Ferries News

Italy's antitrust regulator said on Friday that Shipping Agencies Services (SAS), a unit of maritime group MSC, would drop its acquisition of a 49% stake in ferry operator Moby after the watchdog opened a probe into alleged restriction of competition.Moby, majority-owned by Onorato Armatori group, runs ferries linking Italy's mainland to tourist islands such as Sardinia and Corsica.The Italian authority, which opened an investigation into the acquisition last year, said the deal could have weakened competition on routes where Moby and ferry company Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV), controlled by SAS,

The EU Commissioner for Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi has responded to a letter from animal welfare NGOs about the plight of calves transported by truck on ferries from Ireland to the EU.The letter detailed three separate studies which found that the calves were negatively impacted, suffering from dehydration, muscle fatigue, low energy, and hypoglycaemia.The Commissioner invited the NGOs to a meeting which was attended by Caroline Rowley from Ethical Farming Ireland (EFI) and…

The Washington State Ferries (WSF) vessel Suquamish suffered a significant main engine casualty while operating on the Mukilteo/Clinton route last week causing the vessel to go out of service in the afternoon leaving one vessel in place to support the route.Unfortunately, this disruption occurred as many travelers were returning from one of the largest motorcycle gatherings in the Pacific Northwest, the 42nd Annual Oyster Run.To cover for the Suquamish, the Kitsap was moved to…

NatPower Marine and Peel Ports Group are set to commence installation of shore power at Heysham in September 2025, with the first plug live in the initial phase and expansion to four across all berths, by 2026.This will enable all Heysham routes within the Irish sea to operate with zero emissions while at berth and at sea, supporting full electric propulsion of the ferry services, as the first part of the full electrification of the Irish sea.Once all four berths at Heysham are electrified…

Kilimanjaro IX, a 53-metre high-speed ferry designed by digital shipbuilder Incat Crowther for Tanzania’s Azam Marine, has been launched by AFAI Southern Shipyard in Guangzhou, China and will soon begin sea trials.The vessel is the 12th high-speed ferry designed by Incat Crowther for the Tanzanian operator and will service Azam Marine’s popular routes to and from Dar-es-Salaam on the Tanzanian mainland and the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and Tanga.Capable of carrying 679 passengers at speeds of up to 37 knots…

Technology group Wärtsilä has been selected to deliver a fully integrated electric propulsion system with waterjets for two new high-speed catamaran ferries being built for Danish ferry operator Molslinjen.The battery-electric vessels are being built at the Incat shipyard in Tasmania, with Wärtsilä supplying the integrated electric propulsion system, the DC power conversion system, its energy management and automation systems, eight electric propulsion motors and waterjets, as well as the Wärtsilä ProTouch propulsion control system.The two ferries…

As the global shipping industry grapples with a plethora of regulatory, technological and sustainability shifts, few sectors embody both the challenges and opportunities as acutely as the ferry industry.Interferry leads the charge to ensure there is balance, rationalizing legislative mandate with market, technical and economic reality. Interferry is the trade association representing the worldwide ferry sector, an at the helm is Mike Corrigan, CEO, who has spent the past several…

Sea trials on the Washington State Ferries (WSF) ferry Wenatchee (2,500 passengers, 200 vehicles) got off to a bad start last week, as WSF reports "investigation by our technicians and engine crew discovered last week the control system communication wires were creating intermittent instability which caused the drive motors to go offline."Invariably, problems crop up during most every vessel's shakedown, and WSF said "While unexpected, issues like this are a normal part of a vessel commissioning which involves rigorous inspection…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group received the Notice to Proceed from Washington State Ferries (WSF) to build two with an option for an additional 160-vehicle hybrid-electric ferries for the State of Washington. This milestone follows the first competitive bid for ferry construction in more than 25 years for the nation’s largest ferry system.“This is an exciting milestone in bringing new hybrid-electric ferries to our fleet,” said David Sowers, Washington State Ferries’ Electrification Program Administrator.

Interferry called on the European Commission to immediately harmonize its unilateral EU ETS / FuelEU Maritime regulations with the recently agreed IMO Net-Zero Framework, warning that failure to align Greenhouse Gas regulations will lead to double payment for emissions."We cannot have a situation where operators are paying twice for the same emissions. The European Commission pledged to align its rules once a strong global framework was established at the IMO," said Johan Roos, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Interferry. "That framework is now in place.

French ferry operator Corsica Linea has achieved up to 22% fuel savings on its RoPax ferry Pascal Paoli following the installation of a retrofit package delivered by Finnish technology group Wärtsilä.The upgrade, completed in late 2024, included the installation of a twin screw controllable pitch propeller (CPP) system optimized for the ship’s operating profile, an EnergoProFin energy-saving propeller cap, and updated control systems with customized combinator curves for different…

Hadag, the operator of Hamburg’s ferry services, is adopting an AI-powered platform to optimize the scheduling and operation of its electric ferry fleet.The AI system will support daily operations by tailoring charging strategies, managing energy demand, and enhancing communication with passengers via digital displays and mobile apps. With three electric ferries already delivered in 2024 and more on the way, Hadag is on track to operate a fully zero-emissions fleet.As a member of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, Hamburg aims to cut emissions by 55% by 2030 and by 95% by 2050.

