- Record revenues:
- €100.7 million, up 17% from €85.9 million in 2023.
- Growth across all segments:
- Container Terminal: +19%
- Conventional Cargo: +14%
- Passenger Traffic: +54%
- Real Estate: +7%
- Profitability:
- Gross profit: €47.1 million (+25%)
- EBITDA: €42.6 million (+25%, margin: 42%)
- Earnings before tax: €36.3 million (+37%)
- Net profit: €28 million (+38%)
- Earnings per share: €2.78
- Dividend:
- Proposed at €2.00/share, up 54% from €1.30/share
- To be approved at AGM on 14 May 2025
- Liquidity:
- €123 million in cash, equivalents, and financial assets
- Includes €76.4 million in long-term deposits
- Up €28 million YoY
- Capital expenditure:
- €6.3 million in 2024
- Outlook:
- Master Plan approved, enabling key investments including Pier 6 expansion
After more than 15 years of negotiations, the IMO has adopted global rules to reduce the carbon intensity of shipping fuels, marking a major step toward meeting its greenhouse gas targets. Under the new Global Fuel Standard, ships must gradually reduce the carbon content of the energy they use, starting in 2028 and benchmarked against 2008 levels.
The compliance system includes financial penalties for high-emission fuels and rewards for low-carbon alternatives. Revenue will help fund the IMO’s Net-Zero initiatives. Interferry supports the move, though notes the new system’s complexity.
Read more on the Interferry website: https://interferry.com/regulatory-reports/
And this is the IMO announcement: https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/IMO-approves-netzero-regulations.aspx
Cemre Shipyard proudly marks a new milestone with the delivery of NB1091 HINNØY, Norway’s largest zero-emission ferry, now en route to her new home in the north. Built for Torghatten Nord and designed by The Norwegian Ship Design Company, this innovative double-ended ferry is set to operate on the Bognes–Lødingen route, offering a record-breaking one-hour crossing powered entirely by electricity.
HINNØY features an advanced battery-electric propulsion system, supported by shore charging infrastructure, and is equipped with two separate propulsion configurations—ensuring both high flexibility and reliability in even the most demanding Arctic conditions.
Classed by DNV and flying the Norwegian flag, she can carry up to 399 passengers and 120 cars, combining energy efficiency with passenger comfort and operational safety.
HAWAIKINUI 2, under construction for the Société de Navigation Polynésienne – SNP, is out at sea for trials. The photo shows the vessel leaving the Royal Bodewes Shipyard in Hoogezand, the Netherlands, under tow.
Once delivered, the cargo-ferry will operate in the Îles Sous-le-Vent, or Leeward Islands. They are a group of islands in the Society Islands archipelago of French Polynesia, located in the South Pacific. They lie to the west of the Windward Islands (which include Tahiti) and are known for their stunning lagoons, lush mountains, and traditional Polynesian culture.
Vessel type: RoRo
Passengers: 12
LOA: 86.98m
Capacity: 2,000 DWT
Propulsion: 1 x CPP shaft line
Service Speed: 12 knots
Route: Iles sous le Vent
Photos courtesy Mark Prummel. More of his photos: https://markprummel.nl/ship/hawaikinui-ii-1015612/
Color Group – the parent company of Color Line – delivered results in 2024 on par with its record-breaking 2023, despite ongoing inflation and geopolitical uncertainty.
Highlights from 2024:
- EBITDA reached NOK 1.4 billion, only marginally lower than in 2023
- Operating profit (EBIT) came in at NOK 808 million, compared to NOK 819 million in 2023
- Carried 3.7 million passengers and 160,000 freight units
- Nearly 4,700 sailings across four international routes and five ships
- Maintained robust performance despite weaker Norwegian currency and softer freight markets
“We delivered results in line with 2023 – the best year in the company’s history. This proves the strength of our product portfolio and our ability to adapt swiftly to changing market dynamics,” says CEO Trond Kleivdal.
Accelerating the Green Transition:
2024 marked the inclusion of shipping in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)
Color Line is actively preparing for future requirements:
- Route optimisation and energy efficiency initiatives
- Increased use of biofuel and silicone-based hull coatings
- Deployment of digital support systems for optimised sailing
- Continued exploration of zero-emission fuels and hybrid technology
- For the first time, Color Line reports according to the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) – a key step towards transparency and alignment with 2030 and 2050 climate targets.
Strong Financial Position:
Net interest-bearing debt (excl. hybrid bond): NOK 3.6 billion, down from NOK 3.75 billion
Available liquidity at year-end: NOK 1.7 billion
Outlook
Looking ahead to 2025: Despite an intensive docking programme to meet new environmental standards, Color Line expects another solid year of operations in 2025.
- Revenue grew by 7.5%, setting a new Q1 record
- Passenger traffic (cars and buses) reached all-time highs
- Freight volumes increased by 10%, with growth in both units and tonnage
- Energy consumption dropped 19.5% overall
- Energy use per trip decreased by 21.7%
- CO₂ emissions reduced by 23.2%
- Number of trips increased by 2.8%
- Main fuel remains liquefied natural gas (LNG)
- Strong growth in intermodal transport, especially via the Vaasa–Umeå–Southern Europe corridor
- Managing Director Peter Ståhlberg highlights customer loyalty and staff dedication
Click on here for the new sustainability report.
