that provide services in the extremely busy Sydney Harbour – all this under the backdrop of its famous opera house. We called on Gary Iddon of Transdev Sydney Harbour Ferries and sailed on a few of his vessels. If you haven’t been to Sydney, it’s quite the spectacle to watch the water ballet that goes on throughout the day at the Circular Quay’s many piers as ferries from multiple operators come in and go out of the harbour like water bugs in the same fashion as cruise ships call and leave from the adjacent cruise ship terminal.

We also met with Nell Payne and Will Ford of NRMA on board one of their vessels and sailed to the popular beach destination of Manly on the outreaches of Sydney Harbour. We then traveled a short distance to King St. Wharf and met with Nick Lester of Sealink to see some of his operations.

While in Sydney, we were fortunately enough to meet with Jeremy Spears, a long-time Interferry member and supporter who is now also Chairman of the Australian International Marine Export (AIMEX), and AIMEX’s CEO, David Good. AIMEX is key partner of Interferry and excellent conduit into the Australia marine manufacturing and supplier industry.

We would like to thank everyone whom we met in Australia for their friendship and hospitality. The visit there reminded me once again that Interferry truly is one big family. We are therefore very much looking forward to catching up again with all our Aussie friends in Hobart later this year.

Regulatory Update • GHG

Several regulations relating to Green House Gases came into force on 1 January 2023. We have been very successful in making sure that the IMO technical requirements are feasible for ferry operators. The financial implications of the EU instruments will be significant, but as they form part of a wider societal push to decarbonize all activities we have engaged in is to ensure that the new situation is as fair as possible, without arguing against these dramatic changes.

The IMO’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) is a retroactive application of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) which has been in place for new ships for some time. The EEXI also obliges older ships to comply with the energy efficiency levels stipulated by the EEDI as from 1 January 2023. With Interferry’s active and ongoing involvement in the creation and implementation of these regulations, we are proud to report that EEXI member compliance is very high overall.

The IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) sets out to require ships to operationally perform at least as well as the average performer of that ship type. So, if the average ferry consumes 100 kg of fuel per nautical mile, a ferry that consumes 150 kg is rated poorly and a ferry that only consumes 50 kg is rated as a top performer. These values are adjusted for ship size, but all other operational particularities are ignored. Interferry, joined by the rest of the maritime industry, has pushed back hard against this approach. There is no such thing as an average ship and being penalized for operating in harsh waters is simply unfair. Additionally, the CII also benefits steady-state operations, so the more port calls a ship makes in a year, the worse its CII becomes. For obvious reasons in ferry operations, being encouraged to make fewer port calls is not something we can accept.

Due to its obviously flawed design, the IMO has encouraged Flag States to not impose sanctions against non-compliance with the CII until at least 2026. Interferry would rather see the instrument repealed and reworked into something reasonable.

For companies calling at EU ports, the inclusion of Maritime into the EU Emission Trading System will come at a significant cost. Starting in 2024, the EU institutions have agreed that CO2 emissions related to EU operations will have to be paid for in a so-called cap & trade market. In simple terms, for every ton of CO2 a ship emits, the owner has to purchase an emission credit in an open market. The current price is around EUR 80 per credit, which corresponds to ca EUR 250 per ton of fuel. Given that the purchasing price of a ton of fuel is ca EUR 600 per ton, this is a significant cost increase – which is the very intention of the ETS, seeking to drive operators to low-carbon alternatives.

On the positive side, it is now almost a certainty that at least EUR 1.5 billion from the EU’s Innovation Fund will be available for financing the following types of projects: improvement in ship and port energy efficiency, innovative technologies and infrastructure, as well as the deployment of sustainable alternative fuels and zero-emission propulsion technologies. Final approval by EU Council and Parliament is expect by mid-February.

Upcoming February Activities

We don’t expect our schedule to slow down in February as we travel to Long Beach, California to attend and present at the Passenger Vessel Association of America (PVA) conference. We look forward to catching up with many of our US members and industry colleagues. Please stop by the Ferry Conference portion of the event on February 3rd to see our Interferry presentation “People and Power” given by Interferry Chairman Tim Mooney and myself.

After PVA, we are immediately off to Whistler, Canada for Interferry’s first Board meeting of 2023, taking place on February 7th. We look forward to welcoming the Board to our home country for the first time since we met in Vancouver in 2014.

Until next month, take care and stay safe……
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Season’s Greetings Ferry Fans,

Before writing my final update for 2022, I thought I would look back at my previous reports for reference purposes. In doing so, I almost forgot that less than a year ago we were just about to enter another round of Covid-induced lockdowns. In fact, Interferry’s February 2022 board meeting in Whistler had to be cancelled and replaced with a virtual one.

