Ferry news, cruise, ro-ro and high-speed

ILE ROUGE sails to Canada from Perama

aug 20 2026

FerryLongterm chartered to Marine Atlantic, the Stena RoRo-owned 30,551 GT ILE ROUGE has left Perama, Greece, on 19 August and is finally on its way to Canada after an extensive conversion of its accommodation spaces and RoRo access. The vessel is already strengthened to Iceclass 1A standards and is equipped with three bow thrusters for excellent manoeuvrability.

BLUE STAR CHIOS with scrubbers installed © Frank Lose

BLUE STAR CHIOS back in service with SOx scrubbers

aug 20 2026

FerryAfter being out of service for three months at the ONEX Elefsis shipyard, the 13,955 GT BLUE STAR CHIOS has returned to service with an enlarged funnel construction housing exhaust gas SOx scrubbers. Unlike some other ferry conversions which have radically changed the exterior appearance, the Attica Group have tried to keep the distinctive funnel shape while masking the significantly larger area.

New governance body launched to oversee GHG emissions data in RoRo shipping

aug 20 2026

Ro-roThe Global Ro-Ro Community (GRC) has established the GRC Council (GRCC), a new governance body to oversee emissions data management for a sector representing roughly 80% of global car carrier transport capacity.

Sallaum Lines launches dedicated European road logistics arm

aug 20 2026

Ro-roSallaum Lines has launched Sallaum Logistics Ltd, a new dedicated European automotive logistics company extending the group's maritime vehicle-transport expertise into inland distribution across Europe. Based in Vilnius, Lithuania, the new company will handle finished vehicle logistics from ports to distribution hubs, dealerships and other automotive customers, positioning itself as a single accountable partner for the final leg of the vehicle supply chain that Sallaum Lines' ocean services have traditionally ended at.

Irish Continental Group posts higher revenue as takeover vote nears knife-edge

aug 20 2026

FinanceIrish Continental Group plc (ICG) reported a mixed set of half-year results on Wednesday even as attention across the shipping company remained fixed on a EUR 1.2 billion takeover bid that its independent board now warns could fail unless wavering shareholders change course before next week's vote.

Danish Standard Ferry. Illustration: Færgesekretariatet

Danish standard ferries put out to tender

aug 20 2026

FerryFive Danish municipalities issued an EU tender on 18 August for the construction of new battery-electric ferries based on the Danish Standard Ferry concept. The project aims to create fleet synergies between Danish municipalities operating publicly owned ferry routes. The tender covers five ferries.

More than 2 million passengers through Andalusian ports in OPE’s first two months

aug 20 2026

FerryOperation Strait of Gibraltar Crossing 2026 (OPE), coordinated by the Ministry of the Interior’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies, completed its first two months on 15 August. During this period, 2,169,080 passengers, mainly North African residents in European countries as part of their summer vacation, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in both directions through Andalusian ports. This represented 96.9% of the Spanish total of 2,238,418 passengers and a decrease of 2.7% compared with 2025.

46 PCTC newbuilding orders so far in 2026

aug 20 2026

Ro-roWith China's vehicle exports hitting new highs in the first half of the year, and PCTC charter rates also reflecting the demand for RoRo capacity, there has been a spurt in newbuilding activity, with 46 PCTCs contracted so far in 2026 (as of 15 August), most gaining favourable 2029 building slots.

CM RoRo to take delivery of two 7,800 CEU methanol PCTCs

aug 19 2026

Ro-roCM RoRo will gain two new 7,800 CEU PCTCs in the next few weeks after they were floated out from their building docks on 29 June and 1 July. The CM WUHAN will be delivered from the CMS Jiangsu shipyard and its sistership, the CM GUANGZHOU, from CMS Jinling. The Deltamarin-designed 76,400 GT vessels have a length of 199.9m by 37.7m beam.

Balearia Canarias reports early freight and passenger traffic gains

aug 19 2026

Balearia's renewed freight offering in the Canaries has been boosted by a change in vessel schedule. The newly chartered 2023-built 4,070 lanem, 32,894 GT JOSEFINA DE LA TORRE, with 230 reefer sockets, has taken over the schedule of the smaller 3,400 lanem, 30,998 GT VILLA DE TAZACORTE, leaving Cadiz at 14.00 every Saturday, sailing to Arrecife in Lanzarote, then to Las Palmas before arriving early on Monday morning in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The vessel will then return via Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de la Palma and Tenerife to Cadiz.

PZB appoints new man at the helm

aug 19 2026

Polska Zegluga Baltycka (PZB) has announced the appointment of Jaroslaw Kotarski as president of its management board. Kotarski took up his position as a member and president of PZB’s 13th-term management board on 19 August, replacing Piotr Redmerski.

Antitrust penalty on Caronte & Tourist has been annulled

aug 19 2026

FerryItaly’s Council of State has annulled the EUR 4 million penalty imposed on the Italian ferry operator Caronte & Tourist by the Competition and Market Authority (AGCM) in 2022 for alleged abuse of its dominant position in the Strait of Messina. The ruling overturns a September 2025 decision.

