Shippax
Newsletter– week 15

Eckerö
Group invests further in energy
optimization initiatives

Eckerö
Group plans to install 120 solar
panels onboard the company’s RoPax
ferry FINBO CARGO. The installation is
expected to contribute approximately
70 MWh annually to the vessel’s
operations.

Eckerö
Group has entered a contract with
Åland-based Solel Åland, which will
retrofit the solar panels onboard
ahead of this year’s summer season.
This was announced by Eckerö Group in
connection with the group’s 2025
financial results.

DFDS
charters AL ANDALUS EXPRESS

DFDS
has chartered the RoPax ferry AL
ANDALUS EXPRESS. The vessel, built in
1988, with a capacity of 1,257
lanemetres and 200 passengers, and
formerly a railway ferry, was deployed
by DFDS on 6 April on the route across
the Strait of Gibraltar between
Algeciras and Tangier Med.

Companies
booked as of 9 April (+220 unique
companies):

A Ships
Management, ABB, Actemium, ADAC
Pharos, Adria RoRo 1, Aferry, Alpha
Trading, Anda-Olsen, Anhui Sunny
Electric Group, Anschütz, Aros Marine,
Asenav, Assa Abloy, Attica Group,
Augustea Ship Manning, Auramarine,
Austal Ships, B cool, Balearia, Bassoe
Technology, Baze Technology, Berg
Propulsion, Beurteaux, BLRT Grupp
Western Baltija Shipbuilding, BLRT
Repair Yards, BoCS Consulting, Brax
Shipping, Brittany Ferries, BRS,
Brunvoll Volda, Bureau Veritas, Carus,
Caterpillar, Cemre Shipyard, Cetasol,
Clarksons, Cold pad, Corsica Ferries,
Corvus Energy, Cotenaval, CSSC Cruise
Technology Development, Damen
Shipyards, Deltamarin, Desmi Pumping
Technology, DFDS, DNV, Echandia
Marine, Eckerö Group, E-Dea, Ehrenberg
Sørensen Kommunikation, Eknes,
Elomatic Consulting & Engineering,
Enrico Scolaro Shipbrokers, Ensemble,
Everllence, Ferry Systems, FerryHawk,
Filmbankmedia (Warner Bros), Finnish
Shipowners Association, Fjord Line,
Flexipax Marine Digital Keys,
Foreship, FRS GmbH & Co KG, FSG
S+O Design, FSG Shipyard, GCE Blue
Maritime Cluster, Georg Fischer Piping
Systems, Glamox, GNV, GNW Power, Godby
Shipping, Gondan Shipbuilders, Gotland
Tech Development, Grendi, Grifone,
Grimaldi Group, Guangzhou Shipyard
International, Hammarship, Harmony
Marine Solutions, Harpain Shipping,
Hogia Ferry Systems, Hogia Terminal
Systems, Holman Fenwick Willan,
Houlder, Hull Vane, Hullbot, Hydro
Extrusions, Incat Tasmania, Ingeteam,
Interferry, Isle of Man Steam Packet
Company, Jets Vacuum, KAM SG Pte.,
Knud E. Hansen, Kongsberg Maritime,
Krohne Italia, La Méridionale,
Lagersmit, LEK Consulting, Liferaft
Systems Australia, Liknoss, Lloyd’s
Register, LMG Marin, Loipart,
Maatsuyker, MacGregor, Macholl &
Specht, Malta Shipbrokers, Manta
Marine Technologies, Mareneco,
MariApps, Marioff, Maritime Montering
Group, Mason Shipbrokers, Mauric,
Maxicaster, Mercy Ships, Metizoft,
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Mobitech,
Moby, MTN, Naos Ship & Boat
Design, NAPA, Navitaship, NIT Naval
Interior Team, Noatum Maritime
Services, Nordic Air Defence, Nordic
HSC, Nortal, Nortech AI, North Sea
Offshore, Nowhere Networks,
OceanWings, Orbyt Global, OSK Design,
OSM Maritime, P&O Ferries, Port of
Helsinki, Port of Turku, Porto Santo
Line, Priceff, PureteQ, Quantum Marine
Stabilizers, Quvia, R&M Group,
Rauma Marine Constructions, Red
Funnel, Rederi AB Eckerö, Remontowa
Shipbuilding, Rina, Ripple Operations,
RISE Research Institutes of Sweden,
Rolls-Royce Solutions, Rostock Port,
Royal Institution of Naval Architects,
Sahal Global Logistics, Saint Gobain,
Salto Systems, Sat-Elite, Scandlines,
Schottel, SDARI (Shanghai Merchant
Ship Design & Research Institute),
Sea Ahead Marine, Sea Highways,
Seacoach Boat Company, Seacore,
Seajets, Seat Innovation, SEMS S.r.L.,
SEPD, Shippax, ShoreLink, Silverstream
Technologies, Simsonship Shipbrokers,
SMC Design, Solvay, Speedcast,
Steerprop, Stena Line, Stena RoRo,
Stena Teknik, Stucke Elektronik,
Surikat, Tallink Grupp, Tallink Silja,
Tampnet, Telenor Maritime, Tersan
Shipyard, The Lab at Brookes Bell,
thilles consulting, Trelleborg
Industrial Products, Trident BMC, TS
Laevad, TT-Line, Ulmatec Thermal
Solutions, UME Shipping, Unifire,
Unitramp, Valmet Automation, Venture
Ship Management Europe, Vertti &
Co, VICUS Desarrollos Tecnológicos,
VID Firekill, Viking Line, Voith,
Vullpo Smart Solutions, Wabtec,
Wallenius SOL, Wasaline, WE Tech
Solutions, Weasel Software, West Mekan
Produksjon, Wight Shipyard, Wightlink,
WMS, Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei
Föhr-Amrum, Wärtsilä, Zelim, Zeppelin
Power Systems, Zinus