And yet, unbelievably, a little more than seven months later we were able to host our most successful conference ever in Seattle, with almost 500 participants. If this isn’t a true testament to the resilience of the ferry community and human nature in general, I don’t know what is…

Interferry’s 2022 Highlights

During 2022, as we transitioned out of a multi-year pandemic coma, there were many Interferry highlights worthy of note. However, in the interest of reducing the time it takes you to read this report, I have chosen a few that I feel are the most significant. More comprehensive lists and discussions can be found in each of my monthly reports in the CEO Update section of Interferry.com.

• Tim Mooney took over as Chairman for a three-year term effective October 4, 2022
• A special thank you to Christophe Mathieu for providing extraordinary leadership as Interferry Chairman during the pandemic; and for hosting a hugely successful conference in Santander in 2021 that was recently awarded Event of the Year for the Cantabria region of Spain
• Interferry’s Board welcomed new Directors Robert Clifford of Incat, Heidi Wolden of Norled AS, Terry MacRae of the Hornblower Group and Anders Rundberg of Carus
• We had record attendance at the Seattle conference in October. Thanks to Patty Rubstello of Washington State Ferries and Matthias Pahnke of FRS Clipper for all their efforts in hosting
• We held two well attended meetings of Interferry’s Operators Policy Committee, with significant time and effort spent on the GHG files at both the IMO and the EU
• Spring and Fall rounds of multi-day meetings were held with officials of the European Union’s Commission, Council and Parliament in Brussels
• We formalized partnerships with other industry associations including Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and the World Shipping Council (WSC)
• We signed a working agreement with the European Community Shipowner’s Associations (ECSA)
• Major strides were made in the promotion of the ferry industry’s need for the rapid advancement and global development of Onshore Power Supply (OPS)
• Two editions of the Ferry Business Report were published in conjunction with Cruise & Ferry Review
• We announced Sorrento, Italy as our 2025 conference location, to be hosted by the Grimaldi Group – following Hobart, Australia in 2023 and Marrakesh, Morocco in 2024
• Over 25 new members – both companies and individuals – joined the Interferry family during 2022. Listed below are the members who have joined since my last update in July:

• Abelle Consulting Ltd / Nicholas Belle
• Ballyhoo Media Services, LLC
• Brock Solutions
• Consilium Marine US, Inc.
• Danfoss Editron Oy
• EHRENBERG SØRENSEN Kommunikation
• Flagship Cruises & Events
• H3X
• Martin Stewart
• PROP
• Sea Lines
• Speedcast
• TECO 2030 Inc.
• Vancouver Island Ferry Company

Hobart 2023 • The 47th Annual Interferry Conference

We will head to Australia in early January to make final preparations for #Interferry47, to be held from 4-8 November 2023 in Hobart, Tasmania. Once again, this is shaping up to be an outstanding event as we return to the southern hemisphere for the first time since 2002. It’s never too early to book your travel plans – and make sure to allow some time before or after the conference to explore the “Land Down Under”.

Thanks for reading and – until we connect again – have a “Ferry Merry Holiday Season”.

Take care…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Hello Ferry Friends,

In this month’s report I would like to introduce the new Chair of Interferry’s Board of Directors, highlight our recent visit with the Danish Ferry Association and report on an important Operators Policy Committee (OPC) meeting.

Tim Mooney Takes the Chair

At our annual general meeting in Seattle in October, Tim Mooney of Fire Island Ferries in Bay Shore, New York, was unanimously endorsed as the new head of the Interferry Board of Directors for the next three years.

I know that many of you have already met Tim during his nine-year tenure as a board member or likely even before that at one of our conferences. In fact, Tim’s involvement with Interferry goes back decades to when his dad, Captain Ed Mooney, played an integral part in creating our association.

As a self-described “small operator”, Tim is sure to balance the association’s focus on all types of operator members at the Board table, as well as providing a US perspective on our strategic discussions through his involvement with the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) of America.

Tim has spent considerable time traveling the globe and is well versed on ferry operations around the world. We look forward to his leadership over the next three years as we continue to grow our worldwide influence.

Interferry Meeting with the Danish Ferry Association

Regulatory Affairs Director Johan Roos and I were very pleased to be hosted by Danish Ferry Association board members while in Copenhagen in November. We had engaging and productive round table discussions with Jacob Clasen (Deputy CEO, Danish Shipping), Carsten Jensen (CEO, MOLSLINJEN A/S), Carsten Nørland (CEO, Scandlines) and Kristian Durhuus (CEO, ForSea).

L to R: Jacob K. Clasen, Danish Shipping; Carsten Jensen, MOLSLINJEN A/S; Carsten Nørland, Scandlines; Mike Corrigan, Interferry; Johan Roos, Interferry; Kristian Durhuus, ForSea

It is important that Interferry continues to prioritise meeting with national ferry industry associations whenever possible. I am always impressed that, regardless of where in the world we talk with ferry operators, the topics are almost always the same: customers, governments, regulators, fuel prices, zero emissions technologies, the environment and safety. Such discussions further emphasise Interferry’s reason for being and the need to continue providing our members with a conduit for sharing best practices and networking opportunities.

