Shippax Newsletter– week 2
We hope you had a great Christmas and wish you the best for 2026!
Quite a bit of news for this newsletter, and many more are expected to be added to the website this week, so make sure you visit it frequently.
/ The Shippax team
New fully electric ferry for Scandlines was named
THE BALTIC WHALE © Cemre
On 7 January, Scandlines named its newbuild THE BALTIC WHALE at a ceremony in Rødby. The ship's sponsor at the ceremony was Lykke Friis, former Danish Minister for Climate and now Director of Think Tank Europa. The fully electric ferry, measuring 147.4 metres in length and 24.8 metres in breadth, was delivered from Cemre Shipyard in Turkey in October last year.
Aponte’s results in red after write-downs of ferries at GNV
Write-downs of ferries at GNV have pushed shipowner Gianluigi Aponte's results into the red, according to the ordinary 2024 financial statements of Shipping Agencies Services (SAS), filed in early January. Based in Luxembourg, SAS oversees Aponte's business interests and is controlled by the Swiss-based shipping conglomerate MSC. Despite equity and reserves of USD 15 billion, the group recorded a loss of nearly USD 720 million in 2024, compared with a profit of USD 2.1 billion in 2023. The loss was driven by impairments of USD 505 million related to GNV and USD 210 million linked to its Italian parent company, Marinvest.
Bandar Abadi launches newbuild for Jemla Ferry
The Indonesian shipyard Bandar Abadi has launched a 120-metre-long RoPax newbuild for Jemla Ferry. The newbuild, which will be delivered later this year, will be named SHANAYA.
Warning against the removal of Estonian state support for the country’s ferry industry
Scrapping state funding for passenger ferries from 2026 could lead to Tallink restructuring operations and potentially costing up to 300 jobs, according to maritime unions, a claim politicians dismiss as a negotiating tactic. The planned cut would save the state EUR 40 million and is intended to help reduce the budget deficit.
Last of North Sea Ferries’ “transcontinental sisters” scrapped
GNV ANTARES © Kai Ortel
The 38-year-old GNV ANTARES arrived in mid-December at the shipbreaking beach in Aliaga, Turkey. GNV ANTARES was originally delivered to the then North Sea Ferries by the Japanese shipyard Nippon Kokan/Tsurumi Shipyard as NORSUN, in a relatively unusual arrangement in which the then Glasgow-based yard Govan Shipbuilders was simultaneously building the "sister ship" NORSEA for the same customer.
No reasons to resume the 1997-ESTONIA investigation
The maritime safety investigation authorities of Sweden, Finland, and Estonia have together published a final report of the preliminary assessment and concluded that there are no grounds to resume the 1997 joint accident investigation (JAIC) into the sinking of ESTONIA 28 September 1994.
The damage to the starboard side of the wreck was caused by contact with the seabed. The report presents several conclusions based on marine investigations, interviews with survivors, technical reviews, and scientific calculations and numerical models carried out between 2021 and 2025.
NYK soon to receive Next-Generation Marine DX equipped PCTC
When NYK ultimo March this year takes delivery of a PCTC newbuilding from Shin Kurushima Toyohashi in Japan, it will be outfitted with new digital so-called Next-Generation Marine DX technology. This consist of an advanced autonomous navigation system, a large-motion mitigation system, and a comprehensive onboard Wi-Fi network covering the entire vessel, all designed to enhance safety and streamline onboard operations.
ECO STAR launched at CIMC Raffles
The ship management company Atlas Maritime, headquartered in Greece, marked the launch of hull number H580 at CIMC Raffles in China on 7 January. The 7,000 CEU LNG/dual-fuel newbuilding is the company's first owned PCTC. The ship, which will later be named ECO STAR, is expected to be delivered in March 2026, followed by its sister ship CLEAN STAR in July this year. The series also includes UGR AL SAMHA and UGR ZAKHER, which were delivered during the first half of 2025 to UGR Lines/United Global RO-RO. These two vessels are solely under the management of Atlas Maritime.
