Finnlines - Grimaldi Group
Finnlines - Grimaldi Group Finnlines - Grimaldi Group
8 into the wider Grimaldi operation, connecting with ACl in Gothenburg, for instance, and so to the United States, or adding Gothenburg to the service between Helsinki and Bilbao in northern Spain. Finnlines also benefited last year as Grimaldi took surplus vessels off its hands for operation in the Mediterranean, providing what Mr Bakosch terms “a useful safety valve” for the Finnish company at a time when it was under financial pressure. On the passenger side, meanwhile, a new groupwide computerised booking system, due to be rolled out next year, will only improve efficiency and awareness of the company’s services. morE Emphasis on passEngEr sErvicEs Passenger services has long been the invisible man of the Finnlines operation. As Mr Bakosch says: “Historically, you think of Finnjet and the image is of a high-quality passenger service across the Baltic. We had 14 Ro-Pax ships, but the passengers were almost forgotten.” Not any more. Gate to – Atlantic Network Halifax Boston New York Baltimore Portsmouth Jacksonville Salvador Vitoria Rio de Janeiro *)Asuncion Santos Paranagua Zarate Montevideo Buenos Aires Non-commercial passenger numbers have soared aboard Finnlines’ vessels as the company has worked to improve its facilities and on-board service. Indeed, in the first quarter, Finnlines carried 59% more private passengers than in the same period last year, helping boost total passenger numbers to 121,000 from 102,000. Come the summer, the company expects big things of its passenger business. The same might be said of the company’s operations as a whole, after a highly encouraging first quarter. Mr Bakosch has no desire to minimise the challenges still facing the company at a time when the market, and the regional economy, remains under pressure. on thE right track Lisbon Casablanca Dakar Banjul Conacry Freetown Monrovia Abidjan Takoradi Tema Cotonou Göteborg Hamburg Antwerp Lagos Douala Ponte Noire Boma Luanda At the same time, he notes that Finnlines lost just Euro 3.3 million in these first three months, compared with Euro 21 million in the same period last year, and this despite only a small increase in revenues over the period, from Euro 117 million to Euro 121.5 million. He adds that “not only is the first quarter usually very weak, but we had the additional Helsinki St. Petersburg disruptions this year of a very harsh winter and a long stevedores’ strike in Finland.” The result was a drop in volumes from 155,000 units in last year’s first quarter to 148,000 this time, while the number of cars handled fell from 11,000 to 9,000 and additional tonnage slipped from 485,000 tons to 390,000 tons. But he argues strongly that these numbers are deceptive, and that once conditions returned to normal, the market bounced back. That in itself is an achievement given how far Finnlines has had to come over the last year. Mr Bakosch, who confidently anticipates returning to profit this year, says “we have changed the production model: the number of ships; where they run. We see them now as factories, producing the maximum number of units in the shortest time.” He expects further progress up ahead. “We are seeing the beginnings of a recovery, and the first results of these huge initiatives we have taken are coming in. We are on the right track.”
