Stena Line welcomes STENA FUTURA onto Belfast-Heysham route

Stena Line has welcomed the first of its new hybrid freight ferries to Belfast Harbour. The multimillion-pound purpose-built STENA FUTURA will go into service on the freight-only Belfast to Heysham route on 22 September.

The 147-metre 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.

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Heysham Port to Pioneer UK's First Green Shipping Corridor

NatPower Marine and Peel Ports Group are set to commence installation of shore power at Heysham in September 2025, with the first plug live in the initial phase and expansion to four across all berths, by 2026. This will enable all Heysham routes within the Irish sea to operate with zero emissions while at berth and at sea, supporting full electric propulsion of the ferry services, as the first part of the full electrification of the Irish sea.

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CLdN announces plans to develop a river berth in Liverpool

CLdN announced plans to develop a river berth for RoRo vessels at the port of Liverpool. The project is being planned in collaboration with Peel Ports Group and would represent a major, multi-million-pound investment for the Irish Sea market. The investment would involve the construction of a lock-free berth on the river Mersey adjacent to CLdN's existing facilities at Brocklebank / Langton Dock.

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Serdal International launches new ferry service in The Comoros

A new passenger service in the Comoros island archipelago in East Africa - the first to also transport vehicles - was launched on 11 September during an official ceremony on the island of Anjouan. This project comes as part of the country's ongoing economic and development initiatives, as the Comorian Government continues its efforts in collaboration with partners and investors to implement strategic projects in the maritime transport, ports, and logistics sectors.

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Revised plan for Molslinjen’s two new electric ferries from Cemre

NERTHUS, FYNSHAV behind © Molslinjen

Molslinjen's previously announced schedule for the introduction of its two new electric ferries, NERTHUS and TYRFING, has once again been revised. NERTHUS, the first of the two double-ended ferries with capacity for 600 passengers and 188 cars, was delivered with delays from Cemre Shipyard in May this year.

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Groningen delegation signs letter of intent for new ferry link to Norway

Representatives of the Province of Groningen, the Municipality of Het Hogeland, Groningen Seaports, Njordic Ferry Lines, and Norwegian partners have signed a letter of intent for a possible new ferry connection between Eemshaven (Netherlands) and Arendal (Norway).

In the coming period, all parties will jointly explore the feasibility of establishing a connection from Eemshaven to Norway. The study will focus in particular on the economic opportunities and benefits for Groningen.

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Lakeway Link appoints new CEO

The Board of Directors of Lakeway Link has appointed Per Zandrén as the company's new CEO. He will take up his position on 4 November, succeeding Capt. Göran Söderdahl, who will return to his role as a member of the company's Board of Directors.

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Tallink Increased Passenger Numbers With 5% Over the Summer

BALTIC QUEEN and MEGASTAR © Dmitry Sumin

For Tallink Grupp, the summer of 2025 proved to be active, with passenger numbers on the rise. From June to August, the total number of ferry passengers across all routes approached two million, marking a significant increase of over 5% compared to the same period last year.

The most outstanding result this summer came from the Estonia–Finland route, where passenger numbers grew to nearly 1.3 million—over 15% more than last summer. While two ships operated between Tallinn and Helsinki last summer, this year there were three. On the Estonia–Sweden route, passenger numbers saw a significant 27% decline to around 187,000, but the key difference is that in summer 2024, two ships operated on the route, whereas this year only one did. On the Finland–Sweden route, passenger numbers remained stable, again exceeding half a million passengers.

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Brittany Ferries Sees 29% Passenger Surge to Guernsey

ISLANDER © Maritime Photographic

Brittany Ferries has recorded strong growth in passenger traffic to Guernsey this summer, with combined UK and French numbers rising by 28.9% between April and August compared with the same period last year. The uplift has been driven by significant gains across all routes, including a 59.2% increase in sailings from St Malo and a 20.6% rise in UK-Guernsey travel in August alone. A mix of day trips and longer stays is delivering a clear boost to tourism, with improved frequency, direct routings and joint marketing with Visit Guernsey credited for the success.

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DFDS August volumes

DFDS reported softer freight and passenger volumes in August 2025. Freight volumes declined year-on-year, with weakness on UK and Mediterranean routes partly offset by growth on Channel and Baltic services. Passenger numbers also fell, driven by lower Channel traffic, while the twelve-month trend shows freight growth but continued passenger declines.

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SOUTH ENABLER named in Turku

© WALLENIUS SOL

On 11 September, the latest addition to the WALLENIUS SOL fleet, SOUTH ENABLER, was officially named in the Port of Turku, Finland. The ceremony brought together representatives from WALLENIUS SOL, crew, politicians and representatives of trade and industry.

Built by Visentini Shipyard and designed by NAOS Ship and Boat Design, SOUTH ENABLER has been optimised for the routes she will sail and the cargo she will carry. The 203.4-metre-long, ice classed vessel is prepared for methanol propulsion, powered by two 7,200 kW Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines, and capable of reaching a top speed of 22 knots.
The vessel handles a wide range of cargoes, including LoLo, RoRo, and high and heavy cargo.

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Shippax Ferry Conference - always on board, always supporting the ferry industry!

In an industry full of routine events and endless virtual meetings, the Shippax Ferry Conference stands out as the go-to gathering. For over two decades since 2003, we've brought 450-500 ferry professionals aboard for two days of solid insights—sharp keynotes, lively panel discussions, and world-class networking that lead to real opportunities, all while cruising scenic routes.

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