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sandra

Feb 22
Love3

HSC LAURA SANGIOVANNI Delivered to Liberty Lines

By 2026 Newsletter week 08

The Sicilian ferry company Liberty Lines, owned by the Morace family, has taken delivery of HSC LAURA SANGIOVANNI, newly built in Spain by Armon Shipyard in Vigo.

The vessel operated its first scheduled service from Lipari to Milazzo.

HSC LAURA SANGIOVANNI is the eighth fast hybrid vessel built in Spain for Liberty Lines. Malta Shipbrokers International Ltd acted as broker for the deal.

This vessel model is the result of close collaboration between the technical teams of Liberty Lines, Armon Shipyard, Rolls-Royce, RINA, and the Australian designers Incat Crowther.

Like her sister ships already delivered and in operation, HSC LAURA SANGIOVANNI is equipped with an integrated propulsion system featuring Rolls-Royce MTU Series 4000 engines, providing both conventional and electric propulsion. This hybrid configuration enables the vessel to enter and leave ports with zero emissions, sailing at up to 8 knots in full-electric mode and up to 30 knots in cruise mode.

Feb 22
Love3

Increasing Competition and Tonnage Deployment Between Grimaldi and DFDS

By 2026 Newsletter week 08

The competitive landscape between the shipping companies DFDS and Grimaldi Euromed on the Motorways of the Sea connecting the Turkish market with Central Europe via the port of Trieste is heating up again.

The Danish shipping company announced the deployment of the chartered-in RoRo vessel HAFNIA, adding approximately 3,300 linear metres of garage capacity to the market. “We offer the highest frequency and largest RoRo cargo capacity on the Turkey–Europe trade, with 14 weekly departures, in addition to the Egypt–Italy service,” commented Lars Hoffmann of DFDS.

A few days later, Grimaldi publicly announced that eight weekly departures had been restored on the Trieste–Patras–Ambarli–Gemport line, with a total capacity of approximately 4,000 RoRo units per week.

Furthermore, another development has been announced: “We are ready to deploy our fifth vessel, EUROCARGO BARI, on the line, aiming to reach a total frequency of ten weekly departures and a capacity of over 4,500 rolling units per week,” Grimaldi said.

Photo Lars Hoffmann on Linkedin

Feb 22
Love3

Lavrio Coordinates Greek Ports’ Shore Power Preparation

By 2026 Newsletter week 08

Lavrio Port Authority S.A. hosted a conference on shore-side electricity (SSE) as coordinator of the EU-funded DECOMPRESS project

The event, held on 12 February 2026 under the auspices of the Hellenic Ports Association, focused on preparing Greek ports for mandatory SSE deployment by 2030.

The DECOMPRESS consortium brings together the port authorities of Rafina, Corfu and Kavala, the Greek electricity distribution operator HEDNO, Growthfund, and technical partners.

Main topics included:

  • EU regulatory requirements
  • Grid capacity and interoperability
  • Financing tools and business models

Lavrio stressed that port electrification requires coordinated energy planning and timely adaptation of port master plans.

Source: Hellenic Ports Association

Feb 22
Love3

MOSOLF Expands To Port Of Oostende

By 2026 Newsletter week 08

MOSOLF Group will expand its activities to the Port of Oostende, strengthening the Belgian port’s position as a multimodal logistics hub

Founded in 1955 and headquartered in Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany, MOSOLF provides vehicle handling and storage, transport, technical processing and port-based logistics solutions. The group is active in several European ports, offering RoRo services, breakbulk handling and value-added activities

In Oostende, MOSOLF’s activities are expected to include:

  • Vehicle handling and storage
  • RoRo logistics
  • Technical and value-added services
  • Sustainable multimodal transport solutions
Feb 22
Love3

Bastia Pilots Back “Portu Novu” Project

By 2026 Newsletter week 08

The maritime pilots — responsible for guiding vessels in and out of the Port of Bastia — state that continued traffic growth is no longer feasible within the current infrastructure.

Following a series of simulations, they conclude that operational limits have been reached.

The pilots now support the development of the proposed “Portu Novu” project, located south of the city, as a long-term solution to:

  • Improve manoeuvring safety
  • Accommodate traffic growth
  • Safeguard Bastia’s role as a primary ferry gateway

For RoPax operators, the issue is structural: without capacity expansion, future deployment and schedule optimisation could be constrained.

Source: Corse Matin (in French) – Photo Mike Louagie

Feb 22
Love3

KALLISTE May Avoid Scrapping

By 2026 Newsletter week 08

La Méridionale’s ferry KALLISTE could avoid demolition.

