The Nova Star (Norman Leader) was designed for tourist and cargo traffic, with 85 crew members serving up to 1,215 passengers, 67 trucks and 200 cars (or 44 trucks and 400 cars).
Quest says it's ship-shape
REVISED: 12feb2013-14:05 /16:48 / 19:11 /14feb2013-16:23- A ship has been located and contracted by Quest Navigation for the ferry run between Maine and Nova Scotia, according to Quest president and CEO, Mark Amundsen in an exclusive interview with SCT.
Quest, operated by Amundsen and partner Lisa Arnold from Eliot, Maine, is one of two competitors for the arguably risky venture of supplying year-round ferry service to Nova Scotia from Maine. Arnold, a graphic designer, is brand manager for the project and Amundsen is a former executive with Irving Shipbuilding, where he supervised ship repair facilities, including Shelburne Ship Repair.
Barely viable prospects
Ferry passenger traffic from the USA to Nova Scotia dropped precipitously by 80% in the years prior to the 2009 decision by the Dexter government to pull the plug on $20 million or more of subsidies to Bay Ferries, operator of The Cat Ferry.
The cancelation led to a two-year, acrimonious public repudiation of NDP premier Darrell Dexter by Yarmouth citizens, business leaders and public officials.
At the fall, 2012 announcement of the blue-ribbon panel report on the feasibility of a ferry service, a panel spokesperson said that a service was "barely viable" and would be dependent all of many factors being in place before the NDP government would commit to $21 million in support over seven years. Recently, NDP minister Sterling Belliveau said that his government expected the federal government to match the $21 million from the province.
Terminal transfer?
The Yarmouth-based Nova Scotia International Ferry Partnership announced Tuesday in a news release that the Yarmouth Industrial Commission has made a formal request of Transportation Minister Denis Lebel to transfer the Yarmouth Ferry Terminal to local hands and to provide pre-transfer funding. The minister's office would not confirm receiving a request to transfer the terminal, but did say via email that YAIC "has written to express an interest" in the terminal. They added that "Transport Canada remains committed to working with local organizations interested in acquiring the ferry terminal."
The Province has established an evaluation team and set a timeline until the first of March to complete the evaluation of the two proposals. If there is a proposal that meets both the technical and financial requirements, negotiations will likely be undertaken with the successful bidder.
The Partnership said that a failed bid process would likely result in "a new recruitment campaign."
SEE VIDEO OF INTERIORS BELOW
Brand new ship
The Singapore-built Norman Leader, commissioned by Louis-Dreyfus Armature (LDA), was specially designed for English Channel crossing, between Le Havre, France and Portsmouth, England. LDA canceled the vessel purchase before delivery, citing unacceptable delays in its construction.
The ship was designed for tourist and cargo traffic, with 85 crew members serving up to 1,215 passengers, 67 trucks and 200 cars (or 44 trucks and 400 cars).
Mark Rice, the founder of Maritime Applied Physics Corp. of Baltimore, the second firm submitting a ferry proposal, told SCT that his firm has created a five-member consortium for its bid, with four U.S. partners and one from Halifax.
Rice has previously designed smaller hydrofoil ships for ferry service and military applications. He would not confirm or deny that the ferry proposed by his consortium was also a hydrofoil.
Rice said that his plan would not include commercial trucking, as his review of fast ferry operations over the past ten years shows that "passenger and freight traffic is difficult to merge."
Amundsen told SCT that he was aware that the commercial fisheries sector in the region was quite content with the Digby-St. John ferry set-up and highway system to major Boston and New York fish markets and customers and was not relying on them for commercial traffic. "We have looked at other trucking sectors and have letters of intent from several."
2013 start-up?
Rice said that his consortium is confidant they can meet the 2014 date indicated in the bid requirements, but Amundsen said that Quest plans to be operating for the 2013 season.
When questioned about the very short timeline for such a plan, Amundsen told SCT, "We've spent two years on a marketing plan, we will be ready." The Ferry Partnership said Tuesday that the best-case scenario is a proposal that establishes a first class cruise-ferry service as early as 2013.
Proven record for Miami company?
The Quest CEO said that he has an agreement with Maritime Holdings Group to handle the "crewing" and "hotel management" for the operation. The Quest web says that MHG "has established a proven record for managing the safe, reliable and efficient operation of 12 cruise and ferry vessels around the world."
Quest cites as examples two fast ferries operating the "Bahamas Express" service and the Japan-based Peace Ship (Ocean Dream).