Operators Policy Committee (OPC) Meeting and ETS

Special thanks to Torben Carlsen and DFDS for hosting Interferry’s OPC meeting on November 15. With 23 participants, it was the best attended meeting of our committee, whose primary purpose is to set the association’s regulatory agenda.

Public affairs consultancy ADS Insight, which assists our efforts in Brussels with the European Union (EU), provided an overview of greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations that are being finalized in complicated tri-party negotiations between the EU’s Commission, Parliament and Council. Their presentation framed most of our discussions and ultimately led to the committee’s strong positioning at the meeting’s conclusion.

OPC members agreed that the two regulatory issues currently being finalized in Brussels likely to have the most significant impact on the ferry sector are the allocation of Emissions Trading System (ETS) revenues and the treatment of ETS for sea shipping vs road transportation.

Interferry has long argued it is critical that a significant portion of the ETS revenues generated from shipping under the new regulations flow back to our industry directly to ports and ferries. This is required to ensure funding is available to invest in technologies like the rapid advancement of electrification and onshore power development that are crucial to meeting impending GHG emissions reduction targets. It is still uncertain if a separate fund arising from the ETS scheme will be created for the shipping industry, or if the monies will flow back to member states to allocate as they see fit within their respective countries.

As a member of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), we have provided input and strong support for ECSA’s recent statement on this issue, which called for “earmarking of shipping ETS revenues in the final negotiating round”.

The second regulatory issue that could have a compounding negative effect on the ferry business is the implementation and timing of ETS on ferries in relation to if and when it is imposed on road haulage. Over the years, ferries have been successful in decongesting the motorways of Europe and improving overall air quality by shifting the movement of goods and cargo from roads to ferries. If ETS isn’t implemented for trucks or done so in an uncoordinated manner – i.e. long after ferries – then market distortion will be created causing an intermodal shift back to roads.

Coming out of the OPC meeting, as the window of opportunity to influence decision makers is rapidly closing, we immediately released the following statement: “Interferry urges EU co-legislators to safeguard modal shift objectives by ensuring timing consistency in the ETS for short sea and road transport”.

Our summary statement:

“Therefore, in view of the ongoing trilogue negotiations on the ETS, we call on the national governments in the Council and the Members of the European Parliament to preserve the key role of short sea shipping in reaching the EU’s modal shift targets. Interferry believes that to achieve this, the timing of the implementation of ETS for short sea shipping and road transportation should be done in a coordinated manner.”

Well, that wraps up my report for November, as we now enter the last month of 2022 and prepare for the busy Christmas season.

Until next time, be safe…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Hello Ferry Friends,

It was fantastic to see so many of you in Seattle – 490 attendees to be exact – which makes our 46th conference the biggest ever, even outpacing London in 2019. It was especially gratifying to see those of you who were unable to travel to Santander last year due to pandemic restrictions. While there will always be room for improvement, the feedback from our survey and other sources has been extremely positive regarding all aspects of the conference. We always encourage you to provide your input so we can make Hobart even better in 2023!

In this month’s report I would like to provide information on how you can access the Seattle conference Speakers Program videos and presentations, as well as the official Conference Guide. I also want to update you on four new Directors elected to the Interferry Board in Seattle, announce the location of the 2025 conference and highlight important upcoming meetings.

Seattle Conference • Speakers Program Presentations and the Conference Guide

The Speakers Program videos and accompanying presentations are now available on Interferry.com for members and delegates. I encourage those of you who were unable to be in Seattle to take some time and watch the videos of the sessions that may be of interest under the themes of Power and People.

Interferry members can access the presentations at https://interferry.com/2022-conference-presentations/. You will need to log in to your Interferry account (your email and password) in order to view the page. If you have any trouble logging in please contact nicole.bond@interferry.com.

Non-member attendees have been sent a link and password. If you have any trouble accessing the page or did not receive your link, please contact john.nedwidek@interferry.com.

You can also read the full conference guide, whether or not you attended the conference, since it is available digitally via PressReader both through their app and online via a browser. Through our strategic partnership with PressReader, conference delegates were offered one month’s free access to the thousands of newspapers and magazines available on their platform, including the Interferry Conference Guide. The online guide is enhanced with hyperlinks in the ads and articles which will help you learn more about our sponsors and their services, so I highly recommend that you take advantage of those features.

Those of you who are not already a customer of PressReader can sign up for a 7-day free trial. Once you’re set up with PressReader, simply search for “Interferry Conference Guide” in the app or click this link to get to the browser version.

