Finnlines Freight Other News

Stevedoring strike in Finland - updated 4 March, 2010

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:00:47 GMT

4 March, 2010 -- Strike in Finnish ports has started

AKT has started on Thursday 4 March 2010 at 06.00 hrs a strike that concerns all Finnish ports. The strike has stopped all cargo handling.

However, Finnlines will endeavour to continue the ropax-service between Helsinki and Travemünde according to the present timetable. Please note that we only carry accompanied units.

Timetable:
Daily departure Helsinki at 17.30
Arrival next day in Travemünde at 20.30

Daily departure Travemünde at 03:00
Arrival next day in Helsinki at 07:30

Further information from your contact person and in our separate traffic informations.

2 March, 2010 -- Strike situation in Finland

As no agreement was reached in the negotiations, the lorry and bus drivers of the Transport Workers' Union (AKT) will go on strike today, 2 March 2010 at 18:00. No end date has been announced for the strike, so it will last until further notice.

Further, Finnish stevedores have issued a strike warning for Thursday, 4 March 2010 at 06:00, which would stop all cargo handling in Finnish ports. The labour market organisations will continue negotiations during this week.

AKT has also given a strike warning for warehouse terminal and port workers. It will depend on the outcome of the negotiations whether the strike action announced for Friday, 5 March 2010 at 06:00 will be taken. If so, 12 Finnish forwarding companies will go on strike.

In spite of the strike and strike warnings, Finnlines will endeavour to offer you transport services although changes and restrictions are to be expected. We will inform you of the operative consequences in our traffic infos.

We regret all inconvenience the strike may cause to you.
Further information from your contact person

Reminder: IMDG Code Amendment 34-08

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:19:13 GMT

Amendment 34-08 to the IMDG Code came mandatory into force on 1 January 2010. Application of the Amendment 33-06 regulations ended on 31 December 2009, after which only the regulations according to the IMDG Code Amendment 34-08 are mandatory in force.

We would also like to point out that shippers are responsible for ensuring that dangerous goods offered for shipment are classified and declared in accordance with the valid regulations. The shipper* must also ensure that the dangerous substances are packed, marked and documented, and that cargo transport units are placarded according to the IMDG Code.

Please note the following regarding Amendment 34-08:

- Added UN numbers: 0505, 0506, 0507, 0508, 1910, 2807, 2812, 3166, 3171, 3474, 3475, 3476, 3477, 3478, 3479, 3480 AND 3481.

- Training (Chapter 1.3) of staff involved with dangerous goods is now mandatory instead of only recommended. Persons not yet trained may only operate under direct supervision of a trained person.

- The concept marine pollutant “PP” and “.” is deleted but a shipper still needs to declare any consignment as being a marine pollutant if it meets the criteria (see Chapters 2.9.3 and 2.10).

- Excepted quantities column 7b is added to the Dangerous Goods List. Excepted quanties are small amounts of dangerous goods (see chapter 3.5).

Your contact person will provide furthr information.

* national regulations may define responsibilities

Enclosure IMDG Amendment 34

Enclosure IMDG Amendment 34.pdf 101.80 kB

Change of terminal in Antwerp

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:36:22 GMT

TERMINAL CHANGE IN ANTWERP

Finnlines vessels will start calling the Antwerp Euroterminal (AET) as from the 14th of January 2010. All Finnlines operations will be switched from quay 1213 Westerlund to quay 1333 AET as from that date.

Next to our existing services, the terminal change in Antwerp allows us to connect the Baltic Sea market area with the Grimaldi network from and to South America, West Africa and the Mediterranean area.

New connections between the east coast of North-America and the Baltic Sea market area are now also available; eastbound to Finland and Russia via Antwerp and westbound to North-America via Gothenburg.

Additionally the Mediterranean area can be reached with the present liner service from Wallhamn.

The operational procedures in Antwerp as you have known until now will remain unchanged.

As from the 8th of January, our container equipment will be available for pick up at the new terminal.

Address:
Antwerp Euroterminal N .V. (AET)
Quay 1333
Verrebroekdok
B-9130 Beveren

Opening hours:
- Mobile cargo (cars and other self propelled units): Mon-Fri 6.00 – 20.00
- Trailers and containers: Mon-Fri 6.00 - 21.00
- General cargo (break bulk)
cargo: Mon-Fri 8.00 - 15.00

For further information, please get in touch with your Finnlines contact person.

VAT clause to be included in quotations and contracts

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:36:48 GMT

Kindly note that in accordance to the new VAT rules, coming into force as from beginning of 2010, a “VAT-clause” as below will be incorporated into all Finnlines quotations and contracts.

VAT-Clause

“The Shipper confirms having provided the Carrier with all such information as the Carrier who has undertaken to perform or to procure to perform the entire transport may need for being able to comply in all respects with the VAT Directive CD 2006/112/EC as amended by CD 2008/8/EC and any applicable VAT legislation.

