Eckerö Line has installed 120 solar panels on FINBO CARGO. The system is expected to generate approximately 70 MWh of electricity annually and save around 15 tonnes of fuel per year.
The panels are now operational and will supply electricity to the vessel when sufficient solar energy is available. The system can also be expanded at a later stage.
The installation was carried out by Solel Åland as part of Eckerö Line’s efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce its environmental impact.
Ferguson Marine has opened a voluntary redundancy programme as it prepares for a gap between completing its current order book and beginning its next shipbuilding contracts.
Up to 70 employees are expected to leave through the consultation process. The yard said its workload is reducing as GLEN ROSA enters the final outfitting and commissioning stages ahead of delivery in Q4 2026.
In March, the Scottish Government announced its intention to make a strategic direct award to Ferguson Marine for four vessels. These comprise two ferries for Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited under the Small Vessel Replacement Programme, a Marine Protection Vessel and a Marine Research Vessel. Due diligence is continuing before the contracts can be finalised.
CEO Graeme Thomson said the measures would align the size and skills of the workforce with the yard’s transitional workload and prepare it to begin the new programme as soon as possible.
Ferguson Marine said the redundancies would not affect the remaining work or delivery schedule for GLEN ROSA.
Baleària has moved a step closer to securing its own passenger and freight terminal at the Port of Valencia after no competing proposals were submitted during the one-month public consultation period.
The Port Authority of Valencia (APV) will now proceed with preparing the concession terms and processing the project before a final decision by its Board of Directors.
Baleària is seeking a 35-year concession for an 80,704 m² site at the South Dock, close to its current operations at the Turia Dock. The new facility would be dedicated exclusively to ferry passengers and freight.
The project replaces an earlier terminal concession awarded in 2022 and cancelled by APV in November 2025 as part of plans to reconsider the integration of passenger-port activities with the city.
Unlike the previous €100 million project, which also included cruise traffic and involved a partner, the new proposal is being developed by Baleària alone and has a smaller footprint.
Expian has published a new report advocating ferry operators to focus on modernising their booking systems and data infrastructure before investing in AI.
The report, AI on the Horizon: The Ferry Operator’s Guide to Modernising the Booking Experience, notes that the maritime AI market was valued at £4.13 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a 23% compound annual growth rate by 2029, citing Lloyd’s Register.
Despite growing interest in AI, Expian argues that many operators are still constrained by legacy booking platforms and fragmented data, limiting their ability to benefit from emerging technologies.
“Rushing to add complexity or tick a tool off your checklist is a recipe for disaster,” said Yiannis Maglaras, CEO of Expian. “AI-readiness is about understanding your system today and what you want it to do for you tomorrow.”
The report identifies four pillars of AI readiness: connected data, flexible infrastructure, organisational readiness, and governance. It also outlines how modern ticketing platforms could enable dynamic pricing, personalised offers, automated disruption management and conversational booking, while warning that deploying AI on top of legacy systems could increase operational and compliance risks.
Charles-Henry de Lignac will become Managing Director of La Méridionale on 1 September, succeeding Étienne Melliani, who was appointed in January 2026.
Melliani will remain within the CMA CGM Group and is reportedly set to join its Mediterranean Short Sea Lines activities.
De Lignac, who has previously held management responsibilities at La Méridionale, becomes the company’s fourth Managing Director in around three years. The company says his appointment will ensure continuity of ongoing projects and support its next phase of development.
The management change comes as La Méridionale prepares for the delivery of two new 180-metre LNG-powered RoPax vessels in the first quarter of 2027. The ships, intended for services between mainland France and Corsica, will accommodate 1,000 passengers and freight.
Polska Żegluga Bałtycka (PŻB), operating under the Polferries brand, has appointed Jarosław Kotarski as President of its Management Board. He took up the position on 19 August, succeeding Piotr Redmerski.
Kotarski brings extensive maritime and ferry experience. A graduate of the Maritime University of Szczecin, he has worked within the Polska Żegluga Morska group since 1993. He previously headed Unity Line and served in senior management positions at Żegluga Polska.
Remark (source: gospodarkamorska.pl): Redmerski was dismissed due to changes in the management structures of the shipping companies and the need to separate responsibilities within PŻB in connection with the establishment of the POLSCA brand by PŻB, PŻM, and EuroAfrika.
CMAL CEO Kevin Hobbs has called for ferry investment in Scotland to become a continuous programme rather than a series of stop-start investment cycles.
With new vessels entering service, seven electric ferries under construction and further projects progressing, CMAL expects half of the Clyde and Hebrides fleet to be renewed by the end of the decade. Once the vessels currently under construction enter service, the average fleet age should fall below 15 years.
Hobbs stresses that maintaining this momentum requires long-term planning. A ferry typically takes around five years from concept design to entering service, meaning vessels required beyond 2030 need to be planned and procured now.
The same approach is needed for ports, with continuous investment required for maintenance, shore power, electrification and future decarbonisation.
Read Kevin Hobbs’ full perspective:
From the Helm: Maintaining Momentum Through Continuous Investment (Linkedin)
The main OPE 2026 trends through 15 August are:
Detailed OPE figures through 15 August in El Estrecho (in Spanish)
DFDS has launched a strategic review aimed at defining its long-term vision, positioning and priorities, as the group reported improved financial performance in Q2 2026.
“We have launched a strategy review to clarify our long-term vision, positioning, and priorities,” said Michael Hansen, CEO of DFDS. The review, including new financial ambitions, is expected to be completed within six months.
Hansen acknowledged that while DFDS is well positioned in most of its markets, its financial performance remains “far from where it should be”, making improved profitability a top priority.
In Q2, revenue increased 10% to DKK 8.6bn, while EBIT improved by DKK 291m to DKK 454m. Both the Ferry and Logistics divisions increased earnings compared with Q2 2025. Adjusted free cash flow reached DKK 728m and financial leverage improved to 3.4x NIBD/EBITDA.
DFDS also raised its 2026 outlook. Revenue growth is now expected at 3-5%, while the EBIT outlook has been narrowed upwards to DKK 1.2-1.4bn. Adjusted free cash flow is expected at around DKK 500m.
CO2e emission intensity across the total network increased by 2.0% during the quarter.
Read the Q2 2026 interim report here:
https://www.dfds.com/en/about/investors/reports-and-presentations/q2-report-2026
DFDS transported 3.5m freight lane metres in July 2026, down 3.2% compared with July 2025.
North Sea volumes were just below last year as growth on Continent–UK routes was offset by lower volumes out of Scandinavia. Mediterranean volumes declined due to a softer overall market and reduced capacity on certain routes, while Channel volumes were also below 2025.
Baltic Sea freight volumes remained stable. Strait of Gibraltar volumes increased, while growth continued on the Egypt route.
Over the last twelve months, freight volumes increased 0.3% to 41.8m lane metres, but decreased 0.5% when adjusted for route changes.
Passenger volumes decreased 1.6% in July to 752,000, mainly due to lower traffic on the Strait of Gibraltar. On a rolling twelve-month basis, passenger numbers were down 15.0%, or 5.1% adjusted for route changes.