New Interferry Directors  

I’m extremely pleased to welcome four new Directors to our Board for four-year terms. Representing the supplier community are Robert Clifford from Incat and Anders Rundberg from Carus. Both of these gentlemen should be very familiar to you since they have been directly involved with Interferry for decades, with Robert being a pioneer of building aluminum fast ferries and Anders leading the charge on customer information and billing systems.

Joining Robert and Anders on the Board under the Operators category are Heidi Wolden from Norled AS and Terry MacRae from the Hornblower Group. Heidi’s company is arguably leading the global ferry industry in our push towards zero emissions. Terry brings his vast experience operating passenger ferry systems and related tourism businesses across the globe to the Board table.

Please join me in welcoming all four of these accomplished individuals to the Interferry Board.

2025 Interferry Conference • Sorrento, Italy • Hosted by the Grimaldi Group

I’m very excited to announce that at our Seattle Board meeting the Interferry Board approved Sorrento, Italy as the site of our 2025 conference, to be hosted by long time and influential member the Grimaldi Group.

With the important port city of Naples (head office of the Grimaldi Group) and the world-renowned tourist areas of Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri close by – coupled with the world-class conference center and hotel at the Hilton Sorrento Palace in the heart of Sorrento – 2025 is already shaping up to be another “must attend” event.

We have tentatively locked in the dates of October 4-8, 2025 and will confirm those once we have finalized the arrangements.

OPC Meeting • Copenhagen • November 15, 2022 • Hosted by DFDS

For those of you on Interferry’s Operators Policy Committee that sets the strategic regulatory direction for the organization, I look forward to seeing you at DFDS’s Copenhagen offices on November 15. With a full agenda of regulatory matters on the docket at the EU and the IMO, this should prove to be another productive and important meeting.

Upcoming Meeting with the Danish Ferry Association • November 14, 2022

While in Copenhagen for the OPC meeting, Interferry’s Regulatory Affairs Director Johan Roos and I will meet with the Board of the Danish Ferry Association on November 14. This is a great opportunity to discuss matters of common interest and opportunities to work closer together. Going forward, we will continue to look for opportunities to do this with other domestic associations as well.

Thanks for reading this latest update. As always, I appreciate your feedback.

Take care and stay safe…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Hello Ferry Friends,

As expected, the primary focus of this month’s report is on our Seattle conference, with the dual theme of “Power and People”, which is now only a month away! The entire Interferry team is excited to welcome our members and guests to the Bell Harbor Convention Center located on the Emerald City’s waterfront, with the two conference hotels – The Edgewater and Marriott Waterfront – only a short walk away.

In addition to a conference update, I also want to draw your attention to the recently released Ferry Business Report published in Cruise & Ferry Review in association with Interferry. As usual, the report is packed with informative and timely articles from industry leaders and Interferry members from across the globe.

Seattle Conference • Hotels Rooms Going Quickly & Post Conference Tour Details

I’m thrilled to report that even though we haven’t even hit September yet, which traditionally is the busiest month for conference registrations, we have already signed up over 330 participants. What is especially gratifying to see is the number of attendees coming from Australasia who weren’t able to participate in our 2021 Santander conference due to pandemic travel restrictions.

Not surprisingly, this means that both conference hotels’ allotted rooms are filling up fast. The September 7 deadline is quickly approaching after which the hotels will no longer guarantee a room at our special rate – which, if available, is significantly less than current rates in Seattle.

I’m also pleased to be able to announce the final details of our post conference tour organized and delivered by conference co-sponsor FRS Clipper. You can hop on their ferry for a beautiful three-hour sail to our hometown of Victoria, BC to experience the elegance of our quaint British influenced city. While in Victoria, you have the option to book a hotel room via FRS Clipper Vacations, as well as a tour to the world renowned, UNESCO endorsed Butchart Gardens. For those who only have a limited amount of time in Seattle after the conference, FRS Clipper Vacations offers a half-day whale watching tour in Puget Sound.

A special thank you to FRS Clipper for putting together these tour packages, and also for offering a 50% discount for travel on their ferry with a free upgrade to Comfort Class to delegates wanting to head north to Canada. Here’s a link to the Post Tour page on our conference website which provides more info including how to book directly through FRS Clipper Vacations.

Ferry Leaders Panels • Seattle Speakers Program

As has become a tradition due to their popularity, we are excited to end each day of the two-day Speakers Program with an hour-long Ferry Leaders Panel session. These panels bring together a broad array of leaders in our industry, both in terms of operational profile and geographic location, to provide their views on what they have seen and heard at the conference. Each session will include some opening comments from each of the panelists followed by a conversation among the group and Q&A from the audience via the Interferry46 conference app.