OCEAN EXPLORER delivered to Sallaum Lines
Sallaum Lines has taken delivery of the 7,500 CEU PCTC newbuilding OCEAN EXPLORER from the Fujian Mawei Shipyard in China. The Antwerp-based operator took delivery of the sister ship OCEAN BREEZE, the first of the six-vessel series, back in July 2025. The vessels, each of 73,000 GT and measuring 199.9 meters in length and 38 meters in beam, are equipped with a (B&W) dualfuel/LNG 7S60ME-C10.5 GI main engine supplied by Everllence. Sallaum Lines currently has a further four newbuildings of the same series in order at CMHI Jinling, with deliveries scheduled through to 2027.
Seventh and eighth Aurora Class PCTC delivered to Höegh Autoliners
On 10 December, Höegh Autoliners took delivery of HÖEGH STARLIGHT from CMHI Jiangsu in China. HÖEGH STARLIGHT is the seventh vessel in Höegh Autoliners' Aurora Class series of 9,100 CEU PCTCs, out of a total of 12 newbuildings contracted in the class. Shortly before the New Year, HÖEGH STARLIGHT departed Kawasaki, Japan, bound for the Panama Canal with its first commercial load. HÖEGH STARLIGHT was 7 January followed by HÖEGH RAINBOW, the eighth Aurora Class vessel, at a naming and handover ceremony at the shipyard.
SEK 35 million in compensation after the MARCO POLO grounding
MARCO POLO © Frank Lose
The Swedish Coast Guard's claim for compensation covers the authority's response operations, certain vessel standby costs, as well as expenses for other equipment and personnel. For this, the party responsible for the damage – TT-Line and its insurance company - compensated The Swedish Coast Guard with almost SEK 36 million.
It was on Sunday, 22 October 2023, that TT-Line's RoPax MARCO POLO ran aground in Pukavik Bay off the coast of Blekinge (Southern Sweden). At least 60,000 litres of oil leaked into the sea, marking the start of an environmental rescue operation in which the emergency response phase lasted for 19 days.
Bornholmslinjen sets another record
EXPRESS 5 © Søren Lund Hviid
In 2025, a total of 2,036,417 passengers travelled to and from Bornholm on Bornholmslinjen's ferries. This is the highest number of passengers ever recorded in a calendar year. Last year's record stood at 2,005,564 passengers, which was the first time the ferries carried more than two million passengers - an increase of 1.5% for Bornholmslinjen.
Municipality imposes stricter requirements on the Sandefjord-Strömstad route
COLOR HYBRID in Sandefjord © Søren Lund Hviid
The Sandefjord municipal director recommends keeping Sandefjord harbour open for ferry services to Strömstad beyond 2030, provided measures are implemented to improve traffic flow and road safety in the area near the terminal building. Continued ferry operations are supported, but only with mitigation measures in place.
Proposed measures include longer berthing times, simultaneous loading and unloading, increased vehicle holding capacity at the terminal, and adjusted sailing schedules to avoid peak traffic periods. Two studies form the basis for the assessment.
Former Greek-owned ferry arrived in Guyana
Guyana's first modern double-ended ferry has arrived and is poised to enhance travel between Parika and Supenaam. The 2020-built 827 GT, former Greek-owned, ARIS IV arrived early December in Guyana's capital Georgetown, after sailing from Piraeus, Greece.
Oma Baatbyggeri delivers newbuild to Torghatten Nord
VARGSUND © Oma Baatbyggeri
In December, the Norwegian shipyard Oma Baatbyggeri delivered the newbuilding VARGSUND to Torghatten Nord. The 49.3-metre-long and 13-metre-wide aluminium ferry has capacity for 95 passengers and 28 cars.
The ferry, which will be followed in the coming months by a sister vessel from the yard, is fully electric, with a battery pack from Corvus Energy and a propulsion system from BOS Power.
