Ferry News

Tallink Grupp transported 1,488,128 passengers with its vessels in the second quarter of 2025, marking a 2.5% increase compared to the same period last year.In June alone, passenger numbers rose by 4.9%, reaching 598,977.Growth in passenger numbers was led particularly by the Estonia–Finland route, which saw a 4.9% increase over the quarter and a notable 14.8% surge in June. The Finland–Sweden route experienced steady growth of 2.8% in Q2. The 10.9% decline in passenger numbers…

Four people died, 30 were missing and 31 survived after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the Indonesian island of Bali, the country's Search and Rescue agency said on Thursday, as rescuers raced to find victims in the rough sea.The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya sank almost half an hour after leaving East Java province's Banyuwangi port on its way to Bali late on Wednesday, the agency said on Thursday.The boat was carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members, as well as 22 vehicles, the agency said.A search for the missing is underway although it is being hampered by strong currents and winds, the ag

EV Maritime, New Zealand’s leading electric ferry design and technology company, announced the launch of its first fully electric passenger ferry. The new vessel will operate between downtown Auckland and the suburb of Half Moon Bay.This is the first of the EVM200 class,a series of battery-electric fast ferries built using lightweight carbon fiber. Designed for urban public transport, the EVM200 offers service speeds of up to 25 knots and a range of up to 20 miles.Developed with support from the New Zealand Government…

Incat Crowther was commissioned by Los Angeles operator Catalina Express to design a new low-emission, renewable diesel-powered passenger ferry. The new ferry will form part of the Port of Los Angeles’ $31 million Los Angeles Marine Emission Reduction (LA MER) project, funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Catalina Express was awarded a $15,000,000 grant to match its own $15,000,000 contribution to the project. LA MER aims to test and evaluate emission-reduction…

MJR Power & Automation, a leading UK-based marine electrical engineering specialist, has been awarded a contract by Stena Line to upgrade the Power Management Systems (PMS) on board the Stena Scotia and Stena Hibernia vessels.The contract includes the design, engineering, supply, and commissioning of power management systems that will enhance the operational efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of the two vessels.Upgrades for this project will involve the integration of modern digital control technology…

The first sea trials for ferry MV Isle of Islay have been carried out successfully by Cemre Marin Endustri in Yalova, Turkey.The trials took place from Thursday 22nd May to Friday 30th May, in the Sea of Marmara, with staff from the Scottish government owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) in attendance.The first part of the sea trials saw the set-up of the propulsion systems, generators, thrusters, stabilizers and associated electrical systems. These were then tested…

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has expanded the capacity and capabilities of its Undertun commuter ferry evacuation system, as part of development work which also confirms the solution surpasses open sea performance requirements in SOLAS and the IMO code for High Speed Craft.After acquiring all Undertun design, production and supply rights last year, VIKING has made two key upgrades to a system that is widely used in sheltered waters in Norway. It has added a 203-person capacity life raft to the 101- and 153-person units previously available…

The passenger ferry M/S Suomenlinna II has become the first ship to be retrofitted with ABB’s new-generation ACS880LC drive. The drive technology will enhance vessel efficiency and help to secure smooth and reliable operations for many years to come.As one of three ferries operated by Helsinki City Transport subsidiary Suomenlinnan Liikenne Oy, the 33.8-meter-long Suomenlinna II serves the Market Square–Suomenlinna route year-round. An integral part of the Helsinki public transport system…

The 30-year-old Washington State Ferries vessel Wenatchee, one of the state’s three largest ferries, has been converted to hybrid-electric power. It is due to be operational again this summer.The work included:• taking out two of the four diesel generators• building two new battery rooms and outfitting them with 864 battery modules• installing new controls• installing thousands of feet of electric and fiber optic cable• painting much of the exterior of the ferry• replacing vinyl on some seats• deep cleaning.Sea trials and crew training are currently underway from Vigor Shipyard.

Seaward Services, Inc. (SSI), a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, announced its selection by the Maine State Ferry Service (MSFS) and the Maine State Department of Transportation for a new 5-year contract to provide supplementary marine crew services to the MSFS fleet of vessels.MSFS provides essential, year-round mainland transportation services to the island communities of Maine. Through this partnership, Seaward will support and supplement the existing MSFS crew across six different ferry routes that connect Maine’s island communities.

Incat Hull 096 – the world’s largest battery-electric ship – has been officially launched in Tasmania, Australia.Built for South American ferry operator Buquebus, the 130-meter ferry will enter enters service between Buenos Aires and Uruguay, operating entirely on battery-electric power, carrying up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles across the River Plate.The ship is the ninth Incat-built vessel for Buquebus.The ship is equipped with over 250 tonnes of batteries and an Energy Storage System (ESS) boasting more than 40 megawatt-hours of installed capacity.

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding christened and launched the first of two large car ferries ordered by Shinnihonkai Ferry Co., Ltd. and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT). The ceremony took place at the Enoura Plant of MHI's Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The new ferry will serve on a shipping route between the city of Otaru in Hokkaido and Maizuru in Kyoto Prefecture.At the ceremony Shinnihonkai Ferry President Yasuo Iritani christened the new ferry KEYAKI" the Japanese word for a species of native Zelkova trees.