The Shipper shall indemnify the Carrier against any loss, damage and expense arising or resulting from inaccuracies in or inadequacy of such information.”

Finnlinesin Puolan-reitti Navigaressa

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:42:04 GMT

Navigaren 10.10. esitettävä jakso on kokonaisuudessaan kuvattu teemalla ”Finnlinesilla Puolaan ja takaisin”

Tarkat esitysajat ja -kanavat alla.

Jakso on myös netissä heti lauantain ensiesityksen jälkeen osoitteessa www.ruutu.fi

VKO		Aika	Kanava
41-42	Navigare	10.10.2009 12:30	Nelonen
	Navigare	11.10.2009 10:30	JIM
	Navigare	12.10.2009 00:30	Nelonen
	Navigare	12.10.2009 18:30	Urheilu+Kanava
	Veneilyä: Navigare	15.10.2009 23:30	Urheilukanava
	(u) Veneilyä: Navigare	16.10.2009 18:30	Urheilukanava

Ecobonus to continue on Travemünde-Gdynia-Travemünde up to end of 2009

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:36:48 GMT

Ecobonus to continue on Travemünde-Gdynia-Travemünde up to end of 2009

The special Ecobonus fare will continue on route between Gdynia and Travenünde: EUR 250, including sefreight and bunker surcharge. This special fare is applied to all lorries and trailers using the route up to end of 2009.

The route has three weekly departures to both directions with Finnlines' Star-class ro-ro-passenger vessels.

Schedule

Loading		Discharging
Travemünde	Tue 16:00	Gdynia	Wed 07:00
Travemünde	Thu 16:00	Gdynia	Fri 07:00
Travemünde	Sat 16:00	Gdynia	Sun 07:00

Loading		Discharging
Gdynia	Wed 17:00	Travemünde	Thu 08:00
Gdynia	Fri 17:00	Travemünde	Sat 08:00
Gdynia	Sun 17:00	Travemünde	Mon 08:00

For more information, contact:

in Poland

Finnlines Polska Co. Ltd.

sales.pl@finnlines.com

Phone +48 (0)58 627 4427

Fax +48 (0)58 627 4249

in Germany

Finnlines Deutschland GmbH

sales.de@finnlines.com

Phone +49 (0)451 1507 500

Fax +49 (0)451 1507 577

Change in VAT and invoicing practice

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:36:27 GMT

INVOICING AND VAT

Rearrangements in the Baltic Services as of 1 July 2009

Following the new Finnlines business scheme established on 18 May 2009, provision of maritime liner services, combined transport services and other related services (“Services”) on the Helsinki-Travemünde, Rauma/Kotka-Lübeck, Turku-Travemünde and Finland-Denmark/South Sweden routes and in hinterland handled by Finnlines Deutschland GmbH will be handled by Finnlines Plc as of 1 July 2009.

The customer contracts made for provision of Services with Finnlines Deutschland GmbH will be renewed as such to apply to Finnlines Plc. As from 1 July 2009, Finnlines Plc will be the sole provider of the Services within the Group companies. Finnlines Plc will be thus your contractual party.

Please note that, as of 1 July 2009, the freights will be invoiced as follows:

All freight invoices will be issued by:

Finnlines Plc
P.O.Box 197
Porkkalankatu 20 A
FIN-00181 HELSINKI

VAT Reg: F102011539

Bank connections:

Customers in Finland

Nordea Bank Finland Plc
IBAN: FI24 2333 1800 0018 53, SWIFT/BIC: NDEAFIHH

Customers in Germany

Deutsche Bank AG
IBAN: DE36200700000066071200, SWIFT/BIC: DEUTDEHH

In consequence of the fact that, as of 1 July 2009, sales of the Baltic and Scandinavian Services will be provided by Finnlines Plc, we would like to inform our customers about the following VAT issues:

Sales of Services B2B (business to business)

1 Intra-Community transports (between two EU Member States)

As of 1 July 2009, in case the freight is payable in Finland, Finnlines Plc will charge its Finnish customers in accordance with the valid VAT law. Accordingly, the current 22% VAT will be added to the invoice total.

If the freight is to be paid in any other EU Member State and the payer has given a VAT registration number issued in a Member State other than Finland, Finnlines Plc will include both its own and the customer's VAT registration number in the invoice. In that case VAT of the sale is 0% and the payer of the Service is liable for VAT reverse charge.

2 Export transports (Community goods subject to the export procedure)

Sales are mainly exempt from VAT, i.e. VAT for Services is 0%.

3 Transit transports (Community goods subject to the export procedure, e.g. transports to Russia)

Sales are VAT-exempt if Finnlines Plc has sufficient documents to prove that goods are transported via Finland to Russia.

