Ferry news, cruise, ro-ro and high-speed

Rendering of La Méridionales new cruise ferries © La Méridionale

Bookings open for La Méridionale’s new cruise ferries

sep 15 2026

FerryLa Méridionale is now promoting its two forthcoming cruise ferries, ALBANOVA and AZURA, on its website, with the two newbuildings also integrated into the online booking system for routes between Marseille and Corsica. According to the French ferry operator, ALBANOVA will serve the Marseille–Ajaccio route, while AZURA will be deployed between Marseille and Porto-Vecchio.

FIFI4MARINE first battery fire-suppression system to receive RINA Type Approval

sep 15 2026

FIFI4MARINE has become the first battery fire-suppression system to receive RINA Type Approval, marking a milestone for fire protection as lithium-ion battery installations rapidly expand across the maritime industry.

Arab Bridge Maritime acquires RoPax ferry from Trasmediterranea

sep 15 2026

FerryTrasmediterranea has sold the freight-oriented RoPax ferry CIUDAD DE IBIZA to Arab Bridge Maritime. The 2003-built CIUDAD DE IBIZA, which has a capacity of 1,600 lane metres and accommodation for up to 200 drivers and passengers, is currently chartered to Baleària for services in the Canary Islands.

Construction on Royal Caribbean’s fifth Icon Class vacation begins at Meyer Turku shipyard

sep 14 2026

CruiseRoyal Caribbean celebrated the start of physical construction of the fifth Icon Class ship (TBN: CHAMPION OF THE SEAS) with a keel-laying ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Set to debut in 2028, the fifth vacation in the Icon Class will deliver a revolutionary combination of thrills, relaxation, family experiences and entertainment to be announced in the coming months.

DFDS appoints Sandeep Shahi as new Chief Digital & Information Officer

sep 14 2026

DFDS has appointed Sandeep Shahi as Chief Digital & Information Officer and member of the Executive Management Team. He will join the company on 16 November 2026, succeeding Rune Keldsen. Sandeep joins DFDS from FedEx, where he currently serves as Chief Information Officer for Asia Pacific, the Middle East, India and South Africa, while also leading Global Field IT worldwide.

Steel cutting marks start of construction for CARNIVAL TROPICALE

sep 14 2026

CruiseMEYER WERFT has marked a construction milestone for CARNIVAL TROPICALE with a symbolic steel-cutting ceremony at Papenburg on 11 September. The Excel-class newbuilding is being built for Carnival Cruise Line and is scheduled to enter service on her maiden voyage from Galveston, Texas, in April 2028. Her bow will carry the "Star of Texas", symbolising the ship's connection with her home port.

An as-yet unnamed ferry is to serve as a test platform in an EU-funded project © Søren Lund Hviid

RoPax ferry will be testing platform for the EU-funded Electric Blue project

sep 14 2026

FerryA new EU-funded green transition project with focus on electrification of ships has been launched through Horizon Europe Electric Blue, a four-year Horizon Innovation Action accelerating the transition towards cleaner and zero-emission shipping.

Roble Shipping receives its first newbuild RoPax ferry

sep 14 2026

FerryChina’s Taizhou Hongtai Shipbuilding has delivered MOTHER IMMACULATE STARS to Philippine ferry operator Roble Shipping Lines (Roble Shipping Inc.). The 6,531-GT MOTHER IMMACULATE STARS is the company’s first purpose-built RoPax ferry for its services from Cebu City.

ALD Sea Transport takes delivery of ALD 8

sep 14 2026

FerryPhilippines-based ALD Sea Transport took delivery of the newbuilding ALD 8 from China’s Zhejiang Tianshi Shipbuilding in early September.

Arial view of the capsized VIRGO TRANSPORT 8 © Screenprint from video published by the Indonesian Coast Guard

Indonesian capsizing claims several lives

sep 14 2026

FerryAt least six people have died and 129 remain missing, while 108 have been rescued from an Indonesian RoPax ferry that capsized in the Java Sea. The vessel involved is the 4,277-GT VIRGO TRANSPORT 8, which, according to initial reports, capsized while sailing between Surabaya and Banjarmasin in the South Kalimantan region.

VIKING ASTREA launched at Fincantieri's Ancona yard

sep 14 2026

CruiseFincantieri has launched VIKING ASTREA, the latest cruise ship under construction for Viking, at its shipyard in Ancona. Measuring approximately 54,300 GT and 239 metres in length, VIKING ASTREA will accommodate up to 998 passengers in 499 cabins. The vessel will be fitted with a propulsion system based in part on liquid hydrogen and fuel cells.

