Ferries News

ABB has secured an order with Washington State Ferries (WSF), the United States’ largest ferry operator, to supply and integrate hybrid-electric propulsion systems for two hybrid-electric 160-auto ferries.With the first two ships scheduled for delivery from Eastern Shipbuilding Group, one apiece in 2030 and 2031, the contract also includes an option for a third ferry. WSF has previously announced plans to build up to 16 ships by the end of 2040, as part of a ferry electrification program targeting lower emissions.ABB will supply and integrate end-to-end systems including power distribution…

Mavrik Marine, Inc. was selected to build high-speed passenger ferries for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District. Mavrik will construct catamaran passenger ferries as part of the District’s eight vessel Lima Class Ferry Replacement Program to provide transportation services in San Francisco Bay.The 50-m aluminum ferries specifications and systems were developed by Aurora Marine Design in San Diego with structural design from One2Three Naval Architects in Australia. Construction will begin immediately at Mavrik’s facility in La Conner, WA.

The Vancouver Island Ferry Company (VIFC), operator of the Hullo fast ferry service, appointed Ryan Dermody as its permanent Chief Executive Officer, following his successful tenure as Interim CEO.Dermody’s leadership has been pivotal in guiding the company through a period of steady growth since assuming the interim role earlier this year. Under his direction, VIFC has enhanced service reliability, strengthened its guest experience culture, and established a clear path for sustainable growth.“Ryan is proving himself to be a strong based leader that is people-focused…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group launched the vehicle-passenger ferry FALCON, being constructed for the Fisher Island Community Association (FICA).The  ferry is designed to meet the unique needs of the Fisher Island route, combining enhanced vehicle capacity and passenger comfort with ESG’s proven vessel-construction expertise. FALCON is scheduled for delivery in Spring 2026 and is being constructed at ESG’s Allanton facility in Panama City, Florida.“Completing the launch ahead of schedule speaks volumes about the talent and commitment of our workforce.

Stena Line strengthened its position in the Baltic Sea by acquiring NLC Ferry Ab Oy/Wasaline and taking over operations of the ferry route between Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland.“It is with great joy and enthusiasm that we at Stena Line take on the responsibility for Wasaline and the route between two important regions and cities, Umeå and Vaasa,” says Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line.The only existing ferry connection between Umeå and Vaasa is jointly owned by the two cities through the 50/50-owned company Kvarken Link…

Washington State Ferries reported that its 17-vessel service was dinged by the removal of the ferry Wenatchee, which has been taken out of service due to a mechanical issue involving one of its electrical subsystems discovered last week.According to WSF, the vessel’s engine crew and maintenance teams are working to remove and replace the damaged equipment, which remains under warranty. The Wenatchee is expected to return to service on the Seattle–Bainbridge route soon.WSF also…

ABB has secured a contract to supply power distribution and propulsion systems for seven all-electric double-ended ferries being built by Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland for Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL).The 50-meter vessels, part of CMAL’s Small Vessel Replacement Program, are scheduled for delivery between late 2027 and early 2029. They will operate on nine routes across Scotland’s Clyde and Hebrides region, each carrying up to 200 passengers and 24 cars, with one vessel configured for 250 passengers and 16 cars.ABB will equip the ferries with its Compact Onboard DC Grid system…

Rolls-Royce has successfully tested the world’s first high-speed marine engine powered exclusively by methanol on its test bench in Friedrichshafen.Together with their partners in the meOHmare research project, Rolls-Royce says its engineers have thus reached an important milestone on the road to climate-neutral and environmentally friendly propulsion solutions for shipping.The joint project meOHmare is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and combines the expertise of Rolls-Royce…

Italy's antitrust regulator said on Friday that Shipping Agencies Services (SAS), a unit of maritime group MSC, would drop its acquisition of a 49% stake in ferry operator Moby after the watchdog opened a probe into alleged restriction of competition.Moby, majority-owned by Onorato Armatori group, runs ferries linking Italy's mainland to tourist islands such as Sardinia and Corsica.The Italian authority, which opened an investigation into the acquisition last year, said the deal could have weakened competition on routes where Moby and ferry company Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV), controlled by SAS,

The EU Commissioner for Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi has responded to a letter from animal welfare NGOs about the plight of calves transported by truck on ferries from Ireland to the EU.The letter detailed three separate studies which found that the calves were negatively impacted, suffering from dehydration, muscle fatigue, low energy, and hypoglycaemia.The Commissioner invited the NGOs to a meeting which was attended by Caroline Rowley from Ethical Farming Ireland (EFI) and…

The Washington State Ferries (WSF) vessel Suquamish suffered a significant main engine casualty while operating on the Mukilteo/Clinton route last week causing the vessel to go out of service in the afternoon leaving one vessel in place to support the route.Unfortunately, this disruption occurred as many travelers were returning from one of the largest motorcycle gatherings in the Pacific Northwest, the 42nd Annual Oyster Run.To cover for the Suquamish, the Kitsap was moved to…

