Destination Gotland has bunkered BioLNG for the first time, using the renewable fuel on its ferry services ahead of the summer season and Almedalen Week.
The Swedish-produced BioLNG is supplied by St1 Biokraft and bunkered in the Port of Visby in cooperation with Avenir. While the availability of Swedish BioLNG remains limited, Destination Gotland says the initiative marks another step in its long-term strategy to reduce emissions from its Baltic ferry operations.
Italy’s antitrust authority has approved the sale of Terminal San Giorgio in Genoa to Ignazio Messina & C., ending a three-year review. However, the approval comes with strict conditions, including the removal of MSC from Messina’s decision-making process and the conversion of Terminal San Giorgio into a joint-stock company. Grimaldi Group, which uses the terminal as its Genoa hub for Motorways of the Sea services, continues to oppose the transaction.
Molslinjen has selected BOS Power to supply the two battery energy storage systems that will support its future electric high-speed catamarans on the Kattegat routes.
The supplier selection was carried out with technical support from Hybrid Greentech, which has advised Molslinjen throughout the project.
The two battery systems, located in Aarhus and Odden, will each have a capacity of 118 MWh. They will enable the ferries to recharge during 30-minute port calls by combining electricity from the grid with stored energy. Each ferry will charge at 15 kV AC and up to 55 MW, receiving approximately 25 MWh of energy before its next crossing.
The battery systems will also provide backup capacity, storing enough energy for three to four ferry crossings should the electricity supply be disrupted.
The three electric catamarans, currently under construction at Incat in Australia, are scheduled to enter service from spring 2028. The project is expected to become the world’s largest maritime electrification programme.
Once all three ferries are in operation, annual CO₂ emissions are expected to be reduced by 132,000 tonnes. The ferries and associated shore infrastructure represent a total investment of DKK 3.5 billion. The value of the battery storage contract has not been disclosed.
From 1 July 2026, the UK will formally begin extending its Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) to the maritime sector, with the wider framework expected to expand to international voyages from 2028 following consultation.
For ferry operators serving routes across the English Channel and the North Sea, the UK ETS adds another regulatory layer alongside the EU ETS and the forthcoming Entry/Exit System (EES). As the UK develops its own carbon-pricing regime for international shipping, operators on UK–EU routes will increasingly need to manage compliance under both UK and EU emissions trading systems.
At its annual meeting in Rome, Italian shipowners’ association Assarmatori, whose members include Moby, GNV and several other short-sea ferry operators, criticised a new regulatory measure requiring ETS funds for fleet renewal to be spent exclusively on newbuildings or vessel retrofits at European shipyards.
Calling the geographical restriction “nonsense”, Assarmatori Chairman Stefano Messina said it was the reason why Italy’s 2021–2022 Fleet Renewal Decree largely failed, with only a small portion of the EUR 500 million budget being used.
According to the association, European shipyards lack the capacity to build most commercial vessels, apart from naval ships, cruise vessels and, to a limited extent, ferries. Assarmatori argues that Italian operators can renew their fleets only if they are free to place orders outside Europe.
Echandia will supply its Echandia Core battery system for a new 78-metre hybrid catamaran under construction at Incat Tasmania, marking the company’s first collaboration with one of the world’s leading builders of high-speed aluminium ferries.
The vessel has been designed for maximum operational flexibility and lower operating costs, helping operators transition away from fossil fuels in a practical and cost-effective manner. It will carry up to 650 passengers and 120 cars, with a top speed of 28 knots.
The ferry will be capable of operating in fully electric, hybrid or generator-only modes, enabling zero-emission operations on short crossings and in emission-control zones while maintaining longer-range capability.
The vessel will be available for bareboat or time charter from January 2027.
Godby Shipping has extended the time charter contract for BALTIC BRIGHT with Holmen Board and Paper for 2027, with an option for 2028. The partnership began in January 2022.
The extension supports Godby Shipping’s long-term fleet development strategy, which includes energy-efficiency upgrades to BALTIC BRIGHT, such as a new engine control system and renewed hull coating.
The company also highlighted its future investments, including two Stream RoRo 1700 newbuildings scheduled for delivery in September 2028 and January 2029.
Baleària Canarias has presented its fast ferry PEPITA CASTELLVÍ in several ports of the Canaries. The 102-metre trimaran will strengthen the triangular route linking Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma.
The vessel, the former CONDOR LIBERATION, can carry 870 passengers and 250 vehicles at speeds of up to 35 knots.
From 26 June, PEPITA CASTELLVÍ will operate alongside VOLCÁN DE TIRAJANA, increasing capacity and reinforcing connectivity between the western Canary Islands during the summer season.
Baleària Canarias will also expand its freight operations between Tenerife and Cádiz with the addition of RoRo JOSEFINA DE LA TORRE, offering more than 4,000 lane metres of cargo capacity. (ex ABU SAMRAH)
Norwegian Fjord Shuttle AS has signed a contract with Brødrene Aa Hyen AS for a 292-passenger hybrid vessel, combining battery and diesel propulsion. Worth NOK 135 million, it is the largest investment in Fjord Shuttle’s history, with delivery scheduled for the second quarter of 2027.
Designed for sustainable tourism in Western Norway, the vessel will be able to operate on battery power alone for more than three hours and will be chartered to Fjord Guiding AS for services in Nordfjord, Geiranger and Sunnmøre.
The order also secures activity at the Brødrene Aa shipyard until summer 2027 and supports local employment following the yard’s 2025 bankruptcy.
AERO 4 HIGHSPEED is the new name of MEI ZHU HU, which Attica Group acquired from China last March.
The vessel is currently at the Perama repair zone and is expected to enter service on the Piraeus–Saronic route alongside her sister ship AERO 5 HIGHSPEED (ex-YU ZHU HU). Both vessels will replace FLYING CAT 3, FLYING CAT 4, FLYING CAT 5 and FLYING CAT 6.
Built by Brødrene Aa in Norway in 2017, the vessel can carry 270 passengers and operate at speeds of up to 35 knots.
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