Here’s a breakdown of the participants for each of the sessions…

Ferry Leaders Panel Day One Participants • Topic: “Power and People”
Håkan Agnevall – CEO, Wärtsilä
John Garvey – Deputy Commissioner and COO, Staten Island Ferries
Jan Hanses – CEO, Viking Line
Peter Hebblethwaite – CEO, P&O Ferries
Mary Ann Pastrana – EVP and Treasurer, Archipelago Philippine Ferries

Ferry Leaders Panel Day Two Participants • Topic: “Innovation and Disruption”
Robert Clifford – Founder and Chairman, Incat
Seamus Murphy – Executive Director, San Francisco Bay Ferries (WETA)
Max Olson – Founder and CEO, Seachange
Billy Thalheimer – Founder, REGENT
Heidi Wolden – CEO, Norled

Ferry Business Report • Autumn/Winter 2022

Once again, Cruise & Ferry Review’s Ferry Business Report, published twice per year in association with Interferry, is packed with topical and interesting articles from our members and key industry players.

In addition to articles from myself and Johan Roos, our Director of Regulatory Affairs, on the ferry industry’s path towards meeting mandated CII emissions reduction targets, there are interviews with conference co-host Patty Rubstello of Washington State Ferries and Matthias Pahnke of FRS Clipper. Patty talks about WSF’s journey towards hybrid-electric propulsion and Matthias explains how the company managed through the pandemic and why he believes a brighter future lays ahead.

We also hear from Carsten Nørland, CEO of Scandlines, about operating the world’s largest fleet of hybrid ferries and its quest towards zero emissions status by 2040. Through his personal reflections, Peter Hebblethwaite, CEO of P&O Ferries, provides arguably the most interesting interview by reflecting on the reasons why P&O made the controversial decision to change its crewing model overnight.

Click here to read the Autumn/Winter 2022 edition and previous editions of the Ferry Business Report.

Well, that wraps up another month’s update which I hope you found informative and useful. As always, I appreciate your feedback.

I’m really looking forward seeing so many of you in Seattle in a month’s time.

Safe travels and take care…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Greetings Ferry Friends,,

In this month’s report, I’m pleased to provide a snapshot of the upcoming GHG regulatory agenda at both the IMO and European Union (EU), a reminder of the early bird registration deadline for our Seattle conference and the next steps in the Interferry Board’s process for appointing a new Director representing our supplier community. In addition, I’m proud to welcome our newest members that have recently joined the Interferry family.

Upcoming GHG Regulatory Agenda • IMO and EU

Interferry has followed the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) discussions for shipping since its inception at the IMO 15 years ago. Since their beginning, these discussions have been heavily influenced by EU countries, via the European Commission – with the EU threat that if the IMO doesn’t speed up, Europe will implement its own GHG regime unilaterally.

Despite the progress made by the IMO recently with the introduction of efficiency requirements (EEDI, EEXI), and the on-going Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) discussions focused on a fair basis for measuring fuel consumption efficiency, the EU has still decided to push its Green Deal agenda aggressively.

This year the EU will finalize its internal negotiations on the future Emissions Trading System (ETS) for Maritime. There has been some contention between the three negotiating parties: the EU Commission, EU Parliament, and EU Council – but it is evident that there will be an ETS for all ships >5,000 GT calling an EU port, most likely begin on January 1, 2024. However, it is worth noting that the Parliament is advocating to lower the threshold from 5,000 GT down to 400 GT – which would pull approximately 600 smaller ferries into the ETS scheme, primarily operating on short domestic routes.

The costs associated with the ETS are linked to the price of purchasing emissions rights corresponding to the amount of CO2 a ship will emit during the concerned voyage. Currently those costs correspond to around $250 per ton of fuel, which even in a non-inflated market would have represented a significant cost to operators. The EU agenda on ETS aims to cover all industry sectors and there is nothing specific that deals with ferries and ferry operations – so like it or not, the ETS will need to be considered a cost of doing business.

In addition to this purely financial instrument, for the second half of 2022 the EU is also aiming to conclude future technical and operational requirements on ships calling EU ports, including the mandatory use of shore power for passenger ships and the actual carbon content of the fuel used onboard all ships.

Since the requirement to connect to shore power is critical to the long-term success of the ferry industry, we will continue to make provision of Onshore Power Supply (OPS) a strategic priority and work closely with both industry partners and the EU institutions to ensure that we get this right.

On the IMO front, the CII, which was developed for long-haul deep-sea operations, is clearly unfair to ferry operators with a variable speed profile covering several port calls per day. To articulate this more clearly to the IMO, in September we will establish a dedicated CII team which will undertake an extensive data analysis of the current regulations, so that we can provide the ferry industry’s findings for an IMO review beginning immediately so revisions can be implemented in 2026. However, recording of data for CII will become mandatory starting the beginning of 2023 with reporting beginning on April 1, 2024.