ADNOC will introduce a remotely operated unmanned RoRo vessel
Abu Dhabi-based ADNOC Logistics & Services has unveiled the UAE's first Remotely Operated Landing Craft Vessel. Developed with SeaOwl, the 60-metre double-ended RoRo vessel uses advanced AI and satellite-linked control systems and can be operated remotely.
The vessel's design eliminates the need for onboard crew accommodation, reducing weight, improving fuel efficiency, and enabling round-the-clock operations. Its AI-enabled route optimization is expected to deliver up to 30% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional vessels.
Marine Atlantic charters A NEPITA from Stena RoRo
Stena RoRo has chartered out A NEPITA on a five-year agreement with Marine Atlantic. The RoPax vessel, built in 2002, has been owned by Stena RoRo since 2014 and has been employed by Corsica Linea in the Mediterranean since 2020.
According to Marine Atlantic, A NEPITA will now undergo a series of modifications to fit the company's port infrastructure, ahead of an expected arrival in Canada during the summer of 2026. A NEPITA was built as SUPERFAST X for the Greek operator Superfast Ferries at HDW in Kiel.
TYRFING gets further delayed
TYRFING © P&S
Samsø's upcoming electric ferry, TYRFING, will be further delayed. Unfortunately, the ferry's preparation for sailing at the shipyard in Svendborg is taking a long time – the plan is now to put the ferry into operation with Samsølinjen on 16 January.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’s HiMSEN engine stable to operate on ethanol fuel
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has successfully verified that its own brand HiMSEN engine can operate stably on ethanol fuel, thereby further strengthening its capability to accommodate eco-friendly fuels.
The company conducted combustion and operational characteristic tests applying ethanol fuel based on the methanol dual-fuel engine platform (H32DF-LM). As a result, it confirmed that stable operation at all load points is possible. The test focused on verifying startability, combustion stability, power output stability, and exhaust gas characteristics under fuel property differences, while maintaining the existing methanol engine hardware as much as possible.
GNV adds significantly more capacity on the Naples-Palermo route
GNV has strengthened its service on the Naples–Palermo route with two evening departures five days a week, operated by two vessels in each direction. The updated schedule is designed to better serve both passenger and freight demand throughout the winter season and ahead of summer 2026.
From 25 November, available lanemetre capacity was increased from 3,300 to 4,700 with SPLENDID and GNV AURIGA, supported by GOLDEN CARRIER, which - as already reported by Shippax - is currently on charter from A-Ships Management. From 19 December, the addition of GNV SIRIO raised the number of vessels from three to four, bringing the total capacity further up to more than 6,000 lanemetres.
Second-to-last Searunner arrived in Aliaga
PELAGITIS © George Giannakis
The RoRo vessel STORNO, built in 1978, arrived off the scrapping yard in Aliaga, Turkey, in November last year. Back in April 2025, the ship had been sold by the Greek Ainaftis Shipping Company to the Marshall Islands–based company Novara Ventures Ltd., which reflagged the vessel under the Togolese flag and renamed it from PELAGITIS to STORNO.
Tallink 2025: Passenger numbers remained stable
AS Tallink Grupp has published the Group's passenger and cargo statistics for the fourth quarter and December 2025 to the stock exchange. Compared to the same period in 2024, passenger numbers decreased by 0.3%. During the holiday season in December, passenger numbers grew by 0.2%. For the year as a whole, results stabilized at the level of 2024. Cargo volumes declined across all company routes in 2025, most notably on the Finland–Sweden routes, 22.8%, and the Estonia–Finland route, 20%. On the Estonia–Sweden route, the decrease was 11.5%.
EXPRESS 5 to sail more in 2026
In the sailing schedule for 2026, EXPRESS 5 will have to sail 80 more departures than this year. This is because in 2026, Bornholmslinjen has wanted several consecutive days for maintenance of EXPRESS 5. On the other hand, the number of weeks with lay-up days will be cut significantly.
VIKING GLORY to make evening voyages from Turku when VIKING GRACE is dry-docked
VIKING GLORY © Viking Line
In January, the Turku–Mariehamn–Stockholm route will offer something special when VIKING GLORY takes over evening departures and GABRIELLA makes a guest star appearance for the route's morning departures. Both vessels will offer new experiences as they fill in for VIKING GRACE, which will undergo a refurbishment during its dry-docking.