NatPower Marine and Peel Ports Group are set to commence installation of shore power at Heysham in September 2025, with the first plug live in the initial phase and expansion to four across all berths, by 2026.This will enable all Heysham routes within the Irish sea to operate with zero emissions while at berth and at sea, supporting full electric propulsion of the ferry services, as the first part of the full electrification of the Irish sea.Once all four berths at Heysham are electrified…

Kilimanjaro IX, a 53-metre high-speed ferry designed by digital shipbuilder Incat Crowther for Tanzania’s Azam Marine, has been launched by AFAI Southern Shipyard in Guangzhou, China and will soon begin sea trials.The vessel is the 12th high-speed ferry designed by Incat Crowther for the Tanzanian operator and will service Azam Marine’s popular routes to and from Dar-es-Salaam on the Tanzanian mainland and the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and Tanga.Capable of carrying 679 passengers at speeds of up to 37 knots…

Technology group Wärtsilä has been selected to deliver a fully integrated electric propulsion system with waterjets for two new high-speed catamaran ferries being built for Danish ferry operator Molslinjen.The battery-electric vessels are being built at the Incat shipyard in Tasmania, with Wärtsilä supplying the integrated electric propulsion system, the DC power conversion system, its energy management and automation systems, eight electric propulsion motors and waterjets, as well as the Wärtsilä ProTouch propulsion control system.The two ferries…

As the global shipping industry grapples with a plethora of regulatory, technological and sustainability shifts, few sectors embody both the challenges and opportunities as acutely as the ferry industry.Interferry leads the charge to ensure there is balance, rationalizing legislative mandate with market, technical and economic reality. Interferry is the trade association representing the worldwide ferry sector, an at the helm is Mike Corrigan, CEO, who has spent the past several…

Sea trials on the Washington State Ferries (WSF) ferry Wenatchee (2,500 passengers, 200 vehicles) got off to a bad start last week, as WSF reports "investigation by our technicians and engine crew discovered last week the control system communication wires were creating intermittent instability which caused the drive motors to go offline."Invariably, problems crop up during most every vessel's shakedown, and WSF said "While unexpected, issues like this are a normal part of a vessel commissioning which involves rigorous inspection…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group received the Notice to Proceed from Washington State Ferries (WSF) to build two with an option for an additional 160-vehicle hybrid-electric ferries for the State of Washington. This milestone follows the first competitive bid for ferry construction in more than 25 years for the nation’s largest ferry system.“This is an exciting milestone in bringing new hybrid-electric ferries to our fleet,” said David Sowers, Washington State Ferries’ Electrification Program Administrator.

Interferry called on the European Commission to immediately harmonize its unilateral EU ETS / FuelEU Maritime regulations with the recently agreed IMO Net-Zero Framework, warning that failure to align Greenhouse Gas regulations will lead to double payment for emissions."We cannot have a situation where operators are paying twice for the same emissions. The European Commission pledged to align its rules once a strong global framework was established at the IMO," said Johan Roos, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Interferry. "That framework is now in place.

French ferry operator Corsica Linea has achieved up to 22% fuel savings on its RoPax ferry Pascal Paoli following the installation of a retrofit package delivered by Finnish technology group Wärtsilä.The upgrade, completed in late 2024, included the installation of a twin screw controllable pitch propeller (CPP) system optimized for the ship’s operating profile, an EnergoProFin energy-saving propeller cap, and updated control systems with customized combinator curves for different…

Hadag, the operator of Hamburg’s ferry services, is adopting an AI-powered platform to optimize the scheduling and operation of its electric ferry fleet.The AI system will support daily operations by tailoring charging strategies, managing energy demand, and enhancing communication with passengers via digital displays and mobile apps. With three electric ferries already delivered in 2024 and more on the way, Hadag is on track to operate a fully zero-emissions fleet.As a member of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, Hamburg aims to cut emissions by 55% by 2030 and by 95% by 2050.

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced he has selected the $714.5 million bid from Florida-based Eastern Shipbuilding Group to build three new 160-vehicle hybrid-electric ferries. “We’re restoring domestic service to pre-pandemic levels years ahead of schedule, improving crew retention, and soon will bring our first hybrid-electric vessel into service,” Governor Ferguson said. “After careful consideration and conversations with legislative leaders, I believe Eastern is the…

The newly launched electric ferry Nerthus has set sail, featuring Danfoss Drives’ latest iC7 series as a key part of its all-electric propulsion system.Danfoss provided essential components for the ferry’s electric drivetrain and parts of the shoreside charging infrastructure.Molslinjen, Denmark’s largest domestic ferry operator, invited key partners and guests to celebrate Denmark’s newest e-ferry on Friday June 20, 2025, when Nerthus officially was put into service. Jørgen Mads Clausen…

Compassion in World Farming campaigners gathered at the port outside Brittany Ferries headquarters in Portsmouth, UK, on Saturday to call on the company to reverse its decision made earlier this year to resume the live export of farmed animals from Ireland to France after a 30-year hiatus.The event marked the tenth annual Ban Live Exports International Day which was first launched in 2016 to mark the anniversary of 13,000 sheep dying on a sea journey from Romania to Somalia.Live export involves farmed animals enduring overcrowding…