Gestas charters additional summer capacity

aug 19 2026

Ro-roTurkish ferry operator Gestas has chartered additional tonnage for the summer peak season on its route across the Dardanelles between Lapseki and Gelibolu. The additional capacity is provided by the 1,998 GT TEKIRDAG 59, built in 2022.

New Clyde ferries launched at Cammell Laird

aug 19 2026

FerryIn August, APCL Cammell Laird launched two double-ended ferry newbuildings for Western Ferries’ route across the Firth of Clyde, near Glasgow, between Gourock and Dunoon. The two 50-metre ferries, each with capacity for 40 cars and 220 passengers, were ordered from the shipyard in May 2025.

Türkiye – Trieste traffic increases due to Grimaldi effect

aug 19 2026

Ro-roThe latest H1 2026 traffic figures from the Port of Trieste reveal a positive gain of 5.37% in trailer volumes, reaching 163,752 units. DFDS revealed that they have maintained their volumes but the RoRo share of the total Turkey – EU traffic has increased to 54%, with the remaining 46% travelling by road via Greece or Bulgaria.

Glovis giants arrive in Europe

aug 19 2026

Ro-roWith four of the giant 10,800 CEU class now delivered, the 102,588 GT GLOVIS LEADER and its sister ships GLOVIS LANDER, GLOVIS NOVA and GLOVIS LIGHTHOUSE have all left China fully loaded with new vehicles for European, South Korean and American destinations.

Fruit exports from Turkey to Russia under threat from drones

aug 19 2026

Ro-roThe recent drone attack on the 5,613 GT NADEZHDA, built at Frederikshavn Vaerft in 1978, has interrupted the profitable flow of fresh produce exported from Turkey to Russia. The majority of RoRo vessels sail on the Samsun–Tuapse route, with several weekly RoPax sailings also from Istanbul and Karasu. The two largest operators, Lider Line and Kalyoncu Ro-Ro, are both closely connected with some of Turkey's major fruit conglomerates.

Installation of solar panels on FINBO CARGO completed

aug 18 2026

FerryEckerö Group’s RoPax FINBO CARGO is now operating between Vuosaari, near Helsinki, and Muuga, near Tallinn, with a total of 120 solar panels installed on its upper deck. According to the company, the installation was completed over the weekend of 15–16 August.

Bass Strait newbuilding arrives at Fayard after sea trials in Skagerrak

aug 18 2026

Ro-roSEAROAD I passed through Gabet, the entrance to Odense Fjord from the Kattegat, at 04:15 local time on 17 August after four days of sea trials in the Skagerrak and Kattegat. The 210-metre-long and 29.3-metre-wide dual-fuel LNG-powered RoRo ship was launched and named on 7 November last year at Flensburger Shipyard.

New CMA CGM 5,500 CEU PCTC floated out

aug 18 2026

Ro-roThe first vessel in CMA CGM's new dual-fuel PCTC fleet has been floated out of the building dock at Xiamen Shipbuilding. The CMA CGM LAGUNA SECA is the first of an initial quartet, all chartered from Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS).

Products

Shippax Info

Our monthly magazine + Online Access.1 year subscription.

Shippax Market 26

Market reports & outlook

Shippax Guide 26

JANTAR UNITY

Shippax Designs 25

STENA FUTURA

Shippax Database - Single user

Shippax Database online

Ferry Statistics

Price upon request

Getting access to our website

ILE ROUGE sails to Canada from Perama

BLUE STAR CHIOS back in service with SOx scrubbers

New governance body launched to oversee GHG emissions data in RoRo shipping

Sallaum Lines launches dedicated European road logistics arm

Irish Continental Group posts higher revenue as takeover vote nears knife-edge

Danish standard ferries put out to tender

More than 2 million passengers through Andalusian ports in OPE’s first two months

46 PCTC newbuilding orders so far in 2026

CM RoRo to take delivery of two 7,800 CEU methanol PCTCs

Balearia Canarias reports early freight and passenger traffic gains

PZB appoints new man at the helm

Antitrust penalty on Caronte & Tourist has been annulled

Gestas charters additional summer capacity

New Clyde ferries launched at Cammell Laird

Türkiye – Trieste traffic increases due to Grimaldi effect

Glovis giants arrive in Europe

Fruit exports from Turkey to Russia under threat from drones

Installation of solar panels on FINBO CARGO completed

Bass Strait newbuilding arrives at Fayard after sea trials in Skagerrak

New CMA CGM 5,500 CEU PCTC floated out

Most read

CNMC approves DFDS acquisition of Armas activities in the Strait of Gibraltar

47-year-old ferry with Irish Sea origins arrives at Aliaga scrapyard

Naikai Zosen bags orders for seven RoRo vessels

DFDS' Head of Ferry Division Mathieu Girardin to leave

DFDS chair to step down as Q2 profit surges and July volumes soften

Fire aboard two-year-old PCTC in the Pacific

Karlshamn officially welcomes new ferry route from Gdansk

Ferry disaster on Lake Kariba