Ferry News

Interferry, the global association representing the ferry industry, announced the appointment of six new members to its Board of Directors. These new director appointments, approved at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Sorrento on October 6, reflect the diversity and global reach of the ferry industry. The newly appointed directors, each approved for a four-year term, are:Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority, and Interferry’s first African Director…

Two new aluminum high-speed Ro-Pax ferries designed by Incat Crowther for the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi, have successfully completed sea trials and are now operating on the ~42-kilometer route between Dalma Island and Jebel Dhannah on the UAE mainland.The new 56-meter vessels, Jazirat Dalma and Al Dhannah, built by Singapore based Penguin International Limited in Batam, Indonesia, can transport up to 192 passengers and 25 vehicles at speeds of up to 39 knots.

Second of Two Large Car Ferries Ordered by Shinnihonkai Ferry and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency Second ferries in Japan to use a buttock-flow stern hull and ducktail design, providing energy savings of 5%  Delivery scheduled for June 2026, planned to go into service between Otaru and MaizuruMitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, held a christening and launch ceremony on October 9 for the second of two large car ferries ordered by Shinnihonkai Ferry Co., Ltd.

Marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy has won a contract to power the world’s first fully electric intercontinental fast ferries between Europe and Africa.Spanish ferry operator Baleària will operate the two catamaran ferries solely on electric propulsion throughout the 18-mile voyage between Tarifa in the south of Spain and Tangier, Morocco at speeds of up to 26 knots.The twin fast ferries, which are being built by the Armon shipyard in Gijón, will have a capacity of 225 vehicles…

Mercedes Pinto, the third 123-meter dual-fuel Ro-Pax fast ferry Incat Crowther designed for Spanish operator Baleària, has been launched by shipbuilder Astilleros Armon Gijon in Spain.Work on the vessel’s internal fit-out will now continue before sea trials in early 2026. The new vessel comes after the success of its twin vessels Eleanor Roosevelt and Margarita Salas, also built by Astilleros Armon Gijon.Capable of transporting 1,200 passengers and 425 vehicles, Mercedes Pinto…

Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) Designs New York’s First Hybrid-Electric FerryWatch the full interview with David Turner, Projects Manager, Elliott Bay Design Group, on the technical highlights of the HARBOR CHARGER on Maritime Reporter TV:On August 12, 2025, The Trust for Governors Island unveiled the HARBOR CHARGER, New York State’s first hybrid-electric passenger vehicle ferry. Designed by Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) and constructed at Conrad Shipyard, the vessel represents a defining moment in New York’s maritime history.

Stena Line has welcomed the first of its new hybrid freight ferries to Belfast Harbor. The multimillion-pound purpose-built Stena Futura will go into service on the freight-only Belfast to Heysham route on September 22.The 147-meter Stena Futura will operate 12 sailings per week providing much needed additional freight capacity on the popular route which connects local hauliers directly into the key North of England road freight network.Once operational, Stena Futura and sister ship Stena Connecta…

Chartwell Marine, a pioneer of vessel design, has announced an order for a new Fair Isle ferry to supply to Shetland Islands Council. The vessel is due to commence build at Parkol Marine Engineering, a leading bespoke shipbuilder, and is due to launch towards the end of 2026.The new ferry will replace the 1986-built ‘Good Shepherd’ and provide a vital transport link between Fair Isle and the Shetland mainland. The vessel is designed for various operational roles and features an optimized hull and propulsion system that will enable it to safely…

On 27 August, Damen Shipyards Group launched the latest Island Class ferry for Canada’s BC Ferries. The vessel is the second of four Island Class vessels currently under construction at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. Once operational, the ferries will provide low emission services connecting coastal communities along the coast of British Columbia.When delivered, the ferry will be the eighth Island Class vessel that Damen has built for BC Ferries. The Island Class is based…

Wärtsilä has been selected as the electrical integrator for a major battery extension project for the Wasaline ROPAX ferry "Aurora Botnia." The project will increase the ship’s battery capacity by 10.4 MWh, from 2.2 MWh to 12.6 MWh, making it the world’s largest marine battery hybrid system in operation. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in Q3 2025.In the transition to more sustainable ferry transportation, hybrid propulsion systems have emerged as a compelling solution, offering a multitude of pathways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

DFDS and TT Line have entered into a space charter agreement on three ferry routes in the Baltic Sea. With the agreement, DFDS will increase the number of sailings offered between Klaipeda and Karlshamn, as well as bring new services to Trelleborg and Travemünde.Passenger and freight customers will be able to book all services connecting to and from Klaipeda, regardless of which of the two ferry companies is operating the crossing.The agreement covers all sailings on the Klaipeda to Karlshamn route, where both operators currently offer sailings.