The fourth example from the web, Ola Esmeralda (formerly Black Prince), was sold in late 2012 for scrapping in the Dominican Republic and is no longer in service.
Maritime Holdings Group (MHG) is listed with the Florida Secretary of State's Office as a corporation with two officers, John Kafouros and Rodolfo Spinelli. Its offices are located in a small, stucco bungalow in the central business district of Hollywood Florida, just north of Miami. In an interview with SCT, Mr. Spinelli said that MHG also provided ship design services to the industry.
According to its web site, the the firm also operates online courses for housekeeping, culinary arts and food and beverage. The courses are overseen by industry veteran Paulo Benassi, whose LinkedIn account and Miami Chamber of Commerce records lists him as vice president of hotel operations for SeaHawk North America and who returned calls from SCT placed to MHG. Benassi told SCT that MHGs work on the project was "not definite", but in the proposal stage.
Advance work
Mr. Spinelli said that, should the Quest bid be accepted, MHG will be resposible for hiring all crew members and that there are two candidates each in mind for both captain and chief engineer. He said that staffing a ship like the Nova Star would usually take 2-3 months, but that MHG has been working on the project for some time and there would be no problem preparing for a 2013 sailing. A division of the company located in Panama would be responsible for much of the crew staffing.
When asked if reports of "dead weight" issues with the Norman Leader being part of the cancellation concerned him, Spinelli said no. "As far as I can see, it was a contract issue," nothing more. He suggested that it was not uncommon for a client in a difficult financial situation to make claims in order not to have to take possession of a ship, A memo from Quest on Feb 14 also served to clarify the dead weight issue.
Alan Pritzker, the registered agent for the firm also lists the Hollywood address as primary business location for several other businesses, including a plumbing firm, insurance agency, home fix-it operation and a firm called Seahawk North America Group, which describes itself in corporate filings as providing travel, recreation, leisure and travel agents & services. Pritzker has also registered the site as the primary address for Northpoint Consultants.
When reached by telephone in Miami, Rodolfo Spinelli said that Seahawk North America had been part of the MHG group of companies, but is no longer in business. In 2010, the last year of filing, Spinelli was listed as an officer and registered agent for the firm.
Web of businesses, connections and court cases
Pritzker, Spinelli, Kafouros and others have been listed over the years with the State of Florida in a network of several cruise-related and other firms, including Seahawk, Commodore Holdings, Commodore Cruises and Crown Cruises.
Spinelli and Pritzker are cited as principals with seven firms, including Crown and New Commodore cruise lines in bankruptcy proceedings in 2001, due to a failed cruise operation between San Diego, California and Rosarito, Mexico.
Spinelli and Seahawk North America are named in an on-going suit in the federal courts in the U.S., which alleges their involvement in a fraudulent transaction involving the sale of the former "Love Boat" to a South American firm. Spinelli is named in that suit as president in the firm and as senior vice president in other listings.
Kafouros is a principal in or sole owner of several other marine-related firms in the Miami area, including Zeus Maritime, Marine Administrators, Seabridge Transportation Inc. and Transport Transfers.
When asked if he had visited the offices of MHG and if the diminutive nature of the premises were cause for any concern, Amundsen said, "No, not really. We have vetted their ability to perform under ISM (International Safety Management Code) and we are confidant in their capacity." John Kafouros and Spinelli have met with Quest executives in Florida on more than one occasion.
SEE PREVIOUS FERRY STORIES HERE:
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U.S. tourism operators say Yarmouth Ferry would increase Canadian visits
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Yarmouth ferry no sure thing
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Rough waters ahead for ferry service?
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Ferry report provokes political fracas
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Luxury cruise ferry in Yarmouth's future?
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More anti-government ferry furor
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Hydrofoil ferry in future for Yarmouth?
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Firms saying little about Yarmouth ferry plans
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New ferry study review
About the Nova Star
The Nova Star is equipped with two ramps, the vessel has 2 decks for freight and vehicles of 1,500 linear meters and 2 hoistable car-decks of 1,000 m2. The ship also accepts dangerous goods and reefer trailers.
The interiors are mixed and directed to both truck drivers with a 100-seat dedicated restaurant and a 210 seats self-service restaurant for the general public. The ship has two bars.
She is equipped with 162 passenger cabins including 7 luxury and 2 cabins especially designed to accommodate disabled persons.
Her four main engines will develop a power of 30 000 hp allowing her to sail at 21,4 knots service speed.