Seattle Conference Early Bird Registration Deadline is August 15

It sure looks like we hit the jackpot with the Power and People themes for our annual global ferry industry get-together in October – hosted by Washington State Ferries and FRS Clipper in the world-renowned port city of Seattle. We are already seeing strong registration numbers for Seattle, with the deadline for early bird sign-ups still a couple weeks away. So, if you want to secure your seat at the conference, as well as get a discount on the full package, I encourage you to register on or before August 15. Here’s a link to the conference website registration page to get you started.

Also, for those suppliers still considering an exhibition space for the conference, we have very few remaining so please contact Sponsorship Manager Karen Giffon at karen.giffon@interferry.com right away if you are interested.

New Interferry Board of Directors Supplier Position

The Interferry Board is encouraged by the number of applications received from our Associate Members by the July 29 deadline for the vacant Director Supplier seats. As a next step, the Board’s Nominating Committee will be shortlisting the applicants over the next few weeks, with the goal of presenting its preferred candidate to the Board for its endorsement to the membership at the Seattle AGM.

Given the quality of the applications, we are confident that we will be successful in our efforts to attract a leader in our industry with in-depth knowledge of the ferry business who can best represent the interests of our supplier community.

Welcome to Our New Members

It is always a pleasure to welcome new members to the Interferry family. Since our last call-out in February, we are pleased to acknowledge our nine latest additions. As always and where appropriate, please look to our supplier members first when considering your various business needs.

New members since March 1, 2022:

• BC Ferry & Marine Workers Union
• Crowley Engineering Services
• MF Shipping Group
• Port of Seattle
• San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority
• Steerprop Ltd.
• Trelleborg Marine & Infrastructure
• Washington State Department of Commerce
• Wightlink Limited

As I wrap up this month’s report, I would like to take a moment to thank Mark Collins, who recently departed BC Ferries, for his four-plus years of dedicated service on the Interferry Board, as well as his moderator duties and active participation at our annual conferences.

Until next time, stay safe…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Hello Ferry Friends,

In this month’s report, I’m pleased to announce the full roster of topics and presenters for our Seattle Speakers Program. This year we have taken even more care to ensure that the program reflects the wide variety of operator sizes and types, as well as the diversity of our supplier community, that is reflective our membership.

Also in this update, I would like to welcome a new Director and Co-President to the Interferry Board, advise our supplier members that we are seeking applications to fill a supplier Director position on our Board, and draw your attention to an important Interferry regulatory update.

Seattle Speakers Program

We have now posted the two-day Speakers Program taking place on October 3 and 4 to the conference website. I hope you’ll agree that it will be another world-class event centered on the dual theme of “Power and People”.

With regards to the People theme on Day 1, we have presentations on engaging young people in a maritime career, workforce outlook and trends, and dual courses of study. Also, since it is reasonable to assume that all our workforce challenges cannot be solved by hiring enough skilled people, we will also have a session on bridging the gap through automation.

Among highlights of the first day of the program, we will hear from our keynote speaker, Kelly Craighead, President and CEO of CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), who will talk about the parallel universe that exists between the ferry and cruise businesses. Both industries face many of the same challenges regarding crewing their vessels and striving to meet zero emissions goals.

On the theme of Power during Day 2 of the program we will have comprehensive sessions and presentations on making onshore power supply a reality, fueling the future, propulsion efficiency, and leading the charge with batteries.

On both days of the speakers program we will have a session on green vessel projects when three presentations will be made by designers, builders and operators on their exciting leading-edge projects. On a related note, we are pleased to welcome Green Marine to the stage to talk about its highly respected North American environmental certification program and its expansion into Europe.

Also, no Interferry program would be complete without a regulatory update from Johan Roos, Interferry’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, or the inclusion of our popular Ferry Leaders Panels to wrap up both days of the event.

Finally, since I have been asked many times about ferry operators in the Black Sea given the ongoing war in the region, I have asked a respected former operator who is getting ready to start up a new business there to brief us on a business model that most of us would consider much too risky to even consider.

Here’s a link to the Speakers Program for your review.

Matthias Pahnke (FRS Clipper) • New Interferry Director and Co-President

At Interferry’s recent Board meeting in Rome, Matthias Pahnke, CEO of Seattle-based FRS Clipper, was approved as an Interferry Director and Co-President through to the end of this year’s conference. FRS Clipper, along with Washington State Ferries and its leader Patty Rubstello, are co-hosting the conference in the Emerald City from October 1 to 5. Matthias replaces David Gudgel, who left FRS Clipper to join Kenmore Air which is also located in Seattle. Congratulations Matthias, and we look forward to your hospitality this fall.

Expression of Interest • Interferry Board of Directors • Supplier Position

Also at our recent Rome Board meeting, the Board of Directors approved sending out a formal request to our supplier members seeking Expressions of Interest to fill a vacant Director position on the Board.

We are seeking an associate member in good standing who is considered a leader in the ferry industry. In addition to demonstrating in-depth knowledge of and experience in our industry, candidates need to able to fulfill a four-year term and attend board meetings held three times per year throughout the world.

