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sandra

Sep 26
3

HSC GOLDEN PRINCESS: Sea Trials Before Entering Service in Hellenic Coastal Shipping

By | 2025 Newsletter week 39 | No Comments

Golden Star Ferries’ HSC GOLDEN PRINCESS (ex-GOTLANDIA II) is currently undergoing sea trials in the Saronic Gulf before entering service in Hellenic Coastal Shipping. The vessel is expected to replace her fleetmate HSC SUPEREXPRESS. She was purchased from Swedish owner Gotlandsbolaget AB in May 2023 and was built in Italy in 2006. The ship has a capacity of 900 passengers and 160 cars, and she will operate at 32 knots.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Sep 26
3

Heavy Competition on the Europe – Türkiye Route (1)

By | 2025 Newsletter week 39 | No Comments

The competitive battle between Italy’s Grimaldi Euromed and Denmark’s DFDS on the Istanbul–Trieste ro-ro route has entered a new phase.

DFDS has just redelivered the RoRo POL STELLA from charter (see next article).

At the same time, Grimaldi will deploy a fourth vessel on the line from next week, further boosting capacity.

The additional ship is EUROCARGO ROMA, a 200-metre vessel with capacity for 4,000 lane metres (around 280 semi-trailers and 200 cars). It will join three “Eco” series ships, each offering 7,800 lane metres (over 500 semi-trailers).

Sep 26
3

Heavy Competition on the Europe – Türkiye Route (2)

By | 2025 Newsletter week 39 | No Comments

A new RoRo service directly connecting Marseille with Türkiye will begin on 1 October, operated by Turkish company UGR Roro. The vessel deployed will be POL STELLA, which was just redelivered by DFDS on 23 September. This service will be a direct competitor for DFDS in Sète (170 km by road from Marseille).

POL STELLA is owned by Polish Ocean Lines, and was on charter to DFDS.

FRANCESCO NULLO, also owned by Polish Ocean Lines, is currently on charter to DFDS too. She operates on the Trieste – Martas route.

Sep 26
3

Union STC Warns of Risks to Corsican Transport

By | 2025 Newsletter week 39 | No Comments
  • The Syndicat des Travailleurs Corses (STC) has issued a warning of a possible “collapse of transport” in Corsica.
  • The union denounces a Territorial Continuity allocation frozen at €187m since 2009, which it says is insufficient given rising costs.
  • It highlights the planned sale of KALLISTE by La Méridionale, “a vessel financed by the Territorial Continuity fund”, which would lead to the loss of “nearly one hundred jobs”.
  • The STC also points to:
    • ongoing restructuring at Air Corsica (70 jobs lost);
    • a rapid weakening of Corsica Linea, facing cascading economic difficulties.
  • The union stresses that Territorial Continuity must be seen as a right, not a budget adjustment variable.
Sep 19
3

Autorité de la Concurrence Rejects Anticompetitive Complaint Against DFDS and P&O Ferries

By | 2025 Newsletter week 38 | No Comments
  • Background: France Manche SA and The Channel Tunnel Group Ltd (“Eurotunnel”) filed a complaint against DFDS and P&O Ferries.
  • Allegations: The two operators were accused of a capacity-sharing agreement on the Calais–Dover route, with a mechanism to rebalance capacity.
  • Legal Basis: Objection raised under Article 101 TFEU and Article L. 420-1 of the French Commercial Code.
  • Decision: The Autorité found no anticompetitive purpose in the agreement.
  • Key Findings:
    • Capacity could be shared proportionally and adjusted at any time.
    • Both operators retained incentives to optimise costs, improve services and remain price-competitive.

Conclusion: The Autorité de la Concurrence ruled that the arrangement did not restrict competition. [source]

Photo Mike Louagie

Sep 19
3

Tallink Increased Passenger Numbers Over the Summer

By | 2025 Newsletter week 38 | No Comments

Tallink Grupp carried nearly two million ferry passengers between June and August 2025.

  • This represents a 5%+ increase compared to the same period last year.
  • Estonia–Finland: Almost 1.3 million passengers, up 15%. Three ships operated instead of two.
  • Estonia–Sweden: Around 187,000 passengers, down 27%. Only one ship served the route versus two in 2024.
  • Finland–Sweden: Stable, with more than half a million passengers.
  • Passenger vehicles: 283,000, up by 5,000.
  • Freight volumes: Down nearly 11%, reflecting economic uncertainty.
Sep 19
3

Stena Futura Joins Belfast–Heysham Route

By | 2025 Newsletter week 38 | No Comments

STENA FUTURA, the first of two “NewMax” RoRo vessels, has arrived in Belfast from China. The 147-metre ship features a multi-hybrid solution enabling operation on battery, biofuel and methanol. It is also rotorsail-ready and equipped to use both battery propulsion and shore power when available. STENA FUTURA will join the Belfast–Heysham route on 22 September, operating 12 sailings per week and adding 2,800 lane metres of much-needed freight capacity. The service connects local hauliers directly into the North of England road freight network.

Photo: Scott Mackey

Sep 19
3

Shetland Islands Council Approves Outline Business Case for New Relief Ferry

By | 2025 Newsletter week 38 | No Comments
  • Shetland Islands Council has approved an Outline Business Case for a new vessel to operate as a relief ferry on the inter-island network.
  • The vessel will be 33m long with a 10.8m beam.
  • It will be able to operate from any existing ferry terminal, with no changes needed in crew certification.
  • Capital cost: £11.76m, part funded by a £10m Scottish Government grant.

Next steps:

  • Develop detailed designs and tender documents.
  • Present a Full Business Case in mid-2026.
  • Begin construction with entry into service planned for 2027.

Concept images courtesy of Macduff Ship Design Ltd.

Sep 19
3

MSC Returns to the RoRo Market

By | 2025 Newsletter week 38 | No Comments
  • Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has purchased the former MEXICO STAR from Baja Ferries.
  • The vessel has been renamed SARDINIA.
  • She is at La Nuova Meccanica Navale, Naples (an MSC-owned yard), for painting and modernisation.
  • The acquisition price and final deployment are undisclosed.

Possible uses:

  • Expansion of GNV’s fleet, possibly for a Naples–Catania RoRo line.
  • Container transport between Italy (Gioia Tauro, Naples, Genoa) and North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria).

Background:

  • Sister ship MSC BRIDGE (ex STENA FREIGHTER) was converted to handle containers loaded by RoRo equipment instead of cranes.
  • In North African ports, RoRo ships often berth faster than container ships, which face congestion.

SARDINIA – key data

  • Built in 1998, Italy (Viareggio / Marina di Carrara).
  • Length: 182.6m.
  • Width: 27.4m.
  • Speed: 22 knots.
  • Capacity: 350 passengers.
  • Cargo capacity: 2,715 lane metres.
Sep 19
3

P&O Ferries Expands Tilbury Services

By | 2025 Newsletter week 38 | No Comments
  • NORBAY will become the second ship on the Tilbury–Zeebrugge route. The vessel has been inactive in Zeebrugge since mid-August.
  • RoRo vessels NORSKY and NORSTREAM will now operate full time on the Tilbury–Europoort route.
  • Changes take effect Sunday, 28 September.

Europoort–Tilbury

  • Two dedicated vessels to strengthen reliabilityand increase capacity.
  • Tilbury–Europoort departure moves from morning to evening.
  • Europoort Terminal opens from 07:00 for earlier deliveries and collections.

Zeebrugge–Tilbury

  • Weekly sailings increase from 18 to 20.
  • Vessels LONGSTONE and NORBAY.

Capacity can be further scaled up depending on demand.