On the move again: Finnlines opens up the Baltic to the world THE WORld IS BECOMING MUCH SMAllER FOR FINNlINES. IT’S PORT NETWORk IS NO lONGER RESTRICTEd TO EUROPE BUT, WITH A lITTlE HElP FROM ITS PARENT COMPANy, NOW ExTENdS FAR BEyONd. Over the last year, and despite the impact of the economic crisis, Finnlines has invested in expanding its network through new calls to Poland and Germany. Now it is taking that commitment a step further by linking with its parent, the Grimaldi Group, to offer a whole new world to its customers. For some time, Finnlines has been offering a fortnightly service from Helsinki to Wallhamn, where cargo can be transshipped onto Grimaldi vessels for transport south towards the sunny Mediterranean. Cargo also flows northbound along the same route, from Grimaldi’s Mediterranean ports of call to Finland and Russia. The co-operation with the Grimaldi Group has spread out this spring: as from 1 May, 2010 Finnlines acts as an agent also for the Grimaldi’s South America and West Africa trades, transhipping via Antwerp. Also cargo destined to the Mediterranean area can be transhipped via that route, likewise via Wallhamn. Mediterrenea: Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Portugal, Spain, lebanon, Syria, Malta, libya and Tunisia. South America: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. West Africa: Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra leone, liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, d.R. Congo and Angola. All these trades are operated with roro-vessels which are innately suited for mobile and project cargoes.The transhipment takes place in Antwerp where Finnlines and Grimaldi are calling the same terminal (AET-terminal) which in its turn ensures easy, fast and faultless reloading of the cargo. Further, also cargoes destined to/from US can be feedered through our joint network. For Finnlines’ customers, and for the wider Grimaldi Group, the world is suddenly becoming a much smaller place. The key commercial contacts at Finnlines for these services and markets are: FINlANd Nina Währn phone: +358 10 34 5391 nina.wahrn@finnlines.com RUSSIA Hannu lumme phone: +358 10 343 5550 hannu.lumme@finnlines.com 9
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On the move again:<br />
<strong>Finnlines</strong> opens up the Baltic<br />
to the world<br />
THE WORld IS BECOMING MUCH SMAllER FOR FINNlINES. IT’S PORT NETWORk IS NO lONGER RESTRICTEd<br />
TO EUROPE BUT, WITH A lITTlE HElP FROM ITS PARENT COMPANy, NOW ExTENdS FAR BEyONd.<br />
Over the last year, and despite the impact of<br />
the economic crisis, <strong>Finnlines</strong> has invested<br />
in expanding its network through new calls<br />
to Poland and Germany. Now it is taking that<br />
commitment a step further by linking with its<br />
parent, the <strong>Grimaldi</strong> <strong>Group</strong>, to offer a whole<br />
new world to its customers.<br />
For some time, <strong>Finnlines</strong> has been offering a<br />
fortnightly service from Helsinki to Wallhamn,<br />
where cargo can be transshipped onto <strong>Grimaldi</strong><br />
vessels for transport south towards the sunny<br />
Mediterranean. Cargo also flows northbound<br />
along the same route, from <strong>Grimaldi</strong>’s Mediterranean<br />
ports of call to Finland and Russia.<br />
The co-operation with the <strong>Grimaldi</strong> <strong>Group</strong> has<br />
spread out this spring: as from 1 May, 2010<br />
<strong>Finnlines</strong> acts as an agent also for the <strong>Grimaldi</strong>’s<br />
South America and West Africa trades, transhipping<br />
via Antwerp. Also cargo destined to the<br />
Mediterranean area can be transhipped via that<br />
route, likewise via Wallhamn.<br />
Mediterrenea:<br />
Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Portugal,<br />
Spain, lebanon, Syria, Malta, libya<br />
and Tunisia.<br />
South America:<br />
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and<br />
Paraguay.<br />
West Africa:<br />
Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra<br />
leone, liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana,<br />
Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon,<br />
Congo, d.R. Congo and Angola.<br />
All these trades are operated with roro-vessels<br />
which are innately suited for mobile and<br />
project cargoes.The transhipment takes place<br />
in Antwerp where <strong>Finnlines</strong> and <strong>Grimaldi</strong> are<br />
calling the same terminal (AET-terminal) which<br />
in its turn ensures easy, fast and faultless reloading<br />
of the cargo.<br />
Further, also cargoes destined to/from US<br />
can be feedered through our joint network.<br />
For <strong>Finnlines</strong>’ customers, and for the wider<br />
<strong>Grimaldi</strong> <strong>Group</strong>, the world is suddenly becoming<br />
a much smaller place.<br />
The key commercial contacts at <strong>Finnlines</strong> for<br />
these services and markets are:<br />
FINlANd Nina Währn<br />
phone: +358 10 34 5391<br />
nina.wahrn@finnlines.com<br />
RUSSIA Hannu lumme<br />
phone: +358 10 343 5550<br />
hannu.lumme@finnlines.com<br />
9
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