DFDS Ferry Volumes Dip in June 2025 Amid Route Changes and Regional Challenges

DFDS reported a 1.7% decline in freight volumes to 3.4 million lane metres in June 2025, with a 7.1% drop in passenger numbers to 414,000, both adjusted for route changes. Regional disruptions, including a Swedish strike and new competition in the Mediterranean, contributed to the declines, though annual freight and passenger figures showed growth over the past twelve months.

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Oceania Cruises Takes Delivery of Eighth Luxury Ship, ALLURA

Fincantieri and Oceania Cruises celebrated the delivery of ALLURA at the Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa. The vessel is the latest cruise ship to join the shipowner's fleet, sister ship to VISTA, which was handed over by the same yard in 2023.

With a gross tonnage of approximately 68,000 tonnes, a length of 246 metres, and a guest capacity of 1,200 passengers accommodated in 600 staterooms, ALLURA represents a further step in Oceania Cruises' commitment to combining elegance, culinary excellence, and destination-focused experiences.

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Meyer Turku delivered the second vessel of the Icon class, the STAR OF THE SEAS

STAR OF THE SEAS © Jukka Huotari

Meyer Turku has handed over the STAR OF THE SEAS to Royal Caribbean. STAR OF THE SEAS is the second Icon class ship built at the Meyer Turku shipyard. STAR OF THE SEAS will leave the shipyard in mid-July and will later in the summer start sailing on the Caribbean from its home port in Port Canaveral.

The third ship in the series, LEGEND OF THE SEAS, will after the summer be floated out from the dry dock to the outfitting pier. 

Length: 365 m
Hull width: 48.5 m (waterline), 57.8 m (deckhouse), 65.8 m (bridge)
Passengers: 7 600
Crew: 2 350
Flag: Bahamas

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Electric cars choose the ferry and provide new growth at Molslinjen

Molslinjen's fast ferries have had a busy first half of 2025. Never before has the shipping company performed six months with so many cars on the car deck. This is shown by a statement of traffic for the first six months of this year. 645,859 cars found their place on the car deck of the fast ferries in the first six months of this year. This is just over 5,000 cars more than the previous record half year in 2022, when 640,333 cars made the trip across the Kattegat.

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Damen Delivers Stock-Built Catamaran To South Korea’s Starline Co.

Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with South Korea’s Starline Co. Ltd. for the delivery of a new Damen Fast Ferry 4212. Available from stock at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam, the shipbuilder expects to deliver the vessel just seven weeks after the contract signing on 12th May.

The Fast Ferry 4212 is an aluminium catamaran vessel designed to offer optimal passenger comfort with high fuel efficiency and low maintenance requirements. The 42.2 metre vessel is able to transport up to 439 passengers at speeds of up to 40 knots.

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Shippax Market 25 - Out Now!

Since 1998, Shippax Market has been the definitive annual resource for maritime industry professionals, delivering unparalleled data, in-depth analyses, and actionable insights. The 2025 edition—spanning 257 pages—is your essential guide to navigating the dynamic world of ferry, cruise, ro-ro, and high-speed ferry markets.

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P&O Ferries’ Delayed 2023 Accounts Show Reduced Losses

P&O LIBERTE © P&O Ferries

UK ferry operator P&O Ferries (POF) has filed its much-delayed accounts for the year 2023 with Companies House in London, nine months late. The accounts will shortly be available for the public to scrutinise. However, details of the accounts for 2023 have already been accessed by ITV News and the newspaper The Guardian.

It seems that the ferry operator reduced its loss to GBP 91.4 million for the year 2023, compared to a loss of GBP 246 million the year before.

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P&O Ferries To Close Its Teesport-Zeebrugge Service At The End Of July

NORBAY © P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries will close its last route from the east coast UK port of Teesport, to Zeebrugge in Belgium, at the end of July. The ferry operator said it had taken this decision so that it can focus on more strategic North Sea activities.

The service is currently maintained 1994-builty 2,040-lanemetre capacity ro-ro NORBAY, which will be deployed elsewhere in the P&O Ferries network.

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Shippax Guide 25 - Out Now!

Shippax Guide is the annual, extensive ship register publication, including all existing ro-pax, ro-ro, and cruise vessels currently in service. In this issue, ro-ro ships are illustrated.
Theme: SAINT-MALO

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EUR 22 Million EU Co-Funding For The Development Of The Ports Of Helsinki And Lübeck-Travemünde

The European Commission has granted a total of EUR 22 million in co-funding for the Hansalink 3 project between the Port of Helsinki and the German port of Lübeck-Travemünde. The Port of Helsinki's share of the support is approximately EUR 12 million.

The project entails building cutting-edge port infrastructure, deploying digital tools and streamlining passenger and cargo traffic at the port area. In addition to this, the project entails building onshore power supply solutions that are suitable for the new Finnlines ships as well as automated mooring systems at the Ports of Helsinki and Lübeck-Travemünde. The project has a total budget of EUR 45 million and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

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Naming Ceremony In Genoa For GNV ORION

GNV ORION (at the back) and GNV POLARIS

On 4 July, under the iconic "Lanterna" in Genoa, GNV ORION was officially named. It is the 26th next-generation ferry of GNV, part of the MSC Group. Moored alongside its sister ship GNV POLARIS, ORION is the second vessel delivered to the company as part of a fleet-wide modernisation and expansion plan, which will see the arrival of six more next-generation, LNG-powered ferries by 2030.

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The Swedish Transport Administration Receives Assignment For Continued Rail Ferry Traffic Between Sweden And Germany

The Swedish Government has tasked the Swedish Transport Administration with taking measures to maintain continued rail ferry traffic between Sweden and Germany until 2031. Stena Line's two vessels SKÅNE and MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN are the world's largest rail ferries and operate on the route between Trelleborg and Rostock.

The assignment to the Swedish Transport Administration is part of efforts to strengthen total defence and Sweden's ability to provide and receive host nation support within the framework of its commitment as a NATO member. Vessels that can transport rail vehicles without transhipment, rail ferries, are essential for certain military transports. According to the Swedish Armed Forces, continued rail ferry traffic between Sweden and Germany is urgent.

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New Hybrid Double-Ender For Torghatten Nord Launched At Remontowa Shipyard

Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. launched the BJARKØY for Torghatten Nord, a 63.65-metre hybrid-powered passenger-car ferry for the Stornes-Bjørnerå connection with a capacity for 50 vehicles and 149 passengers. Delivery is planned for the first quarter of 2026.

The ferry will operate in the harsh environment of the Arctic Circle region. Its design emphasises using lightweight materials and implementing a wide range of low-loss solutions and systems, aiming to reduce energy consumption as much as possible.

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