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced he has selected the $714.5 million bid from Florida-based Eastern Shipbuilding Group to build three new 160-vehicle hybrid-electric ferries. “We’re restoring domestic service to pre-pandemic levels years ahead of schedule, improving crew retention, and soon will bring our first hybrid-electric vessel into service,” Governor Ferguson said. “After careful consideration and conversations with legislative leaders, I believe Eastern is the…

The newly launched electric ferry Nerthus has set sail, featuring Danfoss Drives’ latest iC7 series as a key part of its all-electric propulsion system.Danfoss provided essential components for the ferry’s electric drivetrain and parts of the shoreside charging infrastructure.Molslinjen, Denmark’s largest domestic ferry operator, invited key partners and guests to celebrate Denmark’s newest e-ferry on Friday June 20, 2025, when Nerthus officially was put into service. Jørgen Mads Clausen…

Compassion in World Farming campaigners gathered at the port outside Brittany Ferries headquarters in Portsmouth, UK, on Saturday to call on the company to reverse its decision made earlier this year to resume the live export of farmed animals from Ireland to France after a 30-year hiatus.The event marked the tenth annual Ban Live Exports International Day which was first launched in 2016 to mark the anniversary of 13,000 sheep dying on a sea journey from Romania to Somalia.Live export involves farmed animals enduring overcrowding…

Procurement is underway for two new freight flex vessels to serve the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lerwick Route.The new vessels will replace the Hellier and Hildasay, on the service operated by Serco NorthLink Ferries.The freight flex ferries will provide extra freight capacity and capability for quicker crossings on the routes. They will also have the flexibility to allow space for up to 200 passengers to travel at peak periods.The first stage of the competitive tender process will see interested shipyards complete the Single Procurement Document Scotland (SPDS)…

The electric ferry Ampere went into service in 2015. It was the world’s first electric ferry, and it has now sailed the equivalent of over 17 times around the equator.The 80-meter vessel boasts about 11 tons of battery system.This month, the world’s largest electric ferry built to date was launched at Incat in Tasmania, Australia. This 130-meter vessel boats 250 tons of battery system. The electrical system integration is by Wärtsilä and battery system by Corvus Energy.In the May issue of Maritime Reporter magazine…

Damen Shipyards Group has selected Corvus Energy to supply energy storage systems (ESS) for four new, fully electric capable passenger car ferries currently under construction as part of BC Ferries’ fleet of Island Class vessels.The ferries are scheduled for delivery by 2027 and will expand BC Ferries’ existing fleet of six hybrid diesel-electric Island Class ferries.The new ferries are electric-ready with the ability to operate on fully electric power, utilizing renewable shore power for battery charging.The new vessels are planned to serve routes between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island…

Scandlines has announced its financial results for the year ending December 31, 2024, delivering steady revenue, improved efficiency, and continued investment.In a year characterized by macroeconomic challenges across key markets, Scandlines maintained revenue at EUR 465 million ($516 million) and improved its result before tax to EUR 125 million. Traffic volumes remained robust, with 6.4 million passengers and a record-breaking 2.7 million passengers during the summer season…

Wärtsilä will supply the electric propulsion system for three fully battery-electric, high-speed ferries that will operate in the San Francisco Bay area, the first full-electric high-speed ferries to operate and be built in the USA. The order with Wärtsilä has been placed by the shipyard All American Marine (AAM), on behalf of San Francisco Bay Ferry, California’s largest public ferry operator. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q1 2025.The three zero-emission vessels will be the first delivered as a part of San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program…

Thousands of Greeks gathered in Athens on Wednesday to demand higher wages to cope with rising living costs and a one-day strike left ferries docked at ports, flights grounded and trains at a standstill.Along with air traffic controllers, seafarers and train workers, municipal workers and bus and metro workers in the capital also walked out.Greece has emerged from a 2009-2018 debt crisis which led to rolling cuts in wages and pensions in turn for bailouts worth some 290 billion euros.

To commemorate the history of Hong Kong – Macau sailings, Aero Editor launched a book “Hong Kong - Macau High-Speed Ferries” (Traditional Chinese) last year. This book introduces the history, development and current status of sea travel between Hong Kong and Macau, especially the stories of the legendary Jetfoil fleetOn April 25, 1975, Jetfoil MADEIRA of Far East Hydrofoil Co. Ltd. (now TurboJET) set sail from Hong Kong to Macau, setting a new benchmark for the upcoming 50 years of sea travel between the cities with stability borrowed from airplane technology…

Ice Floe, LLC, doing business as Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB), has been awarded a contract by San Francisco Bay Ferry to design and construct two 400-passenger battery-electric ferries as part of the agency’s Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program.The 142’-1” x 34’-9” Subchapter K vessels will operate at 25 knots, serving central bay routes that seamlessly connect Oakland and Alameda to San Francisco.They will significantly reduce emissions in the San Francisco Bay Area.NBBB will be collaborating with vessel designer Incat Crowther…