Sales of Services B2C (business to consumers)

4 Intra-Community transports (Transport between two EU Member States)

4.1 The Service has been sold in Finland and the actual transport of goods begins here.

As of 1 July 2009, Finnlines Plc will charge the freight payer (with no VAT registration no.) in accordance with the valid VAT law. Accordingly, the current 22% VAT will be added to the invoice total.

4.2 The Service has been sold in an EU Member State other than Finland and the actual transport of goods begins in an EU Member State other than Finland.

As of 1 July 2009, Finnlines Plc's invoice will include the VAT rate according to each country's VAT law added to the invoice total. The invoice will be submitted to the freight payer by Finnlines Plc’s agent, acting for and on behalf and for the account of Finnlines Plc.

For further information, please contact:

Finnlines Plc, Helsinki

Staffan Herlin, Executive Vice President, Liner Services, Marketing&Sales
Tel: +358 (0) 10 343 5267
Mobile: + 358 (0) 50 565 5257
E-mail: staffan.herlin@finnlines.com

Petteri Sammalisto, Senior Vice President, Customer Service
Tel: +358 (0) 10 343 5259
Mobile: + 358 (0) 50 565 5259
E-mail: petteri.sammalisto@finnlines.com

Finnlines Deutschland GmbH, Lübeck

Rolf-Dietmar Amend, Manager, Sales & Marketing
Tel: +49 451 1507-575
Mobile: +49 173 624 5070
E-mail: rolf-dietmar.amend@finnlines.com

Finnlines launches new services

Thu, 14 May 2009 10:44:01 GMT

Finnlines to launch new Baltic services

New Motorway of the Sea for freight and passengers between Finland and Poland
New Motorway of the Sea for freight and passengers between Poland and Germany
Upgrade to 10 weekly departures on the Helsinki-Travemünde Motorway of the Sea
New weekly ro-pax connection between Helsinki and St. Petersburg
BalticEuroMed Service: Finnlines Baltic destinations linked to more than 20 Mediterranean ports
Focus on passengers

Helsinki, 14 May 2009 – Finnlines, the leading ro-ro operator in the Baltic, will start-up on June 1st a set of new, fast, reliable and comfortable Motorways of the Sea for freight and passengers between Finland and Poland (Helsinki-Gdynia-Helsinki) and between Poland and Germany (Gdynia-Travemünde-Gdynia). Each of these new services offers three departures per week in each direction.

At the same time, the company is strengthening further its leadership and the superior quality of services it offers on the key Travemünde-Helsinki-Travemünde (Germany-Finland) trade by increasing to ten the number of weekly sailing. For each of these three Motorways of the Sea the time of departure is always at the same hour of the day, so to simplify the customers' trip planning.

Additionally, as from May 16, Finnlines will offer to all its costumers a wide range of destinations in 13 Mediterranean countries. This has been achieved thanks to the cooperation with Grimaldi Group of Italy, which owns 64.9% of the Finnish operator. The company has also started a new weekly link between Helsinki and St. Petersburg that is interconnected with the services calling all the destinations served by both Finnlines and Grimaldi Lines.

Baltic Motorways of the Sea: Finland-Poland; Finland-Germany; Poland-Germany

All the departures on the Travemünde-Helsinki; Helsinki--Gdynia and Gdynia-Travemünde routes are operated by the five world’s largest ro-ro-passenger ferries (in terms of cargo capacity). The so called "Star Class" ferries can transport up to 4,200 lane metres of rolling cargo (trailers, lorries, busses and cars) and 500 passengers in the maximum comfort and relax offered by 200 cabins.

The 25-knot service speed of the „Five Stars‟ transforms the three maritime links into real bridges across the Baltic. The Helsinki-Gdynia crossing is performed in under 19 hours (compared to more than 26 hours before, when the connection was only for cargo); the direct connection Helsinki-Travemünde is completed in less than 27 hours; sailing time on Gdynia-Travemünde is 15 hours.

While aiming to strengthen its leading position on the transport of ro-ro freight, Finnlines is raising its profile in the passenger sector too by introducing a "low cost" approach, a more aggressive marketing and a more attractive on-board product. Fast connections and the use of the Star Class ferries will cater more and more passengers on the so-called Hansalink Network that connects Finland, Poland and Germany.

Finnlines will benefit from the expertise the Grimaldi Group has in the passenger business through its brands Minoan Lines and Grimaldi Lines, which operate successful passenger services in Eastern and Western Mediterranean, respectively. Passenger bookings: www.finnlines.com or passenger@finnlines.com.

Helsinki-Gdynia – 19 hours

The deployment of the Star Class ships between Finland and Poland marks the substantial increase in quality and the opening of this important route to passengers too. What Finnlines is offering is a total different class of service as it is faster, safer, more economical and more environmentally friendly that any other alternative.