Full details will be issued shortly through our Interferry News email distribution network. Application letters and CVs should be emailed to ceo@interferry.com in my role as Corporate Secretary for consideration by the board’s Nominating Committee.

Regulatory Update • MEPC 78 Outcomes

The IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) held its 78th session from June 6 – 10. During this session, among other things, the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulations were finalized to enter into force in 2023.

As previously reported, compliance with EEXI by 2023 seems to be well in hand for our members, due in large part to Interferry’s continued active involvement in the process.

On the other hand, there still is much uncertainty regarding the CII timeline and enforcement criteria for vessels that fall outside the adopted sliding scale thresholds. Hopefully this will all be resolved during CII’s initial three-year review period ending in 2026. Since Classification Societies and Flag States will be key players over the next few years, Interferry recommends that members stay in close connection with them.

On a positive CII note, we were pleased to see that – as requested by us – the capacity parameter for ro-ro cargo ships was aligned with that for ro-ro passenger ships and changed to gross tons.

For a comprehensive explanation of MEPC 78, read Johan Roos’ recently issued Regulatory Report here on Interferry.com.

Thanks for reading this month’s report. For those of you yet to register for the conference, I hope that my review of the Speakers Program now motivates you to do so. Also, for those considering sponsorship packages or exhibition stands, I strongly encourage you to make your commitment very soon – there aren’t many opportunities left!

Until next month, take care and stay safe…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Greetings Ferry Friends,

This month I would like to draw your attention to the recent joint statement we issued with the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), tell you about the Shippax conference we attended, update you on our Seattle 2022 annual conference Speakers Program Call for Papers process and advise you on a wrap-up workshop for the HySeas III project that Interferry partnered in.

ESPO and Interferry Cooperation on Onshore Power Supply (OPS)

Following a very productive meeting I had with Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General of ESPO, in Brussels late last month, I’m pleased report that our two organisations issued a joint statement supporting our common goal of prioritising OPS for ferries.

Interferry has embarked on a schedule of meetings with senior decision makers from governments and ports to urge investment in OPS infrastructure. I very much value our collaboration with ESPO to work on our mutual sustainability ambitions.

Since greening the shipping industry and deploying OPS in ports will require huge investments, we are aggressively calling for revenues from the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), or any similar market-based measure, to go directly towards funding OPS deployment through a dedicated fund that will benefit both ports and ferries.

Here’s a link to the full story in the Interferry News.

Shippax Conference and Åland Islands Visit

Congratulations to Elizabeth Mandersson and her Shippax team for hosting a successful conference on board the Silja Symphony in early May. It was great to get to spend time with many of our Interferry members and sponsors as we sailed through the beautiful Swedish and Finnish archipelagos. Regulatory Affairs Director Johan Roos and I also very much valued the opportunity to present current happenings at Interferry, including our regulatory priorities, to the attendees.

While in the area, we were hosted onboard Viking Lines’ newest vessel, Viking Glory, as we sailed to the Åland Islands. To say that we were very impressed with the ship would be an understatement. A special thank you goes to Jan Hanses and his team for their hospitality and also to Anders Rundberg from Carus for hosting us in Mariehamn and setting up meetings with the local maritime and shipping community.

Seattle Conference Speakers Program • Call for Papers

I must say that the overwhelming response we received to our Call for Papers surprised even us. Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a proposal on either our Power or People themes. Due to the number of submissions we have to diligently work our way through, it will likely be a little later than mid-June before we can get back to everyone.

Just a reminder that we are looking for abstracts that best encapsulate our themes and will enlighten and educate our delegates. It is also important that they do so without being overtly commercial. Furthermore, with regards to the Power theme, we will be prioritising proposals that can deliver technologically sound solutions to ferry operators within the next decade. In other words, the technology and energy solutions should be “leading edge… not bleeding edge”.

HySeas III Consortium Final Workshop • June 15 • Edinburgh

The HySeas III consortium, which Interferry is part of, will hold its final workshop in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 15. At the workshop, the team will share the results and impacts of the project. This will include a presentation on the market potential for hydrogen fuel cell powered ferries, as well as the results of the hydrogen fuel cell and battery propulsion string test.

Also covered during the session will be the ship design process and bunkering, including safety challenges and mitigation.

Here’s a link to the registration page if you would like to attend. Registration is free.

I think I will end it here for this month, as we get ready to jump on a plane to Rome for our upcoming Interferry board meeting.

Until next month, take care and stay safe…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry

Hello Ferry Fans,

While the health authorities keep cautioning us that we aren’t officially out of the woods yet regarding COVID, it sure feels like it with the number of kilometers the Interferry team logged and the many in-person meetings we participated in during April.

We visited Seattle for final preparations for our October conference, held an Operators Policy Committee (OPC) meeting in Madrid and took part in GHG/Onshore Power Supply (OPS) meetings with a number of industry associations and European Union (EU) officials in Brussels.

