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2026 Newsletter week 02

Jan 16
3

Viking Line 2025: Passenger Volumes Stable, Cargo and Sustainability Advance

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Viking Line carried 4.61 million passengers in 2025 across its five vessels and achieved a record cargo volume, despite a marginal year-on-year passenger decline.

Key passenger figures

  • Total passengers: 4,608,573 (–0.8% vs 2024)
  • Passenger cars: 509,634
  • International passengers: Market share increased to 13.5%

Route highlights:

  • Helsinki–Tallinn: 1,823,917 passengers
  • Helsinki–Mariehamn–Stockholm: 808,787 passengers (+12%, market share 47%)
  • Turku–Mariehamn–Stockholm: 1,944,798 passengers
  • Special cruises: 31,071 passengers
  • The jointly owned Birka Gotland, operated with Gotlandsbolaget, carried 570,513 passengers, up 30% compared with its shorter first operating year.

Service and fleet investments

Deputy CEO Peter Hellgren highlighted improved customer satisfaction and strong summer performance, supported by fleet investments, including upgrades to VIKING XPRS on the competitive Helsinki–Tallinn route.

Cargo reaches record level

  • Cargo units: 139,484
  • Year-on-year growth: nearly +4%

Freight Director Harri Tamminen attributed the result to long-term customer partnerships and new fossil-free transport solutions.

Emissions reduction and future concepts

  • Biogas use: increased tenfold to ~6,000 tonnes
  • GHG reduction: more than 60,000 tonnes
  • Carbon-neutral option: now available for both passengers and cargo customers

In June, Viking Line unveiled the HELIOS concept, an electric-powered passenger/car ferry planned for the Helsinki–Tallinn route. If realised, it could enable a green shipping corridor across the Gulf of Finland in the early 2030s.

Source: Viking Line

Photo: Mike Louagie

Jan 16
3

DFDS December 2025: Freight Volumes End the Year on a Firmer Note

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Ferry – freight:

  • Total volumes0m lane metres were 1.2% above 2024 and 0.4% lower adjusted for route changes. The full-year growth rates were -0.1% and -1.8%, respectively.
  • North Sea volumes were above 2024 driven by higher volumes on most routes. Mediterranean volumes were as expected below 2024 due to capacity reductions.
  • Channel volumes were above 2024 driven by the new Jersey volumes as the total Dover Strait volumes were on level with 2024.
  • Baltic Sea volumes were just below 2024.
  • Strait of Gibraltar volumes were above 2024.

In 2025, the total transported freight lane metres decreased 0.1% to 41.5m from 41.5m in 2024 and decreased 1.8% adjusted for route changes.

Ferry – passenger:

  • The December decrease was mainly due to lower volumes on Strait of Gibraltar.
  • The number of cars in December was on level with 2024 adjusted for route changes.

In 2025, the total number of passengers decreased 21.1% to 5.2m compared to 6.6m in 2024. The decrease was 4.4% adjusted for route changes.

Source: click on table below to access the DFDS website

Jan 16
3

Wasaline 2025 Results: Passenger Growth, Cargo Resilience and Emissions Cuts

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Wasaline reported a solid year in 2025, with gains in passenger traffic, stable freight performance and significant emissions reductions.

Passenger and Revenue Performance

  • Passengers carried: 259,769 (+2.6% vs 2024), even with the vessel Aurora Botnia in dry dock for the last week of December.
  • Turnover: increased 2.7% to EUR 28.8 million, signalling ongoing commercial momentum.

CEO Peter Ståhlberg noted that despite broader economic headwinds, demand remains resilient, including increased interest from Central European markets for winter sailings, alongside strong traditional demand from Finnish and Swedish customers.

Freight and Cargo

  • Freight volumes: saw a slight decline due to regional economic slowdown, postponed construction projects and reduced paper trade; however, market share in freight improved during the year.
  • Management highlighted intermodal transport potential as a growth opportunity heading into 2026.

Sustainability and Emissions

  • Emissions reduction: Wasaline reduced total emissions by 85.3%, primarily after switching to biogas operations in August 2025.
  • The company continues to operate carbon-neutral services on the Umeå–Vaasa route, with Aurora Botnia powered by a combination of biogas and battery systems.

Operational Notes

  • Aurora Botnia returned from dry dock with upgraded passenger areas and increased battery capacity (12.6 MWh), the largest on a RoPax vessel, enhancing energy efficiency and service quality.

Photo and source: Wasaline

Jan 16
3

Öresundlinjen Posts Best Year Since Molslinjen Takeover

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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

Jan 16
3

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

Jan 16
3

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/

Jan 16
3

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.

Jan 16
3

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.