The subsidiary of AS Tallink Grupp, Baltic SF VIII Limited and Rederiaktiebolaget Eckerö have signed a sale-purchase agreement for the sale of the RoRo vessel SAILOR. The vessel will be handed over to the new owners in October.
A few months after CORSICA EXPRESS THREE was sold by Corsica Ferries to BluNavy (BN di Navigazione), the fast ferry has changed hands again. Sources familiar with the matter told Ferry Shipping News that the vessel has been acquired by the Cyprus-based company Pikessea Shipping Ltd.
The sale price has not been disclosed, but BluNavy reportedly purchased the vessel for about EUR 3 million earlier this year from Corsica Ferries.
Built in 1996 by Rodriquez Shipyard, the mono-hull fast ferry measures 103 metres in length, 15 metres in width, and reaches a speed of 37 knots. She can accommodate more than 500 passengers and 150 cars, and was recently operating on the Piombino–Portoferraio and Piombino–Bastia routes in Italy.
The RoPax ferry SANTA CRUZ (ex MOBY CORSE), which has been inactive for about a year in the port of Genoa, is to be sold at auction in Italy. The Court of Genoa has appointed surveyor Federico Sommella to value the ship, while Fertonani Shipbrokers (Andrea Fertonani) has been tasked with finding a buyer.
Among the creditors are crew members, the Genoa-based ship repair company Ente Bacini, and several other parties. The sale procedure is expected to be completed within the next two to three months.
SANTA CRUZ is owned by Ferry Med Srl, controlled by Stergulc Rihard, former Managing Director of Trans Europe Shipping Lines. The vessel had been expected to be chartered to the new company L’Aures for routes to and from Algeria.
Built in 1978 by Aalborg Værft A/S in Denmark, the ferry has a gross tonnage of 19,593 tons and can carry 1,200 passengers and 450 cars, with 810 lane metres of garage capacity.
- Revenue: €326.6m (+3% vs H1 2024).
- EBITDA: €4.1m (down from €19.5m).
- Net Results: Loss of €52.3m (incl. €17.3m non-recurring costs) vs loss of €23.8m in H1 2024.
- Operating Costs: €321.0m (+14%), mainly due to emission allowances, regulatory compliance, inflation, and payroll.
- Cash: €78.6m (31.06.2025).
- Investments: €46.5m in fleet energy upgrades and hotel renovations.
Traffic Volumes
- 7m passengers (-3.6%).
- 456k private vehicles (-1.3%).
- 276k freight units (+3.8%).
- 8,272 sailings (-1.6%).
Fleet & Strategy
- 37 vessels: 25 RoPax, 10 highspeed, 2 RoRo.
- New E-Flexer vessels on order with hybrid propulsion.
- Sale and recycling of older vessels, reducing average fleet age to 24.9 years.
- Ongoing hotel investments in Tinos and Naxos.
- Digitalisation (Seanthesis project) to enhance passenger services.
Outlook
- Inflation and geopolitical uncertainty impacting traffic.
- Despite higher environmental costs, ticket prices largely unchanged to stimulate demand.
- Management focused on cost optimisation, revenue growth, and sustainable development.
Source: Attica Group
Red Funnel Ferries Limited, the historic operator linking Southampton and the Isle of Wight for 164 years, has been acquired by Njord Partners, a London-based special situations investment firm [according to their website]. The ferry company recently experienced headwinds.
Njord Partners sees the acquisition as a compelling opportunity to unlock value through targeted capital deployment and operational improvements. The investment aligns with their wider strategy of revitalising core UK infrastructure assets while delivering sustainable returns for stakeholders.
Njord Partners also have Ambassador Cruise Line and Geoquip Marine in their portfolio.
Red Funnel CEO Fran Collins welcomed the deal, noting it marks the beginning of a new chapter in which Red Funnel can strengthen its services with the support of Njord Partners.
Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson calls it “a bad day for the island” [Facebook]. He, and others, are worried about ticket prices. “The Government must step in,” he says.
Vectis Ferries, a consortium with local maritime experts and former Red Funnel executives, had earlier submitted a £100 million bid to take over Red Funnel. It was rejected.
September 2025
- Passengers: 387,482 (↓ 4.1% vs Sept 2024)
- Cargo units: 21,269 (↓ 8.2%)
- Passenger vehicles: 55,973 (↓ 5.9%)
Q3 2025 (July–September)
- Passengers: 1,766,335 (↑ 3.0% vs Q3 2024)
- Cargo units: 60,306 (↓ 9.8%)
- Passenger vehicles: 251,751 (↑ 0.4%)
By Route (Q3 2025 vs Q3 2024):
- Finland–Sweden:
- Passengers: ↓ 1.4% (435,770)
- Cargo: ↓ 17.6% (7,891)
- Vehicles: ↑ 2.5% (30,107)
- Estonia–Finland:
- Passengers: ↑ 10.1% (1,166,278)
- Cargo: ↓ 8.2% (44,388)
- Vehicles: ↑ 0.2% (208,228)
- Estonia–Sweden:
- Passengers: ↓ 23.5% (164,287)
- Cargo: ↓ 10.0% (8,027)
- Vehicles: ↓ 1.0% (13,416)
Operational Notes:
- Finland–Sweden: Operated by SILJA SERENADE, SILJA SYMPHONY, BALTIC PRINCESS.
- Estonia–Finland: Operated by MYSTAR, MEGASTAR (2 days off in Sept for maintenance), VICTORIA I.
- Estonia–Sweden: Operated by BALTIC QUEEN (Tallinn–Stockholm) and SUPERFAST IX (Paldiski–Kapellskär). Previous year had additional vessels on this route.
Other Events:
- Charter of GALAXY I extended until October 2026, with an additional 12-month extension option.
Source PDF Tallink Grupp
Destination Gotland: 273,000 passengers in August (+2% vs 2024).
- June–August: 946,000 passengers (+1%).
- Growth in June and August offset by a small decline in July.
Go Nordic Cruiseline: First summer on Oslo–Copenhagen route carried 240,000 guests.
- July strong with 93,000 guests.
- June–August: down ~1% due to ending Fredrikshavn calls.
- Passenger volumes satisfactory, but revenues remain below expectations.
Birka Gotland: 53,000 guests in August (+4% vs 2024).
- June–August: nearly 165,000 guests.
- +6,000 more Gotland travellers vs 2024.
Gotland Hotels & Properties: 59,000 guest nights June–August.
- Scandic Visby +11%.
- Gustavsvik slightly down vs 2024.
Source: Gotlandsbolaget (in Swedish)
- Parties: Jadrolinija and International Finance Corporation (IFC, World Bank Group).
- Purpose: Prepare financing for Jadrolinija’s fleet renewal programme.
- Focus: Modernisation, sustainability, energy efficiency, and green transition.
- Next Step: IFC to provide advisory and structuring support for investments.
- Goal: Strengthen Jadrolinija’s competitiveness while reducing environmental footprint.
Source: Jadrolinija (in Croatian)
From 1 October 2025, Transport Scotland and CalMac bring the Clyde and Hebrides services fully into public ownership, backed by a £4bn, 10-year contract.
Read the full announcement
Photo: Duncan Mackison, CEO at CalMac and Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop
Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has updated the Scottish Parliament on progress of its four new vessels under construction in Türkiye.
- ISLE OF ISLAY successfully completed sea trials; delivery expected in November.
- LOCH INDAAL, LOCHMOR, CLAYMORE to follow at six-month intervals.
Read the full CMAL update