The US Coast Guard Station Sand Key and partner agency crews responded to a vessel collision involving the Clearwater Ferry and a recreational boat on Sunday evening off Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge in Florida. There were reportedly 45 people on the ferry and six people on the recreational vessel. One ferry passenger was reported deceased, and 12 people were transported to local hospitals for care. The recreational boat did not stay at the crash scene.Coast Guard investigative officers are working to determine the cause of the collision and verify the details leading up to the incident.

The Grimaldi Group has commissioned the construction of nine ropax vessels from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai), a China Merchants Group company. The deal is worth a total of $1.3 billion.The new ships have been designed to elevate the quality of maritime transport for both rolling cargo and passengers in the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea. All nine will be equipped with engines capable of running on methanol.Four of the new vessels will sail under the Italian flag and be operated under the Grimaldi Lines brand…

The Port of Barcelona's newest all-electric commuter ferry, the Ecocat Tres, has been delivered with an electric propulsion system by Molabo.Built by Metaltec Naval, the 15-meter aluminum catamaran transports 84 people and features a rooftop deck for additional seating. The vessel operates at least 12 hours per day, running every 15 to 30 minutes for a 10-minute journey between stops. The electric propulsion system, powered by two ARIES i50 Molabo motors, enables a top speed of 12 knots.

Hong Kong-based ferry operator Sun Ferry has taken delivery of Xin Ming Zhu 30 a new 35-meter diesel-electric ferry.The new vessel, designed by Incat Crowther and constructed by Guangzhou-based shipbuilder AFAI Southern Shipyard, is the third vessel to join a fleet of seven new vessels designed by Incat Crowther for the mass transit operator.The vessel will serve inter-island commuter and tourism operations across Hong Kong, connecting Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan and Cheung…

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a project to convert the double ended car ferry MF Hamlet to emission-free battery powered operation.The ferry, operated by Öresundlinjen, on the route between Helsingør, Denmark, and Helsingborg, Sweden, will see a major upgrade including installation of large battery packs and new permanent magnet motors for the azimuth thrusters.The primary goals of the project include achieving zero emissions, enabling full electric operation with batteries, and having mechanical propulsion redundancy.The ferry will utilize high-voltage charging in port…

AYK Energy has completed the installation and sea trials for the second Brittany Ferries vessel to feature the biggest marine battery ever built.AYK installed the 12 megawatt-hours (MWh) Orion+ battery into Brittany Ferries Guillaume de Normandie hybrid electric ferry after installing the same battery system aboard its sister ship Saint-Malo at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Weihai. The vessel has now completed its sea trials and is heading to Britain, where it will operate the Portsmouth – Caen route.

Artemis Technologies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Delta Marine to manufacture eFoiler vessels for Washington’s Puget Sound.Artemis will work alongside Delta Marine to meet the growing demand for zero-emission ferries, including smaller vessels ideal for high-speed, short-haul routes. Washington State, with more ferries than any other region in the U.S., is under increasing pressure to transition to cleaner, more efficient models as public interest in sustainable transportation rises.The company has grown significantly since its founding in 2017…

JettyLight LLC has announced plans to acquire the historic Oxford-Bellevue Ferry Service and the TALBOT Ferry.The acquisition underscores JettyLight’s commitment to preserving maritime heritage while enhancing ferry operations for the communities of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.As the oldest privately operated ferry in the United States, the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry has provided reliable service across the Tred Avon River since 1683, serving as a vital transportation link for residents…

On the second full day of this year’s Passenger Vessel Association’s 2025 Maritrends conference, the weather probably couldn’t have been much nicer; especially when it involved a tour and test ride on the new Artemis Technologies EF-12 Escape.The high-end water taxi, in the process of being introduced to US markets, was everything its creators promised, and perhaps just a little more. On Tuesday morning, cruising in brilliant sunshine, its full capabilities were on full display.Fully satisfying the brown water industry’s thirst for the Promised Land of “zero carbon footprint…

Since entering service in 2015, the all-electric ferry MF Ampere has sailed the equivalent of 17 times around the equator on batteries alone.Despite a chorus of critics and skeptics in during the project, a decade later, Ampere continues to showcase the potential of electric technology, tech that has been emulated in ferries globally.It all started with the Ampere and the Norwegian Public Road Administration's decision to require sustainable technology onboard the newbuild destined to transport passengers and vehicles across the Sognefjord on Norway's west coast.

In an article by Rhonda Moniz published this week on MarineLink, Siemens sales executive Ed Schwarz noted the flexibility provided by an electric distribution “backbone” that enables ferry operators to add more batteries, switch to new fuels or become 100% emission free with fuel cells.A string of deliveries reported this week demonstrate that steps are being taken along this pathway for a range of vessels:The hull of Lithuania’s first green hydrogen and electricity-powered ship was launched by the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.