Scandlines has today decided to cancel the contracts with the German shipyard P+S Werften GmbH concerning the construction and delivery of the two new vessels ordered in 2010.
Despite Scandlines’ strong commitment it has not been possible to find a solution to the severe technical problems that have occurred during the building process delaying the delivery. Accordingly, the contracts are now cancelled on the basis of the yard’s failure to construct the vessels in line with the contractual specifications. Initially, the introduction of the new ferries on the Gedser – Rostock route was planned for this summer.
All payments made to P+S Werften GmbH are covered by bank guarantees. Scandlines has, however, invested substantially into the newbuilding project with manpower, marketing activities and the introduction of an extra vessel during the summer months in 2012.
“We are now looking at other options to ensure that we can sail with new vessels between Gedser and Rostock at the earliest possible time” , explains Søren Poulsgaard-Jensen, CEO Scandlines . “Today it is too early to speculate on the exact outcome of this process. But our objective to ensure high capacities with a unique on-board experience while at the same time operating more efficiently and environmentally friendly remains the same.” , Poulsgaard-Jensen continues.
The vessels Kronprins Frederik and Prins Joachim will continue to service the Gedser – Rostock route in 2013. Early in the coming year the public areas will be modernised and Scandlines is also looking at flexible options to increase capacities during next year’s summer season.
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Scandlines, November 28, 2012