At the end of the month, we found ourselves in Stockholm preparing to travel on Viking Line’s new flagship, Viking Glory, as part of our visit to the Åland Islands to meet with Viking Line, Carus and various other industry contacts. We will then return to Stockholm to attend the Shippax annual conference, which takes place on Silja Symphony sailing to Helsinki and back on May 4-6.

Seattle Conference Registration is Open!

I’m pleased to report that we have finalized all the planning for Interferry’s 46th annual conference in Seattle from October 1-5 and registration is now open on our conference website. I’m confident that you will be impressed with the host of venues and events being offered in and around the Emerald City, where our conference centre and two host hotels are a short walk from each other on the waterfront.

In addition to another world-class Speakers Program, we think you’ll be enticed to register early by our evening networking events at the breathtaking Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibition, Boeing’s Museum of Flight and an authentic Pacific Northwest indigenous clam bake at Kiana Lodge, as well as a wide array of pre-tours and partner/spouse tours.

Seattle Conference Speakers Program – Call for Papers Deadline is May 13

The May 13 submission deadline for our Call for Papers focusing on “Power and People” is quickly approaching. Check the Call for Papers page on the conference website for complete details including submission requirements.

Under the “Power” theme, presentations are invited on any sustainable, future-proof vessel powering options and the related challenges – notably the regulatory targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions of some 50% by 2030 and a “net zero” scenario by 2050. With electrification emerging as the ferry industry’s key driver towards these goals, special focus will be given to papers on the development of OPS in ports and terminals.

The “People” sessions aim to explore issues facing operators regarding staffing and succession planning, with particular attention to training and retention at a time when the maritime sector, like all industries, is facing an acute shortage of skilled labor.

Please note that Interferry members and conference sponsors will be given first-priority for speaking slots, subject to the merits of their respective submissions. Also, since Interferry is a not-for-profit organization, selected speakers are responsible for their own conference registration costs.

OPC Meeting – Madrid

On April 26 we had a very productive and well attended OPC meeting in Spain with the majority of committee members participating. This was the first time that the committee – which provides management with strategic direction on regulatory matters – was able to meet in person since the pandemic began.

The committee spent considerable time discussing EU passenger rights legislation, RoPax fire safety improvements and proposed changes to the IMO’s High-Speed Craft (HSC) Code. However, as expected, the major agenda item was the upcoming GHG regulations being finalized at both the IMO and EU, which prompted spirited and engaging discussions around the table.

Everyone expressed their views after Interferry’s proposed OPS action plan was presented at the meeting. Some committee members then suggested that our messaging needs to be expanded to include more than just a call to action for the immediate development of port electrical infrastructure. They said we should also send a clear signal to the marketplace that ferry operators must be treated equitably and fairly when paying for the required onshore electrical supply.

In other words, there needs to be transparency in the development of the fees that ferries pay to plug in. This full disclosure should include the methodology used in the allocation of each port’s capital and operational costs, as well as an offset for any subsidies or incentives ports receive to develop their OPS infrastructure.

Brussels – GHG Discussions and Onshore Power Promotion Meetings

At the end of the month in Brussels, we spent two full days in meetings with various parties to build support for our OPS initiative, while at the same time researching which EU agencies are likely to have funding that operators can tap into to meet their GHG emissions reduction targets.

From an industry association perspective, we had an excellent meeting with the European Sea Ports Organization and the World Shipping Council, agreeing to work collaboratively with both bodies in our joint interest to advance OPS infrastructure development and gain EU funding for such projects. Likewise, we re-established our historically close relationship with the European Community Shipowners’ Association, so that we can work in a co-ordinated manner on a broad array of regulatory matters.

In an effort to better understand the upcoming EU GHG regulations – including implementation timelines, measurement criteria and funding sources – we met with officials in various departments at the EU Commission. What is clear after participating in all these meetings is that there is still a lot of work to be done before a clear path forward can be identified. The biggest question is how the funds from the Emissions Trading System (ETS) will flow back to our industry to help offset the enormous costs we will incur installing ship and shoreside equipment to meet the upcoming targets.

While there is still much regulatory uncertainly, we are confident that we walked away from each meeting achieving our near-term objectives.

Shippax Conference and Co-Promotion of Industry Newsletter

As I wrap up this month’s report, we are looking forward to the Shippax conference and reconnecting with many of you at the event. I would like to invite you to attend the presentation that Johan Roos and I are making during the speakers’ program.

Interferry has a long and mutually beneficial partnership with Shippax, which includes sponsoring each others’ conferences, promoting the weekly Shippax online newsletter, and the sharing of data and information which provided much of the input to our recently released Ferry Market Study.

I hope to see many of you onboard the Silja Symphony.

Take care and stay safe…
Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry