New general manager, new vessel
David Symes (right), the recently appointed general manager of Mann Lines, is expecting a new – longer, more efficient, and more ecological – ro-ro vessel for the Turku route. It is currently being built at the Cantieri Navali Visentini shipyard near Venice. It will be a hybrid vessel, running on traditional fuel oil and green methanol. Chartered to Mann Lines, the ship is expected to arrive in the Baltic Sea at the beginning of 2025.
Furthermore, Symes and the former manager Timo Helanto (left), who retired recently, both believe it was the right decision to add Rotterdam to the route operated by “ML Freya”. This vessel has been in service for the shipping company since December 2017. Its current rotation is Turku–Bremerhaven–Harwich–Rotterdam–Cuxhaven–Paldiski–Turku.
There are many similarities between the company’s former and new general manager. Both of them are sons of a seaman and both travelled on sea before choosing Turku as their place of residence. (cj)