Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited has taken ownership of ISLE OF ISLAY following handover at Turkish yard Cemre Marin Endustri.
The first Islay-class ferry will now sail to Scotland for trials ahead of entering service on the Islay and Jura routes, increasing capacity and fleet resilience.
La Méridionale has confirmed the sale of KALLISTE for demolition after 33 years of service. The 1993-built RoPax is heading to EU-approved Turkish yard Sök Denizcilik.
Photo Jean-Pierre Fabre
Jadrolinija will adjust its fleet deployment in 2026. MARKO POLO will leave international service and be redeployed on domestic routes, while DALMACIJA becomes the backbone of international operations, sailing year-round on Split–Ancona and seasonally on Split–Bari and Dubrovnik–Bari.
Photo Mike Louagie
Bridgemans Services Group expands fleet with the addition of floatel MEGA X, formerly MEGA EXPRESS 5 (Corsica Ferries)
The Bridgemans floatel features 275 cabins and is currently undergoing a comprehensive refit in Naples. The upgrade will incorporate the company’s signature workforce-accommodation amenities, including a fully equipped gym, office spaces, recreation areas, and a large vehicle deck designed for the storage of client-required cargo.
MEGA X is purpose-configured to meet the increasing global demand for early-works workforce accommodation, supporting large-scale industrial LNG and energy construction projects worldwide.
The refit is scheduled for completion in late January, after which the vessel will mobilise to her first project, commencing in the spring.
Rendering: Bridgemans
Photo: Mike Louagie
Wightlink will significantly expand services on its Yarmouth–Lymington route from April 2026.
Key points:
All three Wight Class ferries on the route will complete full refurbishments by the end of March 2026. This includes upgraded passenger lounges, an enhanced retail offer, and completion of their annual maintenance programmes.
Source: Wightlink
Stena Line recorded another freight record on its three Belfast routes in 2025.
Volumes increased by 1.0% to almost 600,000 freight units, shipped to Cairnryan, Liverpool (Birkenhead) and Heysham.
The Belfast–Liverpool route led growth, exceeding 270,000 units, while Belfast–Heysham posted its highest volumes in five years.
Further growth is expected with the introduction of STENA CONNECTA in January, joining STENA FUTURA.
Together, the two newbuilds will add 40% freight capacity on the Belfast–Heysham route.
Fred. Olsen Express and Baleària will deploy BUENAVISTA EXPRESS on the Huelva–Canary Islands service, replacing SICILIA from 24 January 2026.
From that date, the route will be operated by MARIE CURIE and BUENAVISTA EXPRESS, ensuring a reliable and efficient service for both passengers and rolling cargo.
BUENAVISTA EXPRESS is the former FORTUNY. The RoPax will make its inaugural sailing on 24 January.
Torghatten has been awarded the Herøy–Dønna ferry tender by Nordland County Council.
Key facts
Fleet
Route network
With 3,180 inhabitants, Herøy and Dønna are Norway’s largest island communities by population.
Local economies depend on reliable ferry services:
Source: Torghatten
Photo: Einar Aslaksen
A new regular maritime link between the port of Marina di Carrara in Italy and Djen Djen in Algeria has been launched by Dario Perioli, Grendi Group and Cnan Med.
The service will operate on a monthly basis and will carry both RoRo and containerised cargo. Michele Giromini, CEO of the Dario Perioli Group, underlined that service regularity is essential to allow customers to plan trade flows efficiently, supported by a structured commercial and consultative approach for imports and exports to and from Algeria.
The route will be operated using one of the RoRo vessels of Grendi Trasporti Marittimi.
A new regular maritime link between the port of Marina di Carrara in Italy and Djen Djen in Algeria has been launched by Dario Perioli, Grendi Group and Cnan Med.
The service will operate on a monthly basis and will carry both RoRo and containerised cargo. Michele Giromini, CEO of the Dario Perioli Group, underlined that service regularity is essential to allow customers to plan trade flows efficiently, supported by a structured commercial and consultative approach for imports and exports to and from Algeria.
The route will be operated using one of the RoRo vessels of Grendi Trasporti Marittimi.
Atlânticoline has partnered with Carus to enhance its digital systems for inter-island ferry services in the Azores.
The project includes an online resident validation service to manage reduced fares for Azorean residents, ensuring eligibility is verified without increasing operational complexity. Carus brings relevant experience from similar implementations, including Madeira.
In parallel, the solution will support Portugal’s mandatory digitally signed invoicing, linking every ticket sale to a compliant invoice. Carus has delivered comparable systems in several regulated markets, including Portugal, Turkey, Mexico and Honduras.
Photo Ana Goulart