March 2025
-21% = 322,717 passengers
-30.1% = 20,737 cargo units
-11.9% = 47,776 passenger vehicles
The year-on-year change in the volume of passengers and vehicles transported should be evaluated taking into account the impact of Easter holidays, which in 2024 were in March.
Q1
-12% = 970,359 passengers
-31.9% = 57,830 cargo units
-10.9% = 135,829 passenger vehicles
March 2025 volume numbers are compared to 2024 impacted by the Easter holiday period falling in April this year compared to March in 2024. In general, this increases freight volumes and decreases passenger volumes compared to March 2024.
Ferry – freight:
- Total volumes in March 2025 of 3.8m lane metres were 4.1% above 2024 and up 3.6% adjusted for route changes. For Q1 2025, the growth rates were -0.2% and -0.5%, respectively.
- North Sea volumes were above 2024 as most routes carried higher volumes.
- Mediterranean volumes were below 2024 due to increased ferry competition in the corridor between Türkiye and Italy.
- Channel and Baltic Sea volumes were both above 2024 driven mainly by the Easter timing difference.
- Strait of Gibraltar volumes were also above 2024 driven by general market growth and the Easter impact.
- For the last twelve months 2025-24, the total transported freight lane metres increased 5.9% to 41.5m from 39.2m in 2024-23. The increase was 2.0% adjusted for route changes.
Ferry – passenger:
- The number of passengers in March 2025 was 46.3% below 2024 and down 29.5% adjusted for route changes. For Q1 2025, the growth rates were -27.4% and -12.1%, respectively.
- The adjusted monthly decrease was driven by mainly the Easter timing difference.
- The number of cars was 38.9% below 2024 and down 30.8% adjusted for route changes.
- For the last twelve months 2025-24, the total number of passengers increased 26.9% to 6.3m compared to 5.0m for 2024-23. The increase was 2.3% adjusted for route changes.
On April 8, Grimaldi Group has commissioned the construction of 9 RoPax vessels from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai).
- Total price of the order: $1.3 billion.
- To be delivered between 2028 and 2030.
- All nine will be equipped with engines capable of running on methanol, making them ready to achieve the “Net Zero Emission” goal.
- Ground-breaking, green technology innovations. Optimized hull and propeller designs, energy-efficient onboard power management systems (both at sea and in port), shore power readiness and the application of silicon-based hull coatings will reduce CO₂ emissions per transported cargo unit by more than 50% compared to vessels currently operating on the same routes.
“Next Generation Med” class
- 4 ferries for Grimaldi Lines, Italian flag
- 2 ferries for Minoan Lines, Greek flag
- LOA 229m |3,300 lane metres and 300+ cars | 2,500 passengers | 300 cabins for a total of over 1,200 guests | 700 reclining seats
- Passengers will have access to numerous onboard amenities: 3 bars, a shopping area, a conference hall, 2 self-service restaurants, a panoramic à la carte restaurant, an indoor/outdoor lounge with a sun deck featuring two pools, a rooftop disco bar
“Hansa Superstar” class (evolution of the “Superstar” series)
- 3 for Finnlines, Finnish flag
- LOA 240m |5,100 lane metres + 90 cars |Up to 1,100 passengers in 320 cabins
- Based on Finnlines’ Superstar-class vessels, but adapted for the long Finland–Germany route.
- Onboard facilities include: 5 bars and restaurants, a spa with a wide range of services, including a Finnish sauna, shops, 2 age-specific children’s play areas.
- Standout feature: main bar located at the bow on deck 12, offering panoramic views of the Baltic Sea.
Baleària is enhancing its summer ferry services between Spain and Algeria, increasing weekly sailings from three to five between 15 June and 15 September. The expanded schedule includes three weekly departures from Valencia to Mostaganem and two from Barcelona—one to Algiers and a newly launched route to Oran.
To support the increase in services, two ferries will be deployed, offering amenities such as halal dining, prayer areas, and customer service in Arabic.
FRS Syltfähre has entered the 2025 high season with a strengthened service offer, reinstating two-ship operations and introducing an hourly schedule between Rømø and Sylt. As of 1 April, both SYLTEXPRESS and RÖMÖEXPRESS are in full operation, delivering up to 28 crossings per day.
The enhanced schedule responds to peak-period demand, particularly around Easter, and includes new early-morning departures on weekends and public holidays. The increased frequency supports smoother traffic management at ports and greater flexibility for travellers—factors that are increasingly important in a market shaped by short-notice travel and high service expectations.
The 40-minute crossing continues to offer a strong onboard product, including catering (with popular GOSCH dishes), retail, and open-deck seating. Operational highlights include:
- Free advance reservations
- No-cost same-day rebooking
- Vehicle capacity for cars, motorhomes, and freight
With over 150,000 vehicles and 400,000 passengers transported annually, FRS Syltfähre remains a critical link to Sylt, combining frequency, flexibility, and a consistently reliable service offer. The move to a high-frequency model underlines its role as a responsive and strategically managed operator in the North Sea ferry landscape.
More: www.frs-syltfaehre.de