Brittany Ferries secure prime 8:15am slot at Port of St Malo
VOYAGER © Brittany Ferries
The region of Brittany has confirmed that Brittany Ferries' Guernsey Service will have the 8:15am slot at the Port of Saint Malo in 2026, which will put the Bailiwick in an excellent position to continue growing its passenger and freight service, following a strong season in 2025.
Not a Merry Christmas for CMAL and CalMac as two newbuilding ferries – GLEN ROSA and ISLE OF ISLAY - are further delayed
CMAL's hopes for pre-Christmas delivery of the first of four new RoPax ferries from Turkey's Cemre shipyard—ISLE OF ISLAY—have been dashed, with arrival now pushed to early 2026. Separately, Ferguson Marine's CEO Graeme Thomson announced a six-month delay for the second LNG hybrid ferry, GLEN ROSA (for CalMac's Arran route), to Q4 2026.
TT-Line signs firm contract with Jinling Shipyard for next-generation RoPax vessel
TT-Line has signed a contract for the construction of a new LNG-hybrid RoPax vessel with the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard. The new vessel will be approximately 240 metres long and designed to accommodate around 1,000 passengers.
Carnival Corporation full-year results
Carnival Corporation reported full-year revenues reaching an all-time high of USD 26.6 billion on record net yields (in constant currency). Operating income climbed 25% to USD 4.5 billion, while adjusted EBITDA rose by over USD 1 billion to USD 7.2 billion, delivering an adjusted return on invested capital (ROIC) exceeding 13%. For the fourth quarter alone, adjusted net income jumped more than 140% to USD 454 million, with revenues up nearly USD 400 million to USD 6.3 billion and adjusted EBITDA margins expanding by almost 300 basis points year-on-year.
Christmas lunch rush at Öresundslinjens ferries
A record of more than 36,500 guests wanted to eat and drink their Christmas lunch on Öresundslinjens ferries last year – almost 28 percent more than the previous year, when 28,663 guests chose to take a seat at one of the ferries' Christmas tables.
Corvus Energy secures record order for seven fully electric CMAL Ferries
Corvus Energy has received a record- order from Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland for the supply of battery systems to seven new fully electric ferries for Scottish Government owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) in Scotland. This marks the largest contract in Corvus Energy's history, measured in USD value.
Each of the seven new car and passenger ferries will be equipped with 5.7 MWh Corvus Dolphin NxtGen Energy Storage Systems, representing a total capacity of 40 MWh. Corvus Energy will deliver the first system in 2026, followed by three in 2027 and another three in 2028.
Heading towards a record-breaking conference - book now to secure your participation!
Join us and meet approximately 500 delegates from over 240 companies in the ferry industry!
You'll meet:
RoPax, RoRo and High-Speed ferry operators and shipowners, shipyards, ports, shipbrokers, naval architects, designers, classification societies, trade associations, interest groups, regulators, banks, financial institutions and suppliers, etc.
Where:
GNV’s RHAPSODY, 5–7 May 2026, sailing between Genoa–Olbia and return
Most read
Only three months left – time to register to secure your participation (Upd.30 Jan)
jan 28 2026
Norwest Ship Management acquires MN PELICAN (TBN LINK NEPTUNE) from Compagnie Maritime Nantaise - MN
jan 22 2026
Stena RoRo places order for two new C-Flexer design RoRo ships
jan 28 2026
Stena Line to discontinue the Halmstad–Grenaa ferry route
feb 03 2026
Next-generation RoPax design developed for Cotunav/Tunisia Ferries unveiled
jan 22 2026
STENA CONNECTA arrives in Belfast Harbour
jan 21 2026
VIKING GRACE returns to service following EUR 7 million refurbishment
jan 29 2026
Isles of Scilly's new freight vessel begins sea trials in Vietnam
jan 29 2026
