Wind-powered ro-ro ship NEOLINER ORIGIN launched

Neoline Armateur celebrated, with builder RMK Marine and its partners, the launching of NEOLINER ORIGIN's, the world's first commercial sailing ro-ro vessel. NEOLINER ORIGIN will become a 136m-long sailing commercial ship capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% compared to conventional ships of equivalent size by reducing energy needs and using wind as the main propulsion energy.

The NEOLINER ORIGIN will be equipped with nearly 3,000sqm of sail and two foldable Solidsail carbon masts of 76m height manufactured by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, retractable anti-drift plans made by Fouré Lagadec, and an ultra-efficient weather routing system developed by D-ICE Engineering.

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Finnlines appoints new CFO and updates Executive Committee’s responsibilities

Finnlines announced on 19 December 2024 that Thomas Doepel had been appointed as the President and CEO of Finnlines Plc, effective on 1 March 2025. Following this, Finnlines has appointed a new CFO and updated the Executive Committee's responsibilities.

Santeri Laakso has been appointed as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and a member of the Executive Committee of Finnlines Plc as of 1 March 2025. In his new role, Mr. Laakso will report to Thomas Doepel, President and CEO, Finnlines Plc.

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Royal Caribbean Group reports 2024 financial results and announces the launch of the Celebrity River Cruises brand with a 10-ship order

Royal Caribbean Group reported total revenues of USD 16.5 billion for 2024 (USD 13.9 billion) and adjusted EBITDA was USD 6.0 billion (USD 4.5 billion). 8,564,272 passengers were carried compared to 7,646,203 in 2023. Announced was also the launch of a river cruise brand within the group, starting off with a 10-ship order with the first plans to sail in 2027.

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Scenic Group celebrated the keel-laying of its next luxury yacht, EMERALD KAIA

EMERALD KAIA © Emerald Cruises

Scenic Group celebrated the keel-laying of EMERALD KAIA at MKM Yachts in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, marking the foundation of the luxury ocean yacht for its Emerald Cruises brand. EMERALD KAIA is an enlarged version of the two Vietnamese-built sister ships EMERALD AZZURRA and EMERALD SAKARA. While the two sisters measure 110 metres in length and have a capacity for 100 passengers, EMERALD KAIA grows to 120 metres and increases its passenger capacity to 128.

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Construction started of REGENT’s first seaglider manufacturing facility at Rhode Island

REGENT celebrated the start of construction of their first seaglider manufacturing facility, located in the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Coming online in 2026, the 23,000 square-metre facility will house seaglider component manufacturing, vehicle final assembly, and pre-delivery testing for their all-electric hydrofoiling wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) 12-passenger Viceroy seaglider.

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Royal Bodewes shjpyard launched HAWAIKINUI 2 for the Polynesian Navigation Company (SNP)

HAWAIKINUI 2 © Royal Bodewes

At the Royal Bodewes shjpyard in the Netherlands, a launching ceremony was held for HAWAIKINUI 2, an 87m long ro-ro ship for the Polynesian Navigation Company (SNP). The 2,000 dwt and 12-knot ship will replace the Tahitian operator's 1980-built 70.31m HAWAIKINUI serving between Papeete and the islands of Huahine, Raiatea, Taha'a and Bora Bora.

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HX Expeditions debuts first-ever Greenland cruises with roundtrip flights from New York

© Ted Gatlin

HX Expeditions (formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions), is launching the first-ever cruises from New York to Greenland, roundtrip from Newark Liberty International Airport. Departing on 21 June 2025—Greenland's National Day, marked by the summer solstice— these itineraries feature dedicated flight allocations on United Airlines' direct route to Nuuk.

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SeaDream Yacht Club becomes first cruise line to accept cryptocurrency

Effective immediately, SeaDream guests can now book their ultra-luxury voyages with SeaDream Yacht Club to the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Norway, and Northern Europe using Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and more than 200 of the most frequently used cryptocurrencies.
As the first cruise line to embrace cryptocurrency, SeaDream is using the leading cryptocurrency payment platform Coinbase Commerce to ensure secure, reliable, and efficient payment processing.

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Smyril Line charters LISTA

Smyril Line announced that they have chartered the ro-ro LISTA from Siem Industries, which in turn bought the vessel as recently as November last year from the Grimaldi Group. LISTA (ex. EUROCARGO CATANIA), will commence operations on Monday, 27 January, on the route between Rotterdam, Tórshavn, and Þorlákshöfn.

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Tallink Grupp's vessel STAR returns to take up service on Paldiski-Kapellskär route from 9 February 2025

Illustration of the new look © Tallink Grupp

Tallink Grupp announced that company's passenger vessel STAR, which is returning to Estonia from long term charter to Irish Continental Group plc as JAMES JOYCE, starts operating on the Paldiski-Kapellskär route from Sunday, 9 February 2025. This is a significant step up in service quality on the company's Paldiski-Kapellskär route, offering car passengers and cargo transporters an opportunity to travel between Estonia and Sweden from different ports almost daily, with up to two daily departures on some days.

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Almost 300 delegates booked. Secure your seat and book now!

It is now only two months left until the 2025 Shippax Ferry Conference and we are now close to 300 booked delegates. We strongly recommend to register as soon as possible. Seats are limited.

MAXIMIZE YOUR COMPANY’S EXPOSURE WITH AN EXHIBITION STAND

NORDIC PEARL offers a great exhibition area, so don’t miss booking an exhibition stand and/or sponsorship early to ensure a favourable place. The exhibition area is on the same floor as the auditorium, and all coffee breaks and happy hours take place there, so there is a very high exposure for all exhibitors.  

As a bonus, all exhibitors, sponsors and speakers will also be exclusively invited to a reception held at the conference hotel Tivoli Hotel on the 1st of April, the day before the conference starts.