Miami, USA • FRS Caribbean announces the launch of their brand‐new service to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. The high‐speed craft “San Gwann”, currently operating between Miami and Bimini Island, is now adding a second destination, directly from Miami to Grand Bahama Island in just 3 hours. The vessel, offering comfortable seating for 427 passengers, is equipped with bars in both passenger decks, where passengers can enjoy refreshments and snacks during their voyage and a duty‐free shop to end a getaway with some mementoes and gifts. Guests can also purchase excursions onboard to enjoy the island, like water activities available from kayak, paddle boarding, jet skiing, snorkeling, and more.
Flensburg • After 15 years in service, the high speed catamaran "Halunder Jet" says farewell to the Heligoland traffic. Having served from 2003 to 2017, the vessel took the trip to and from the island 2,944 times, shipping 1,278,042 passengers in a fast and comfortable way. Starting in the 2018 season, the "Halunder Jet" will be replaced by a brand new catamaran that is currently built by australian shipyard AUSTAL.
Wolfsburg / Stralsund, Germany • On Tuesday, August 29th, 2017, the sixth solar catamaran of the Weiße Flotte has been christened "Aluna" at the jetty of Autostadt Wolfsburg. Mrs. Elisabeth Pötsch, president of the International Circle of Friends Wolfsburg e.V. and wife of the chairman of the supervisory board of Volkswagen AG, acted as godmother for the ship. Fans of Autostadt had been suggesting over 450 names for the vessel. In an online voting, the name of a 16-year-old schoolgirl was selected.
Tarifa • On Wednesday, 23rd of August 2017, the Spanish subsidiary of FRS Förde Reederei Seetouristik, FRS Iberia, celebrated the 20 millionth passenger on board its ships since start of its operations on the Strait of Gibraltar in the year 2000. Lucky winner of the price of € 20,000 is Awatif Laguelil, a French-Moroccan woman from Casablanca.
As a lead supporting partner of regional nonprofit organisation SR3 (Sealife Response + Rehab + Research), Clipper proudly donated USD 150,000 to advance the health and welfare of marine life in the Pacific Northwest.
Flensburg • Förde Reederei Seetouristik (FRS) from Flensburg has commenced regular ship service between St. Pauli Landungsbrücken in Hamburg to Blankenese on the 14th of April 2017. The vessel „Kleine Freiheit“ ("Small Freedom") connects the St. Pauli piers in the heart of the city of Hamburg with the picturesque suburb of Blankenese, one of the most popular destinations with mediterranean flair. The connection will be offered daily and all year. In addition to 240 passengers the ferry can also carry up to 30 bicycles.