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New RoRo vessel SKIPANES delivered to Smyril Line

aug 25 2026

Ro-roSmyril Line has taken delivery of its new RoRo freight vessel SKIPANES from the CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai, China. SKIPANES and her sister ship AKRANES are Smyril Line's first purpose-built RoRo newbuildings, designed together with Danish naval architects Knud E. Hansen specifically for the route linking Europe, the Faroe Islands and Iceland, with an emphasis on year-round North Atlantic performance as well as crew comfort and well-being.

KEYAKI © Tsuyoshi Ishiyama

HAMANASU to enter service on 1 September

aug 25 2026

FerryShin Nihonkai Ferry, one of the largest ferry operators in Japan, has announced that its latest RoPax, HAMANASU, will enter service on the Otaru–Maizuru route on 1 September 2026. HAMANASU is being built at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Shimonoseki shipyard, but an issue was confirmed during construction, and the delivery was significantly delayed. She was originally set to enter service on 29 June 2026.

YAIMA MARU to reduce services to once a week from October 2026

aug 25 2026

FerryShosen Yaima/Yaima Line's YAIMA MARU will reduce services to once a week from October 2026, according to local media. The 21,535 GT YAIMA MARU started operation between Ishigaki (Japan) and Keelung (Taiwan) on 28 May 2026, sailing twice a week on the eight-hour route.

Three US-based RoRo operators awarded new Joint Global Sealift Charter contracts

aug 25 2026

Ro-roU.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) awarded the Joint Global Sealift Charter contract to seven commercial shipping companies. This contract provides global, short-term dry cargo time and voyage charters using RoRo, multi-purpose, or vehicle carrier vessels (among others PCTCs) to support USTRANSCOM’s strategic sealift missions.

Huge public investment in Alaska Marine Highway System

aug 24 2026

FerryThe US Government has awarded more than USD 410 million to support the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) with key resources targeted for rural Southeast Alaska.

PUTRI MAYANG SARI

Strategic Marine delivers first of three new catamaran ferries for Bintan Resort Ferries

aug 24 2026

High-speedStrategic Marine has delivered PUTRI MAYANG SARI, the first of three new 43-metre catamaran ferries it is building for Bintan Resort Ferries (BRF), at a naming ceremony at its Singapore shipyard. The vessel, which had its keel laid in September 2025, can carry up to 293 passengers across two decks, including 57 Emerald Class seats, and will serve the Singapore–Bintan route as part of BRF's fleet renewal programme.

New Bass Strait ferry attracts considerable attention during Devonport trial call

aug 24 2026

FerryMore than 2,000 locals gathered along the banks of the Mersey River at the entrance to Devonport, Tasmania, at around 07:00 local time on 23 August as Spirit of Tasmania’s SPIRIT OF TASMANIA IV called at its home port for the first time. The two-day trial call took place ahead of the vessel’s planned entry into service across the Bass Strait between Devonport and Geelong, near Melbourne, in October.

Scandlines continues plug-in hybrid upgrade on the Rødby–Puttgarden route

aug 23 2026

FerryScandlines has sent the second of its two German-owned Rødby–Puttgarden ferries for the planned conversion from hybrid to plug-in hybrid operation, which the company announced in June 2025. SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN left the route across the Fehmarn Belt on 23 August, sailing for BLRT Group’s Western Shipyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania.

Fincantieri and Viking sign contracts for two new cruise ships

aug 21 2026

CruiseFincantieri has signed contracts with Viking for the construction of two new ocean ships, The deal exercises options the two companies agreed in April 2025 and extends a partnership that now spans 28 vessels.

Höegh Autoliners Q2 impacted by higher bunker costs

aug 21 2026

FinanceHöegh Autoliners' Q2 figures were somewhat disappointing despite a 4% increase in revenue to USD 376m. EBITDA was down by 16%, compared with Q1, to USD 122m and net profit before tax also slumped by 16% to USD 85m. This was on the back of a 39% hike in bunker expenditure, costing an additional USD 21m.

SUPERFAST VI launched

aug 21 2026

FerryThe largest vessel yet in the Superfast fleet, the 47,062 GT SUPERFAST VI, has been launched from its building berth at the China Merchants Shipbuilding (CMS) Weihai shipyard. At 239.7m long with a 27.8m beam, she is the 14th and largest vessel built to Stena RoRo's E-Flexer design.

ILE ROUGE © Frank Lose

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.

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