Polish Shipping Association joins ECSA membership

ECSA welcomed the Polish Shipping Association as a full member as of 1 January 2024. The Polish Shipping Association brings together the Polish Shipowners’ Association (ZAP) and the Polish Shipping Companies Association (PZPZ).

“We are proud to welcome the Polish Shipping Association as a new member of ECSA. The Polish Shipping Association extends the geographical scope covered by our membership, brings additional expertise and knowledge, and further strengthens the position of European shipowners in Brussels” said ECSA Secretary General Sotiris Raptis.

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Polferries' Visentini newbuild to be named VARSOVIA

© Polferries

Polferries has chosen a name for its new Swinoujscie-Ystad ro-pax. It will be VARSOVIA. Construction is proceeding on schedule at the Visentini Shipyard in Italy. VARSOVIA will be 216m long and have a capacity for 920 passengers and 2,940 lane metres. 

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Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express increase frequency on the Huelva-Canary route

SICILIA © Baleària

Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express incorporate a new ferry to the route that links Huelva with the Canary Islands, which will allow from January 13, to have three weekly departures. SICILIA adds to the MARIE CURIE, which allows to offer three services both to cargo and passenger transport, instead of the two that were made to date.

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Construction begins on Stena Line’s hybrid ro-ro’s for Belfast – Heysham route

© Peter Mild

Stena Line held a steel cutting ceremony for the first of its ‘NewMax’ hybrid ro-ro’s in Weihai, China. The two new hybrid freight ro-ro’s are ordered from Stena RoRo and destined for the Belfast–Heysham route, with the first due to enter service in autumn 2025.

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Fjord1 signed contract for the world's first ferry connection with autonomous ferries

Managing director of Fjord1, Dagfinn Neteland and director of ferries in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Dag Hole

Fjord1 and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration have signed a contract for the operation of the national road ferry connection E39 Lavik-Oppedal. Fjord1 will operate with four autonomous vessels from 2026 to 2034 (with the possibility of extension for up to three years) and was awarded the contract last autumn on the basis of the best combination of price and quality.

The association will be commissioned with four new zero-emission vessels with 120 car capacities. In addition to the environmental aspect of the contract, there will be more frequent departures compared to the current offer. 

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DFDS’ acquisition of FRS Iberia/Maroc completed

PONIENTE JET and PATRIA SEAWAYS

DFDS has completed the acquisition of FRS Iberia/Maroc, thereby entering the Strait of Gibraltar short-sea ferry market connecting Spain and Morocco. The acquisition expands DFDS’ network to a region where growth in the coming years is expected to be supported by nearshoring of supply chains closer to Europe.

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Early look at DFDS’ refurbished Newhaven-Dieppe ferries

DFDS' two ferries, COTE D'ALBATRE and SEVEN SISTERS, on the Newhaven-Dieppe route, are undergoing refurbishments, and some early renderings have now been released.
The two ships are operated by the Transmanche Ferries brand.

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50% of our available seats are now sold out!

Deltamarin to design new wind-assisted ro-ro vessels for LDA

Deltamarin announced its collaboration with Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) and Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co Ltd. (WSIG) in designing three modern and eco-friendly ro-ro vessels for Airbus aircraft subassembly transportation. The new fleet is set out to cut C02 emissions by 50% compared to 2023 levels by the year 2030.

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Baleària's hybrid electric H2 Ready ferry CAP DE BARBARIA reduces CO2 emissions by 33%

CAP DE BARBARIA © Balearia

Baleària 's hybrid electric H2 Ready ferry CAP DE BARBARIA, which has been operating since last May between Ibiza and Formentera, has reduced CO2 emissions by 33% compared to POSIDONIA, the ferry it replaced. This means that around 1,300 tonnes of CO2 will be reduced annually compared to the ship that operated before.

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Record-breaking passenger volumes for Wasaline in 2023

AURORA BOTNIA © Wasaline

Wasaline’s passenger volumes continue to grow. In 2023 the company transported 279,590 passengers between Vaasa, Finland and Umeå, Sweden, up 4.4 percent from the previous year.

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P&O Ferries strengthens North Sea presence with new London – Rotterdam freight route

NORBANK © Frank Lose

P&O Ferries announced the opening of a new ro-ro freight route in the North Sea, between London (Tilbury 2) and Rotterdam (Europoort), starting in March 2024. The service will complement P&O Ferries’ existing Zeebrugge to London route together with strengthening its rail-connected hub in Rotterdam.

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Corsica Linea signs a contract with Stena RoRo for E-Flexer

© Peter Mild

A contract has been signed between Corsica Linea and Stena RoRo for a new LNG-powered E-Flexer. This 13th E-Flexer will enter service in March 2026 for Corsica Linea and will be chartered with a purchase option. The selected shipyard will again be CMI Jinling Weihai, China.

The vessel will become Corsica Linea's second LNG vessel after the 2022-delivered A GALEOTTA and will serve between Ajaccio and Bastia. For Stena RoRo it will become the first E-Flexer delivered to the Mediterranean region.

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Trident BMC to equip BIRKA GOTLAND with shore power

BIRKA STOCKHOLM has been renamed BIRKA GOTLAND © Jukka Huotari

Trident BMC will equip Gotlandsbolaget’s and Viking Line’s BIRKA GOTLAND with Shore Power. The High Voltage Shore Connection HVSC on BIRKA GOTLAND is designed for 3,700kVA of power and adheres to the IEC 80005-1 standards.

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