Jun 19
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Interferry Seeks More Time For RoPax Fire Safety Retrofits

By 2026 Newsletter week 25

Interferry supports the new IMO regulation requiring all RoPax vessels to be equipped with fire detection and water-based firefighting systems on weather decks. The rules apply to newbuildings from 2026 and existing vessels from 2028.

However, the association warns that retrofitting an estimated 300 existing RoPax vessels by their first survey after 1 January 2028 is not realistic.

Interferry will therefore ask the IMO to link compliance to the first renewal survey after that date, spreading implementation over a five-year period and making the rollout more practical for operators.

Source: Johan Roos on Linkedin

Jun 19
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LMG Marin Opens New Office In Ålesund

By 2026 Newsletter week 25

LMG Marin is opening a new office in Ålesund, Norway, strengthening its presence at the heart of one of Europe’s most important maritime clusters.

The new office will be led by Severin Åkervik Ulstein, who joins as Head of Office with a mandate to build a local team, develop business in specialised vessels and offshore support, and strengthen cooperation with LMG Marin’s existing offices in Bergen, Toulouse and Szczecin.

The office is already involved in several concept development projects and will benefit from LMG Marin’s global network, including collaboration with shipyards across Europe and Asia through parent company Seatrium.

Photo: Anna Marthe Vestre Berge

Jun 19
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FerryGateway Association Appoints New Managing Director

By 2026 Newsletter week 25

The FerryGateway Association has appointed Seamus Mc Carville as its new Managing Director from the beginning of May, succeeding long-serving Managing Director Sune Häggblom, who will remain Senior Advisor until the end of June.

Mc Carville joins after almost 25 years as Group CIO at Irish Ferries and brings extensive experience in enterprise IT and digitalisation within the ferry sector. A founding member of the Ferry CIO Forum and former FerryGateway board member, he will focus on strengthening interoperability, innovation and value creation across the Association.

Source: https://ferrygateway.org/909-2/

Jun 19
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Norway: Driving Premium Seating Forward

By 2026 Newsletter week 25

The Norwegian group Scuderia AS is a global leader in premium and high-end seating solutions for maritime and industrial markets. By bringing together the brands Eknes and Seat Innovation under one umbrella, Scuderia unites Norwegian design tradition, proven industrial expertise, and international market strength in one powerful organization.

The company combines some of Norway’s most advanced professional environments within pilot, operator, and passenger seating into a single, integrated industrial group. Its portfolio spans the full spectrum of seating solutions, designed to suit a wide range of vessels and user experiences.

Scuderia’s strength lies in its ability to merge Norwegian development, engineering, and design with international production capabilities and scalability. Across its locations in Kristiansand, Bergen, and Oslo, teams work closely together on innovation, sales, and product development, ensuring both depth of expertise and continuous progress.

With a broad market presence, Scuderia delivers everything from advanced pilot and operator seating to complete passenger seating systems for high-speed craft, ferries, offshore vessels, and specialized ships. The company is also expanding into premium seating solutions for the growing rail sector.

Built on a long Norwegian industrial heritage and strong market positions, Scuderia serves an impressive customer base that includes leading players such as Color Line, Kongsberg Maritime, VARD Group, DFDS, Stena Line, P&O, Damen, Grimaldi and many others.

Looking ahead, the ambition is clear: to establish the world’s strongest industrial platform for the development, production, and international scaling of premium seating solutions.

Read more: www.seatinnovation.no and www.eknes.no .

Photo credit:
The Bahama Edge by Seat Innovation visualized by Magne Ekerum – Rendered illustration generated via Vizcom.

Meet the company at the Ferry Shipping Summit in Athens.

Jun 19
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CalMac Needs A New Ferry Every 18 Months To Maintain Reliability

By 2026 Newsletter week 25

CalMac CEO Duncan Mackison has warned that Scotland’s west coast ferry network needs a continuous vessel renewal programme, with one new ferry every 12 to 18 months, to maintain reliability.

