All Posts By

sandra

Mar 13
Love3

GNV BRIDGE Chartered To Attica Group

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

According to recent information, Attica Group has proceeded with the bareboat charter of the RoPax GNV BRIDGE.

The vessel has been chartered by GNV from Visentini since her delivery in 2021. She is expected to arrive in Greece in late April and will be renamed SUPERFAST V.

Before entering service, the ship will receive new Superfast Ferries livery during May.

SUPERFAST V will replace the RoPax LEFKA ORI on the PATRAS – IGOUMENITSA – CORFU – VENICE route, with entry into service expected in late May 2026.

Built in Italy by Cantieri Navali Visentini (2021), the vessel has capacity for 950 passengers (157 cabins) and 2,566 lane metres of freight. Service speed is 23 knots.

Mar 13
Love3

GNV AURORA Completed First LNG Bunkering in Genoa

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

GNV’s ferry GNV AURORA has completed its first LNG bunkering operation in the port of Genoa where the newly built ro-pax ship has just arrived from China.
The delivery was performed by the LNG bunker tanker GREEN ZEEBRUGGE operated by Axpo and coming from the offshore terminal Olt Offshore Lng Toscana in Italy.

During a technical meeting held on board the vessel, GNV also announced that the first cold ironing test in the port of Genoa will be carried out before the next summer on one of its ferries.

Mar 13
Love3

New RoRo Terminal for Grimaldi in the Spanish Port of Sagunto

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Valencia has granted an administrative concession to Valencia Terminal Europa (owned by the Grimaldi Group) for a terminal in the Port of Sagunto dedicated to vehicles and RoRo cargo. The new terminal represents an investment of EUR 3.9 million and further consolidates Sagunto as an automotive hub.

The concession has been granted for a period of 10 years and will be located at Central Quay 2 and South Quay 2.

Recently, the Grimaldi Group and its controlled company Trasmed GLE launched a new Motorway of the Seas service between Spain and Italy, linking the ports of Sagunto, Palma de Mallorca and Salerno. A RoRo maritime bridge is also active between Sagunto and Cagliari.

Mar 13
Love3

Lavrio Port Moves Ahead with Infrastructure and Cruise Growth

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

The Lavrio Port Authority (OLL S.A.) will sign a contract for the supply and installation of floating breakwaters and piers, following approval by the Greek Court of Audit. The project, prepared over five years, is expected to be completed in 2026.

Lavrio strengthened its position in the cruise market in 2025, targeting homeporting for small and medium-sized luxury cruise ships. Cruise bookings for 2026 already exceed 250 calls, up from 156 in 2025.

The port was also the second most profitable state-owned port in Greece in 2025. In parallel, it coordinates an EU-funded consortium preparing the ports of Lavrio, Corfu, Rafina and Kavala for shore power (cold ironing) infrastructure by 2030.

Mar 13
Love3

Port Marlborough and StraitNZ Bluebridge Sign Long-Term Partnership Agreement

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

Port Marlborough and StraitNZ Bluebridge have confirmed their long-term partnership this week through a new 39-year commercial agreement that secures the future of StraitNZ’s Cook Strait ferry services through Waitohi Picton to 2064.

The agreement provides long-term certainty for StraitNZ’s operations in Picton and enables further coordinated planning for both businesses to support freight and passenger services across Cook Strait over the next four decades.

Source: Port Marlborough

Mar 13
Love3

Port Of Turku Takes A Digital Leap With Passenger And Traffic Management System

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

The Port of Turku will introduce a new passenger and traffic management system at its upcoming ferry terminal. The contract was awarded to the local company Weasel Software after a competitive tender.

Key elements of the project:

  • The system will manage passenger flows, vehicle check-in, and boarding in the new terminal area.
  • Delivery includes software, gates, measuring devices, and digital signage.
  • Weasel Software will also provide maintenance and support after commissioning.

The new system aims to streamline departures and improve peak-period operations. This is particularly important as the terminal is designed to handle two passenger and freight ferries arriving and departing simultaneously within one hour.

Automated and integrated processes will allow simultaneous departures from a shared waiting area, reducing manual work and improving operational efficiency.

According to the port, the system is a key element of the Ferry Terminal Turku project, which aims to deliver a smoother experience for passengers and shipping companies.

Port of Turku in numbers:

  • 2 million passengers annually
  • 80,000 trucks per year
  • 1,500 vessel calls annually

The Port of Turku is one of Southwest Finland’s key transport hubs for passenger and freight ferry traffic.

Source: Port of Turku

Photo: Port of Turku – Tuukka Salo

Mar 13
Love3

CER and ESPO Call for Stronger Rail–Port Connectivity

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

Turkish civil society organisations have renewed their call for the removal of Aliağa shipbreaking yards from the EU list of approved ship recycling facilities, citing severe pollution and systemic mismanagement.

During a meeting with the European Commission (DG ENVI) on 24 February, NGOs highlighted environmental degradation in the area, including contamination with Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) linked to ship recycling activities. They also pointed to several recent incidents at yards that remain on the EU list, including the discharge of unidentified liquids during the dismantling of the vessel LILY HA.

The organisations argue that the current situation poses significant environmental and health risks and are calling for the suspension of Aliağa facilities from the EU list until improvements are implemented.

Click and read the open letter: 

Mar 13
Love3

Full Charge ahead: Investigating the Potential to Electrify Europe’s Ferries

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

A new report by Transport & Environment (T&E) warns that ferry pollution in several European port cities can exceed emissions from all cars combined.

However, the study highlights that the transition is achievable: at least 60% of Europe’s ferry fleet could operate on batteries by 2035, and 52% of ferries would already be cheaper to run as electric vessels compared with fossil-fuel alternatives.

According to T&E, battery technology is no longer the main obstacle. The key challenge lies in port infrastructure, particularly the deployment of high-power charging. The report notes that 57% of ports would only require chargers below 5 MW.

Source: Transport & Environment

Read the full report: [link]

Mar 13
Love3

EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition: Deadline for National Implementation

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

EU Member States must implement the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive by 27 March 2026. The directive (EU) 2024/825 strengthens consumer protection and targets misleading environmental claims.

It amends the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the Consumer Rights Directive to improve transparency on sustainability and product durability.

Key elements include:

  • Stricter rules on environmental claims to combat greenwashing.
  • Ban on vague claims such as “eco-friendly” or “green” without clear evidence.
  • Restrictions on “carbon neutral” claims based solely on offsetting.
  • New information requirements on durability, repairability, and software updates.

For ferry operators, ports, and suppliers, the directive will affect how environmental and sustainability claims are communicated to consumers.

Companies will need to ensure that all green claims are substantiated, specific, and verifiable. Marketing language and sustainability messaging will likely require review before the rules start applying in September 2026.