The characteristics of this Motorway of the Sea are such to beat the competition of the road transport using the so-called „Via Baltica‟ land route on their way to or from Helsinki. By boarding the Finnlines ships, drivers save an about 1,000 km drive and reach their destination in only 19 hours rested and relaxed.

Departures from Helsinki to Gdynia are scheduled on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, always at 8.30pm, with arrival the following day at 3pm. Northbound, Gdynia to Helsinki the vessels depart at 11 am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and arrive 6:45am the following day.

Gdynia-Travemünde

In line with its environmentally-friendly approach and with the support the Grimaldi Group has always given to the European Commission strategy of easing traffic congestion e CO2 emissions through the establishment of new Motorways of the Sea, Finnlines has launched the first existing regular link between Poland and Germany for passengers and rolling freight.

The 15-hours long service performs three departures every week in each direction. In order to stress the environmental benefits it brings Finnlines has launched a 250 euros all inclusive "Ecobonus fare" for all the lorries and trailers using the line.

Travemünde-Helsinki

The largest Motorway of the Sea connecting Germany and Finland across the Baltic Sea has been widened further reaching 10 departures per week in each direction. It offers daily departures from Helsinki‟s Vuosaari harbour at 6pm to reach Travemünde less than 27 hours later. These seven departures are complemented by three more sailings on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8:30pm. Northbound, from Travemünde to Helsinki, the daily sailing is at 3am with the additional three departures set on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 4pm.

Mediterranean Connection

For the first time ever, as from 16 May, Finnlines offers to all its customers a wide range of destinations in 13 Mediterranean countries: Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Tunisia, Libya, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Israel. On a reversed angle, freight originating in any of the Mediterranean countries can reach any destination in the Baltic

The new weekly BalticEuroMed Service brings together Finnlines' Scandinavian Service and Grimaldi Lines' EuroMed Network. The two services are interconnected at the Swedish port of Wallhamn that is 50% owned by the Grimaldi Group. The BalticEuroMed Service allows Finnlines and Grimaldi Lines to offer to their costumers fast, reliable and safe shipments of any kind of rolling cargo from any destination in the Baltic to any destination in the Mediterranean and vice versa. Russia Earlier this month, Finnlines started a weekly direct connection from Helsinki to St. Petersburg (Russia) for rolling cargo and passenger. The new line has been conceived in order to be able to offer St. Petersburg as a destination port for shipments from both the entire Finnlines network and Grimaldi network. The new port of Helsinki-Vuosaari is the hub to collect cargo from all the destinations and ship them to Russia.

Attached: Speech delivered by Mr Emanuele Grimaldi, President and CEO, Finnlines

Pictures are available upon request at press@finnlines.com
For additional information, please contact: Finnlines: +358 (0)10 343 4402 – e-mail: press@finnlines.com
Information on Passenger Services only: Mr. Kaj Takolander, Executive Vice President, passenger services

Dr. Grimaldis presentation

Dr Grimaldis presentation.pdf 292.83 kB

TRE: Change of the terminal in St Petersburg

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:03:36 GMT

The direct RoRo-Link TransRussiaExpress between Lübeck – Sassnitz-Mukran and St Petersburg will change the Terminal in St. Petersburg beginning of April 2009. The service will be shifted from 4^th region to the 2^nd region then.

The change will happen in that way that

“MV TRANSEUROPA” - departing 28.03.09 from Lübeck - will still be discharged on Tuesday 31.03.09 in the 4^th region but first time loaded on Wednesday 01.04.09 in the 2^nd region. Deliveries for this departure are possible from Monday 30.03.09 on.

Please be informed that the experienced structure is kept with TransLog as your partner for all terminal handlings/procedures which grants the quick and professional dispatch quality. Also the customs structures are kept with the personnel taken over completely to the 2^nd region. With this measure additionally the important customs clearance part is continued and quality secured.

For entering the 2^nd region the possession of a port pass is essential for all TRE customers. Therefore we herewith must inform you as a first and utmost important measure to immediately apply for a

Port terminal pass at the TransLog office at “Schotlandskaja uliza”

Mr. Anatoly Yakuba under telph.+7 812 303 99 01 – email:yakuba@baltics.ru

Mr. Vasily Ivanov under telph.+ 7 812 380 34 70, – email: ivanov@baltics.ru

Mr. Boris Makarov under telph. +7 812 303 9900, +7 812 303 99 06 – email:makarov@baltics.ru

in order to safeguard the direct entrance to the terminal. Applications are said to be handled within 2-3 days max.

We further like to inform you that it is possible to rent modern office space in the terminal via TransLog.

Herewith we also like to apologize for the late info regarding this change which is caused by circumstances beyond our control. We are sure to remain being a good and stable partner to you and would like to ask already now for your understanding of any possible upcoming disturbance in the daily business caused by the terminal change.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Finnlines as Lines Manager for TransRussiaExpress