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sandra

Jun 06
Love3

Echandia Launches New Marine Battery System

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

Swedish maritime battery specialist Echandia has launched Echandia Core, a new lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO) battery system designed for fully electric and hybrid vessels. The company says the system reduces upfront investment costs and installation footprint by 30% compared with its previous LTO platform while maintaining the safety, reliability and long service life associated with the technology.

Echandia Core is aimed at applications including electric propulsion, spinning reserve, peak shaving, backup power and load levelling. The launch expands Echandia’s portfolio alongside its existing Ultra and Robust battery platforms and is intended to make LTO technology more accessible for a wider range of maritime projects.

https://www.echandia.com/en/news/echandia-launches-new-battery-system

Jun 06
Love3

Compagnie Maritime Nantaise Wins Vega C Transport Contract

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

France’s Compagnie Maritime Nantaise (MN) has secured a five-year contract to transport Avio’s Vega C launcher between Naples and the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana.

The contract was awarded by Africa Global Logistics, part of MSC, and supports Arianespace’s European launch programme. Initially, the RoRo vessel MN COLIBRI will operate on the route.

CMN also confirmed that its Logspatial research project has secured funding to develop technologies for a future low-emission vessel dedicated to space logistics. The programme focuses on hybrid propulsion, rigid wing sails and digital optimisation tools aimed at reducing energy consumption.

The specialised trade involves transporting high-value rocket components that require carefully controlled handling and transport conditions.

Jun 06
Love3

ROMANTIKA To Serve as Floating Hotel During Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

Tallink’s RoPax ferry ROMANTIKA has been chartered to serve as a floating hotel during the 20th edition of the Mediterranean Games, taking place in Taranto, southern Italy, from 21 August to 3 September 2026.

The vessel will be the second ship accommodating participants during the event, alongside the cruise ship AROYA. Both vessels will host part of the delegations attending the Games.

Organisers have placed particular emphasis on accommodation arrangements, including the Athletes’ Village at the Taranto Naval Base and the use of the two ships.

The Mediterranean Games, the region’s largest multi-sport event, are expected to attract more than 4,000 athletes from 26 countries. The programme includes 33 sports and 10 tournament disciplines.

Built in 2002, ROMANTIKA can accommodate up to 2,500 passengers in 636 cabins, although the vessel is expected to operate at a reduced capacity during the event. The ferry is currently laid up at Paljassaare, near Tallinn.

Italian shipbroker Ferrando & Massone acted as adviser to the shipowner in arranging the charter.

Jun 06
Love3

GNV AURORA Christened in Morocco as GNV Expands Services

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

MSC-controlled ferry operator GNV has celebrated the christening of its newest vessel, GNV AURORA, in Morocco, marking both the arrival of a new ship and the expansion of its services to the North African market.

The investment forms part of GNV’s fleet renewal programme, valued at more than €1.3 billion.

From June, the company, led by Matteo Catani, will deploy two of its newest dual-fuel LNG ferries, GNV AURORA and GNV VIRGO, on the Genoa–Barcelona–Tanger Med route.

Both vessels were built by Guangzhou Shipyard International in China. Measuring 218 metres in length, they each feature 426 passenger cabins, capacity for more than 1,700 passengers and 2,780 lane metres of freight.

During the ceremony, GNV highlighted its nearly 20-year presence in the Moroccan market. Over that period, the operator has carried more than six million passengers on routes to and from Morocco. In 2025 alone, more than 465,000 passengers travelled on its Moroccan services.

The expansion also forms part of the company’s long-term growth strategy towards 2030. Demand is expected to benefit from the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

Jun 06
Love3

MEGA SERENA Returns to Service After Major Refit

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

Corsica Sardinia Ferries has returned MEGA SERENA to service following an extensive refurbishment carried out at the San Giorgio shipyard in Genoa.

The vessel, formerly STENA VISION, resumed operations on 28 May and will join the company’s services to Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearic Islands.

The vessel has been upgraded with modern technologies aimed at improving safety, sustainability and operational performance.

The ferry has also been prepared for shore power connectivity, allowing the vessel to connect to the local electricity grid while berthed. Final commissioning work on the system is expected to be completed in the coming months.

Jun 06
Love3

Marathon in partnership with Omborddata and Panasoft!

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

Marathon Software has acquired Sweden’s Omborddata AB and Finland’s Panasoft Oy. Together they now form the leading Nordic provider of specialised software for crew management and payroll administration for the maritime industry. Through the acquisitions, two industry-leading companies with deep domain expertise are brought together under common ownership. Omborddata and Panasoft have market-leading products in Sweden and Finland respectively.

The partnership with Marathon as new majority owner means that the companies gain a long-term partner that contributes additional expertise and resources to support the business in product and technology development.

Founders and key people in both companies remain and become co-owners of the new group. At the same time, new expertise is added to the group as Christer Bruzelius joins the board. Christer has extensive experience from senior positions within Nordic shipping and was previously, among other roles, CEO of Destination Gotland.

Jun 06
Love3

EU Urged To End Double Standards In Ship Recycling

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

EUROFER, Recycling Europe and the NGO Shipbreaking Platform are calling on the European Commission to ban beaching and landing methods in ship recycling.

The appeal comes as the Commission reviews technical guidance for third-country ship recycling facilities. These guidelines are used to assess whether non-EU yards can recycle EU-flagged vessels under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation.

The organisations argue that the current system creates double standards between EU yards and approved third-country facilities.

They call for:

  • A clear ban on beaching and landing.
  • Full containment requirements for dismantling.
  • Equivalent environmental permits and impact assessments for third-country yards.
  • A clear procedure for suspending or removing non-compliant yards from the EU List.
  • Inclusion of Basel Convention obligations.
  • Scrutiny of downstream facilities processing secondary raw materials, including steel.

The organisations also repeat their call to remove Turkish yards from the EU List until improvements are made.

They point to ongoing concerns in Aliağa, Turkey, including weak environmental permitting, poor monitoring, unsafe working conditions and waste-management shortcomings.

European Shipowners Criticise ETS Revenue Allocation

Speaking at Posidonia, ECSA Secretary General Sotiris Raptis said the EU collects around EUR 9 billion annually from the maritime ETS, but warned that too little of this revenue is being reinvested in clean fuels and decarbonisation projects.

Jun 06
Love3

Minna Pirkkanen Appointed MD of Port of Turku

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

The Port of Turku Ltd has appointed Minna Pirkkanen as its new Managing Director.

Pirkkanen holds a Master’s degree in Environmental and Energy Technology from Tampere University of Technology and brings extensive leadership experience from technology-sector companies in Finland and internationally.

She will take over the leadership of one of Finland’s busiest passenger and cargo ports.