My CEO Update for August 2024

Hello Ferry Fans,

The month of August proved to be pleasantly busy as we attended to conference registrations and sponsorship activities, and both are expected to remain brisk with the September 14 Early Bird registration deadline rapidly approaching.

As for September, our travel schedule will pick up as some of our team travel to participate in the Canadian Ferry Association’s (CFA) annual conference in Nova Scotia.

In addition to highlighting key Interferry2024 conference activities in this update, I’m pleased to be able to present the latest Ferry Business section in the Autumn/Winter 2024 issue of Cruise and Ferry Review – published in association with Interferry – as well as draw your attention to the celebration of the IMO’s World Maritime Day which takes place on September 26.

Canadian Ferry Association Conference ? Halifax, Canada ? September 8-10, 2024

If you are attending CFA, the Canadian ferry industry’s marquee event in the beautiful east coast city of Halifax, I invite you to take in the presentation by Interferry’s Director of Regulatory Affairs Johan Roos. Johan will speak about a number of regulatory issues affecting all global ferry operations – whether domestic or international – and how Interferry represents our industry at the IMO and other regulatory bodies to ensure we receive fair and equitable treatment.

Accompanying Johan to Halifax to meet and mingle with Interferry members and conference delegates will be Interferry’s Membership and Conference Manager Nicole Bond, and Interferry’s Business Manager Jakki Papps. Please take the time to say hi to our team while they are in Nova Scotia.

The Ferry Business Section in Cruise and Ferry Review

Here’s a link to the Ferry Business section in the latest issue of Cruise and Ferry Review. Produced biannually in association with Interferry, the section highlights “movers and shakers” in our industry. In addition to my article about Interferry2024 in Marrakech and Interferry’s continued call for carbon tax revenues to be used to invest in onshore power supply, read about our following members…

Ronny Moriana Glindemann of FRS Iberia Maroc / DFDS explains how the Strait of Gibraltar ferry operator is becoming a fully integrated member of the ever-growing DFDS family.

Frederic Pouget, Arnaud Le Poulichet and Jo?lle Croc detail how five new E-Flexer vessels are renewing Brittany Ferries’ fleet.

Steve Nevey relates how Washington State Ferries are proactively addressing issues posed by their aging vessels.

David Sopta of Jadrolinija describes how new ferries are helping deliver lifeline services for locals and enhancing tourism in Croatia.

Mary Ann Pastrana of Archipelago Philippine Ferries summarizes the company’s progress towards its ambitious vision of having 30 vessels in operation by 2030.

Mathieu Girardin discusses DFDS’s plans to invest in new technologies on the organization’s journey toward net zero.

Michael Grey, a respected mariner and journalist, explains how fleet standardization can help reduce ferry operators’ costs and simplify building new vessels.

International Maritime Organization World Maritime Day ? September 26

By having consultative status at the IMO and actively participating in all relevant committee and working group sessions, Interferry is proud to help celebrate World Maritime Day and the theme “Navigating the Future: Safety First!”. It is not by coincidence that one of the themes of our Marrakech conference is safety… especially with our conference in Africa and having recently co-hosted the Africa Ferry Safety Seminar in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania with the IMO.

It should not be lost on any of us the magnitude and influence the ferry industry has on the world economy – as can be seen in the graphic below illustrating a recent Oxford Economics Study commissioned by Interferry – and the absolute need to operate safely!

Interferry2024 Conference Update

OSK Design Golf Tournament 2024 marks the first year that OSK Design has taken the reins from Carus and will host our long-standing and fun golf event. I can confidently say that this year’s course, the Fairmont Royal Palm Golf and Country Club, is one of the best venues we’ve been afforded to play. Join us as we chase a little, white, non-hittable sphere while cursing and swearing for 18 holes!

Conference Early Bird Registration Ends September 14 All good things must come to an end – and so do the discounts for registering early for Interferry2024. In about two weeks’ time, it will cost a few hundred dollars more per delegate to sign up for the global ferry industry’s annual marquee event. Here’s a link to the conference registration page so you can minimize your costs while maximizing your enjoyment!

Expecting an Early Sell Out! Based on our current registration activities and past trends, all indications are pointing towards another sold out event! As you may recall, we suspended registration a couple of weeks before our Interferry2023 in Hobart. It is very likely that this may happen again this year… so don’t miss out! This also applies securing a hotel room at the M?venpick Marrakech as rooms are going fast!

Industry Leaders and Operators Attending Interferry2024 If you are considering attending but haven’t made up your mind, here’s a list of ferry operator members that have already signed up, with many more to come in the following weeks. I’m confident that there is no better opportunity to interact with key decision makers in the ferry industry on a global stage.

As I’ve said many times, if you’re a supplier to the ferry industry you can spend tens of thousands of dollars traveling around the world hoping to meet with one or two key decision makers from our operator membership… or you can spend a fraction of the cost and come to our annual conference where you’re guaranteed to rub shoulders with the industry’s “who’s who” in a relaxing and enjoyable environment.

The following ferry owners and operators will be represented at Interferry2024…

Archipelago Philippines Ferries Corporation

Attica Group

Balearia

BC Ferries

Black Ball Transport Inc.

Brittany Ferries

Chao Phraya Express Boat Co., Ltd.

Condor Ferries Limited

CORSICA LINEA DFDS A/S

Dream Ferries S.A.

Fire Island Ferries Inc.

FRS

Grandi Navi Veloci

Grimaldi Group

Hornblower Group, Inc

Indonesia Ferry

Jadrolinija

Liberty Lines

Massachusetts Bay Lines Inc.

Moby Lines

MSC Group

Naviera Ocean GM SA DE CV

Northumberland/Bay Ferries Limited

Royal Doeksen

San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority

Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ)

Spirit of Tasmania

Stena Line

Stena RoRo

Stena Teknik

StraitNZ Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries

Thames Clippers

The Maritime Company For Navigation

Virtu Ferries Ltd.

Volta Lake Transport Company

Wasaline Washington State Ferries

Speakers Program ? Safety, Security and Sustainability

And, last but not least, there’s our world-class Speakers Program with the theme of “Safety, Security and Sustainability” where you will learn about current trends, technologies and best practices in the ferry industry.

In closing, I cannot over-emphasize the need to act quickly to register for Interferry2024 and also to secure your M?venpick Marrakech hotel room!

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