Öresundlinjen Posts Best Year Since Molslinjen Takeover

By | 2026 Newsletter week 03 | No Comments

Öresundlinjen carried 6.37 million passengers in 2025, confirming continued growth on the Helsingborg–Helsingør route and marking its strongest year since joining Molslinjen.

Key figures 2025

  • Total passengers: 6,373,842 (+4% vs 2024)
  • Foot passengers: 3,363,377 (+7%), third-highest level since the Øresund Bridge opened in 2000
  • Passenger cars: 1,036,897 (+2%), highest since 2019

Traffic was handled by three ferries, two fully battery-powered and one recently converted to electric operation.

Growth drivers

  • Strong increase in walk-on passengers
  • Continued investment in digitisation, improving flow and reliability
  • Refurbished ferries, new restaurants and a clear shift to electric propulsion

CEO Kristian Durhuus said the results reflect the impact of sustained digital and operational development.

Onboard experience gains

  • Ferry services continue to function as a “floating bridge” in the Øresund region
  • Many foot passengers remain onboard for multiple crossings
  • Restaurant guests: over 200,000 in 2025 (+27% vs 2024)

 

Source: Via Ritzau

P&O Ferries Published Its 2024 Results

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Earlier this week, P&O Ferries, its holding company Dubai Ferries Holdings FZE and its subsidiaries published the full accounts made up to 31 December 2024.

Dubai Ferries Holdings FZE (ultimate holding company) reported a loss for the year 2024 after taxation £98.2m (£97.1 in 2023) (as shown on p58).

  • Freight units (thousands) 1,251 (1,326 in 2023)
  • Car volumes (thousands) 903 (890 in 2023)
  • Passenger volumes (thousands) 4,376 (4,590 in 2023)

Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06038090

Divisional performance

P&O Ferries Limited reported a £20.7m profit before tax, up from £2.1m in 2023.

Turnover increased to £806.6m, reflecting stabilised ferry operations and cost control.

Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00237626

P&O European Ferries (Irish Sea) Limited reduced its loss to £1.6m, from £15.5m in 2023, despite lower volumes.

Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/NF000676

P&O North Sea Ferries Limited posted a £8.9m loss, compared with £1.9m in 2023, amid ongoing margin pressure.

Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00809079

P&O Short Sea Ferries Limited recorded a £36.6m loss, compared with a loss of £61.3m in 2023, highlighting continued cost and regulatory pressure on Dover–Calais.

Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03291852

P&O Ferries Thames Limited remained loss-making with a £13.7m loss, compared with a loss of £10.3m in 2023, despite stable revenues.

Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06860796

Orkney Islands Council Confident Ferry Replacement Phase 1 Will Be Funded

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The Scottish Budget 2026–27 has been published. It says the Scottish Government will invest in renewal of the ferry fleet as part of its 2026–27 transport spend.

Peak and mid-season fares will be removed for residents travelling on Northern Isles lifeline ferries (Orkney and Shetland), backed by £1.8 million in this year’s budget.

Ongoing ferry fleet renewal is highlighted as part of the most extensive replacement programme since devolution.

Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2026-2027/pages/9/

See also our news: https://ferryshippingnews.com/orkney-seeks-design-and-build-partner-for-new-ferries/

HSC ESCHILO Sold by Liberty Lines to Greek Operator Alpha Lines II

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The 2006-built high-speed craft ESCHILO has been sold by Italian ferry operator Liberty Lines, controlled by the Morace family, to Greek operator Alpha Lines II Shipping Company.

The sale price was not disclosed. Malta Shipbrokers International intermediated the transaction. Built in Italy by Rodriquez Cantieri Navali, ESCHILO is 31.2 metres long, can accommodate up to 220 passengers, and reaches speeds of up to 36 knots powered by two MTU 16V396 TE 74 L engines.

In recent years, the vessel operated on the route between Milazzo, Sicily, and the Aeolian Islands.

Ex-JANAS Renamed GNV ALTAIR, to Enter Service on France–Algeria Routes

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The RoPax vessel ex-JANAS, recently sold by Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione (MOBY) to SAS – Shipping Agencies Services (MSC Group), has been renamed GNV ALTAIR and will enter service on the France–Algeria routes from 21 February.

The ship becomes the 27th vessel in GNV’s fleet. Following refit works, the 2002-built ferry, with capacity for 2,700 passengers and 915 lane metres of garage space, will operate on the Sète–Béjaïa and Sète–Algiers routes.

ATHARA and MOBY ALE 2 are also expected to join GNV in the coming weeks, while MOBY AKI and MOBY WONDER will remain in the Vincenzo Onorato-controlled fleet under a long-term charter-back agreement.