QuoteTallink Grupp
Company Announcement
Tallinn, 2017-07-12 19:01 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sale of the Superfast vessels
The subsidiaries of AS Tallink Grupp, Baltic SF VII Ltd and Baltic SF VIII Ltd have concluded the sale agreements with Stena Ropax Limited for M/S Stena Superfast VII (ex name Superfast VII) and M/S Stena Superfast VIII (ex name Superfast VIII). Value of the deal is 133.5 million euros. The vessels will be delivered to the buyer in December 2017. Until then vessels continue operations in the UK waters according to the charter agreements concluded in August 2011 by Stena Line Ltd.
The cash flow from the sale of the vessels will strengthen the group's financial position. The profit from the sale of the vessels is not significant to the consolidated results of AS Tallink Grupp.
Not many seen that coming, quality second hand vessels seem to be a bit scarce and any that come on the market are getting top prices.
I hope they consider giving them all more sensible names - probably not immediately because it may be dependant on where they eventually end up.
Quote from: Davy Jones on July 15, 2017, 10:22:03 AM
I hope they consider giving them all more sensible names - probably not immediately because it may be dependant on where they eventually end up.
Surely they will stay on Belfast - Cairnryan?
After all the marketing I can't see the Superfast branding going.
Might depend on who owns the trademark - that is if its actually registered.
Quote from: Davy Jones on July 15, 2017, 04:21:53 PM
Might depend on who owns the trademark - that is if its actually registered.
It is quite possible that these two could make their way to the Baltic to replace older tonnage when the four newbuilds enter service out of Belfast.
Quote from: Collision-course on July 15, 2017, 11:05:11 PM
Quote from: Davy Jones on July 15, 2017, 04:21:53 PM
Might depend on who owns the trademark - that is if its actually registered.
It is quite possible that these two could make their way to the Baltic to replace older tonnage when the four newbuilds enter service out of Belfast.
There is a school of thought that Stena's announcement about the four newbuilds going to Belfast was a ploy in aiding negotiations with Tallink to purchase Superfast VII and VIII. Much of the recent PR surrounding the purchase uses language that suggests they will remain on the Loch Ryan route. Some people closer to the operation than me have also indicated they will be remaining where they are.
Everything I have heard suggests that VII and VIII will be staying exactly where they are. As Rorie says, the earlier announcement does appear to have been a ploy to get the price down for the existing vessels, and to be fair many of us were taking it with a large pinch of salt anyway!
As for the names I personally don't see any reason to change them. Stena have spent a lot of money over the years marketing them, so why throw all of that away? The vast majority of passengers couldn't care less what the name of the vessel they are travelling on in any case. The only Stena Superfast going elsewhere in the next few years is likely to be Stena Superfast X, with perhaps one of the E-flexers (number 3 or 4) replacing her at Holyhead. The other of what would have been the Cairnryan vessels will likely be that chartered out to Brittany Ferries.