With an ageing fleet of 37 vessels, operational disruptions have become increasingly common. Several new ships are due to enter service over the coming years, including GLEN ROSA, additional ferries under construction in Turkey and seven smaller vessels being built in Poland.

Mackison also backed a merger between CalMac and CMAL to streamline decision-making and improve delivery.

Read the full article here

Jun 12
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DFDS May Volumes

By 2026 Newsletter week 24

DFDS reported total freight volumes of 3.6 million lane metres in May 2026, down 1.8% compared with May 2025, or 1.7% lower when adjusted for route changes.

North Sea and Baltic Sea routes performed above last year’s levels, while volumes on the Strait of Gibraltar also increased. Mediterranean volumes were lower overall, partly due to a higher number of public holidays in Türkiye. Growth continued on the Egypt and Tunisia services. Channel volumes declined, mainly due to lower traffic on the Dover Strait.

Over the last 12 months, DFDS transported 41.8 million lane metres, up 0.3% year-on-year, but down 1.5% adjusted for route changes.

Passenger numbers adjusted for route changes fell 1.9% to 443,000 in May. Lower volumes on the Strait of Gibraltar, linked to fewer departures, offset growth on Channel routes.

For the last 12 months, passenger volumes totalled 5.0 million, down 14.2% from 5.8 million in the previous period, or 5.0% lower when adjusted for route changes.

Jun 12
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Seajets Adds Cruise Ferry ANEMOS to Its Fleet

By 2026 Newsletter week 24

Seajets has confirmed the purchase of the cruise ferry ANEMOS (ex-ROSELLA) from Aegean Sea Lines, underlining its intention to strengthen its presence in the Greek ferry market. The vessel was acquired by Aegean Sea Lines from Viking Line at the end of 2022 and arrived in Greece in February 2023.

ANEMOS is currently out of service but is expected to operate on the North Aegean public service routes. Built in 1980 by Wärtsilä in Finland, the vessel can carry 1,500 passengers and 340 cars. Service speed is 19 knots.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Jun 12
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HYPERSPEED JET 4 Enters Service Under Seajets Livery

By 2026 Newsletter week 24

On 28 May 2026, HYPERSPEED JET 4 (ex-HIGHSPEED 4) entered service for the first time under Seajets ownership. The vessel operates on the Piraeus–Paros–Naxos–Koufonissi–Amorgos route.

Seajets acquired the vessel in March as part of a EUR 25 million agreement with Attica Group covering the sale of five high-speed craft. Built by Austal in Australia in 2000, HYPERSPEED JET 4 can carry 1,100 passengers and 190 cars. Service speed is 40 knots.

Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos

Jun 12
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ROMANTIKA Returns to Tallinn–Stockholm Route for Summer

By 2026 Newsletter week 24

Tallink Grupp will return ROMANTIKA to the Tallinn–Stockholm route for the peak summer season.

From July, the vessel will operate weekend departures alongside BALTIC QUEEN to meet increased seasonal demand. During weekdays in July and August, ROMANTIKA will also host a series of entertainment cruises from Tallinn featuring performances by popular Estonian artists.

According to Tallink, the move will provide additional capacity for both passengers and freight customers while bringing a nostalgic favourite back to the route. After the summer season, ROMANTIKA will head to Italy, where the vessel has been chartered as a floating hotel during the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026, taking place from 21 August to 3 September.

Jun 12
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Wasaline Updates AURORA BOTNIA Livery After Stena Line Acquisition

By 2026 Newsletter week 24

Wasaline has updated the visual identity of AURORA BOTNIA following Stena Line’s acquisition of the company.

The ferry now features Stena Line’s red funnel with the well-known S emblem. New elements have also been added along the vessel’s sides, including a slogan and Stena Line’s green wave design.

Wasaline will continue to operate under its own brand, with the same service, identity and customer promises.