NIKOS TRAVLOS delivered

sep 14 2026

Ro-roNeptune Lines' second newbuilding, the 54,671 GT NIKOS TRAVLOS, has been delivered from the Fujian Mawei shipyard. The vessel is part of an eight-ship "Genesis" class contracted by the Greek PCTC operator. She is expected to arrive in the Mediterranean by the end of October, joining the extensive network of routes that the company operates in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

Freight volumes were stable across most of DFDS’ corridors in August

sep 11 2026

Ro-roDFDS’ total volumes of 3.1 million lane metres during August 2026 were on level with August 2025.

Management buyout of Irish Ferries’ owner was approved by shareholders

sep 11 2026

FinanceAt an extraordinary general meeting 10 September, 79.2% of Irish Continental Groups shareholders, the owning company behind Irish Ferries, voted in favour of a management buyout.

FRIGG SYDFYEN laid-up in Faaborg. © Søren Lund Hviid

Last conventional ferry from Molslinjen’s second electrification phase sold for recycling

sep 11 2026

FerryMolslinjen has sold the 1984-built ferry FRIGG SYDFYEN for recycling. This means that the last of the operator’s conventionally powered ferries associated with the Bøjden–Fynshav and Ballen–Kalundborg routes have now left the fleet.

SPIRIT OF TOULOUSE leaves Wuchang for sea trials

sep 10 2026

Ro-roThe delayed Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) RoRo ship SPIRIT OF TOULOUSE has left its building yard in Wuchang for Shanghai, where its six 35 metres high by 5 metres diameter Norsepower rotorsails are being installed.

AL HURREYA 3 enters service for UGR

sep 10 2026

Ro-roThe AL HURREYA 3 has finally entered service after construction started in 2015 in Alexandria Shipyard. Chartered by UGR, the quarter ramped vessel is presently sailing on a shuttle service between Aqaba and Jeddah.

HROSSEY and its sister vessel HJALTLAND were delivered from Finland in 2002. © Frank Lose

First steps towards further three new NorthLink ferries expected soon

sep 10 2026

FerryThe process of replacing NorthLink’s three RoPax ferries could realistically take its first steps early next year. Chris Wilcock, Director of Ferries at Transport Scotland, made the statement following a meeting of Shetland Islands Council’s External Transport Forum, according to The Shetland Times.

JUNE ASTER on fire last night © Coast Guard District Palawan (CGDPAL)

Fatal ferry fire in the Philippines

sep 10 2026

FerryAt least five people have been confirmed dead, while a further 87 remain missing following a ferry fire in the Philippines on 9 September. The small vehicle and passenger ferry JUNE ASTER was sailing from the capital Manila to Palawan Province with 117 passengers and 17 crew members when a fire broke out on board at around 18:00 local time.

HERO OF THE SEAS just before the float-out. © Royal Caribbean

HERO OF THE SEAS floats for the first time at Meyer Turku shipyard

sep 09 2026

CruiseRoyal Caribbean’s next Icon Class newbuilding, TBN: HERO OF THE SEAS, has officially floated for the first time. The float-out milestone kicks off the next stage of construction for the fourth ship in the Icon Class lineup debuting August 2027 in Miami.

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Bookings open for La Méridionale’s new cruise ferries

FIFI4MARINE first battery fire-suppression system to receive RINA Type Approval

Arab Bridge Maritime acquires RoPax ferry from Trasmediterranea

Construction on Royal Caribbean’s fifth Icon Class vacation begins at Meyer Turku shipyard

DFDS appoints Sandeep Shahi as new Chief Digital & Information Officer

Steel cutting marks start of construction for CARNIVAL TROPICALE

RoPax ferry will be testing platform for the EU-funded Electric Blue project

Roble Shipping receives its first newbuild RoPax ferry

ALD Sea Transport takes delivery of ALD 8

Indonesian capsizing claims several lives

VIKING ASTREA launched at Fincantieri's Ancona yard

NIKOS TRAVLOS delivered

Freight volumes were stable across most of DFDS’ corridors in August

Management buyout of Irish Ferries’ owner was approved by shareholders

Last conventional ferry from Molslinjen’s second electrification phase sold for recycling