Rolls-Royce has been selected by Catalina Express of San Pedro, CA (USA) to supply the marine propulsion system for its new high-capacity ferry. The 500-passenger vessel, which will be the largest in the Catalina Express fleet upon completion, will be powered by four mtu 12V4000 M65L engines, delivering a combined output of over 7463 kW (10,000 bhp). The new ferry is part of the Port of Los Angeles’ $31 million LA MER project, which is funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Brunvoll Mar-El has signed a contract with Oma Baatbyggeri as system integrator and provider ofelectrical propulsion systems for a zero-emission catamaran ferry, commissioned by Rødne FjordCruise. The passenger and vehicle vessel will operate in the stunning Lysefjorden, Norway, with delivery set for June 2026.The delivery from Brunvoll includes full system integration through the Triton Electric & Hybrid solution, featuring the Triton CPP controllable pitch propeller control system, the Triton SG steering gear control system, and the Triton EMS energy management system.

MV Lochmor, the first of two new vessels for the Little Minch routes, was launched August 23, 2025 at Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Yalova, Turkey.MV Hebrides, the new ferry along with sister vessel, MV Claymore, will provide a two-vessel service to the routes between Uig on Skye, Tarbert (Harris) and Lochmaddy (North Uist). MV Lochmor can accommodate up to 450 passengers and 100 cars, or 14 commercial vehicles, bringing a major boost to capacity and resilience for the communities it will serve.Transport Scotland provided £115m of funding for the Little Minch ferries project in 2022…

Incat Crowther has been commissioned by Cruise Whitsundays, part of Australian tourism group Journey Beyond, to design a 36-meter passenger vessel that will be built by Austal Vietnam.The vessel will be deployed year-round as a resort connection service between Airlie Beach, the resorts of Daydream Island and Hamilton Island and Cruise Whitsundays’ Reef World pontoons – located 39 nautical miles from shore at Hardy Reef.Designed specifically for local conditions, optimized for its routes and tailored to infrastructure…

The Trust for Governors Island unveiled its new hybrid-electric ferry, the Harbor Charger, the first of its kind in New York State and aa addition to the Trust’s existing ferry fleet. The arrival of the new boat coincides with the 20-year anniversary of Governors Island opening to the public, as well as major recent progress in its development as a leading destination for climate research and education—marking a significant milestone in its transformation. The Harbor Charger was…

The Port of Oakland is celebrating the expansion of the Oakland Alameda Water Shuttle, a free pilot program initiated by the City of Alameda, offering public water transit between Oakland’s Jack London Square and Bohol Circle Immigrant Park, at the foot of 5th Street in Alameda. As of July 8th, the service now includes Tuesdays and extended weekend hours—increasing total weekly trips by 35%.Initiated by the City of Alameda and partially funded by the Port, the shuttle operates Tuesday through Thursday from 7:20 a.m. to 8:03 p.m., and extends service Friday through Sunday from 7:20 a.m.

Dozens of rescuers were scrambling in Vietnam on Sunday to trace four missing people after retrieving the bodies of dozens killed when a thunderstorm capsized a boat in the top tourist destination of Halong Bay, authorities said.Despite a calm sea, rescuers, from police and border guards to divers and navy personnel, were battling limited visibility hours before the expected landfall in northern Vietnam of Typhoon Wipha, which is now approaching Hong Kong.The government said rescuers had managed to retrieve the sunken boat and revised down the death toll to 35 from an initial 38 on Saturday…

EV Maritime, New Zealand’s leading electric ferry design and technology company, announced the launch of its first fully electric passenger ferry. The new vessel will operate between downtown Auckland and the suburb of Half Moon Bay.This is the first of the EVM200 class,a series of battery-electric fast ferries built using lightweight carbon fiber. Designed for urban public transport, the EVM200 offers service speeds of up to 25 knots and a range of up to 20 miles.Developed with support from the New Zealand Government…

Four people died, 30 were missing and 31 survived after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the Indonesian island of Bali, the country's Search and Rescue agency said on Thursday, as rescuers raced to find victims in the rough sea.The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya sank almost half an hour after leaving East Java province's Banyuwangi port on its way to Bali late on Wednesday, the agency said on Thursday.The boat was carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members, as well as 22 vehicles, the agency said.A search for the missing is underway although it is being hampered by strong currents and winds, the ag

Tallink Grupp transported 1,488,128 passengers with its vessels in the second quarter of 2025, marking a 2.5% increase compared to the same period last year.In June alone, passenger numbers rose by 4.9%, reaching 598,977.Growth in passenger numbers was led particularly by the Estonia–Finland route, which saw a 4.9% increase over the quarter and a notable 14.8% surge in June. The Finland–Sweden route experienced steady growth of 2.8% in Q2. The 10.9% decline in passenger numbers…

Ampereship, a shipbuilding company based in Stralsund that specializes in the construction of new electric solar-powered ships and ferries for inland waters, has completed its first conversion of a diesel-powered passenger ship to fully electric propulsion. The converted passenger ship “Uetliberg” recently completed its first emission-free voyage on Lake Zurich in Switzerland. Built in 1999 and now classified as an electric ship, the 42.4-meter-long vessel is currently the largest battery-powered passenger ship in Switzerland.

Artemis Technologies is leading a feasibility study on the establishment of a new ferry service between Newlyn in Cornwall and St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, around 30 miles off the southwestern tip of Cornwall, England, in the Atlantic Ocean.The study will assess the technical and commercial viability of deploying the Artemis EF-24 Passenger, a 100% electric, high-speed hydrofoil ferry, to provide a reliable, year-round passenger and cargo service on a route where no winter…