A solution aimed at returning the vessel to service is reportedly taking shape. No final decision has been made, but a serious alternative to scrapping in Turkey — the option previously considered by the CMA CGM Group — is now on the table.

Note from FSN: Recently, the unions have been striking against the scrapping. Last year, there were rumours that CMA CGM wanted to sell La Méridionale. The company has two RoPax ferries on order.

Source: Le Marin (in French) — Photo Jean-Pierre Fabre

Feb 13
Love3

Viking Line 2025: Stable Revenue, Softer EBIT, Record Freight

By 2026 Newsletter week 07

Full Year 2025 (vs 2024)

  • Revenue: EUR 480.9 M (+0.2%)
  • Operating income (EBIT): EUR 21.1 M (down from EUR 26.7 M)
  • Profit before tax: EUR 18.9 M (EUR 19.8 M)
  • Net profit: EUR 16.0 M (EUR 15.9 M)

Traffic & Market

  • Passengers: 4,608,573 (–0.8%)
  • Total market share: 32.1% (32.8%)
  • Finland–Sweden share: 59.8% (unchanged)
  • Finland–Estonia share: 24.3% (24.5%)

Freight: Record Year

  • Cargo units: 139,484 (+3.9%) – new historical high
  • Freight market share: 19.4% (17.8%)
  • Fossil-free freight option introduced on all routes

Freight continues to outperform despite weak Finnish macro conditions.

Q4 2025: Improved Profitability

  • Revenue: EUR 112.6 M (+2.8%)
  • EBIT: EUR 3.6 M (EUR 1.5 M)
  • Net profit: EUR 4.1 M (EUR 3.5 M)

Passenger revenue rose 3.2%. Operating costs fell 0.6%.

Cost & Regulatory Pressure

  • Operating costs FY: EUR 328.6 M (+1.7%)
  • Emission allowance costs: EUR 4.5 M (EUR 3.1 M)
  • Wage costs +2.8%, partly due to Birka Gotland staffing
  • ETS phase-in increased to 70% in 2025
  • FuelEU Maritime entered into force 1 January 2025

Island exemption applies to parts of Turku–Stockholm and Helsinki–Stockholm routes.

Investments

  • Capex: EUR 19.6 M (4.1% of revenue)
    • Dockings (GABRIELLA, VIKING XPRS)
    • Emission allowances

Helios project (large electrified vessel concept for Helsinki–Tallinn) progressing.

2026 Outlook

  • Profit before tax expected on par with or slightly better than 2025
  • Continued uncertainty:
    • Weak consumer demand
    • Geopolitics
    • Energy prices
    • Emission costs
    • Source: Viking Line
Feb 13
Love3

Official Start of the HORIZON X Building Project

By 2026 Newsletter week 07

Austal has marked a significant milestone in the construction of Horizon X, the next-generation high-speed ferry for Sweden’s Gotlandsbolaget, with a plate cutting ceremony held on 5 February 2026 at the Austal Philippines shipyard in Balamban, Cebu.

Horizon X is a 130m, hydrogen-ready, high-speed catamaran ferry — part of Gotlandsbolaget’s innovative Horizon X programme — and represents the largest vessel ever contracted to Austal.

The ferry is designed to carry up to 1,500 passengers and 400 vehicles and cargo and will be capable of operating on multiple fuel types, including future hydrogen and other low-emission alternatives.

VIP guests from left to right: Jonas Moberg, Head of Newbuilding, Gotlandsbolaget; Håkan Johansson, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gotlandsbolaget; Paddy Gregg, CEO, Austal Limited; Björn Nilsson, CEO, Gotlandsbolaget; Wayne Murray, President, Austal Asia. (Image: Austal)

Source

Feb 13
Love3

Ferry FYNSHAV Sold by Molslinjen to Medmar Navi

By 2026 Newsletter week 07

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The 1998-built ferry FYNSHAV has been sold by Danish operator Molslinjen to Naples-based Medmar Navi.

The reported price for the vessel, now renamed MEDMAR MARTINA, was approximately EUR 4.5 million.

The ferry is expected to sail from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean in the coming days. It will undergo refit works before re-entering service in the Gulf of Naples next summer.

Medmar Navi, a short-sea operator controlled by the D’Abundo family, recently acquired two additional vessels as part of its fleet renewal programme: MEDMAR GIORGIA and HSC MEDMAR DONATA.

The ships will serve regular routes from Naples and Pozzuoli to the islands of Ischia and Procida.hoto: Wikimedia