Echandia
to supply battery system for
Gotlandsbolaget’s new hybrid
vessel

Echandia
has signed an agreement with
Gotlandsbolaget to supply a battery
system for a new hybrid high-speed
catamaran operating between Visby and
Nynäshamn. The battery system is
designed for a 20-year service life.
The new vessel, GOTLAND HORIZON X,
will have capacity for up to 400 cars
and 1,500 passengers, and will be
constructed by the Australian
shipbuilder Austal Limited. The vessel
is expected to be delivered from the
shipyard in mid-2028.

PETER
PAN became the first ferry to
bunker LNG ship-to-ship in
Lithuania

Avenir
Ascension supplied LNG to the
dual-fuel RoPax ferry PETER PAN, owned
and operated by TT-Line. For several
years, Avenir has supported TT-Line’s
operations across ports in Sweden and
Germany.

According
to Avenir, expanding the collaboration
to Klaipeda marks an important next
step, strengthening security of supply
for alternative marine fuels in the
Baltic region as the LNG bunkering of
PETER PAN represents the first
ship-to-ship LNG bunkering of a ferry
in Lithuania.

Record
Easter week for Fred. Olsen
Express on the Canary Islands

Fred.
Olsen Express has concluded the Easter
period with record figures for
passenger and vehicle traffic on the
Canary Islands. Between Friday, 27
March, and Sunday, 5 April, the
company transported a total of 166,000
passengers, representing a 6% increase
compared to the same holiday period in
2025.

Finnlines’
Sweden–Poland route marks two full
year of operation

Since
launching its ferry route between
Malmö and Swinoujscie on 10 April
2024, Finnlines has transported over
200,000 passengers and drivers in its
first two years of operation. In 2025,
July was the strongest month, followed
by August. Passenger numbers during
the summer increased by 39% compared
to the same period in 2024.

First
Heysham-Max in full CLdN livery

CLdN’s
Heysham-Max RoRo PERFORMANCE became
the first of the four former Seatruck
Ferries sister vessels, built in
2011/12 at Flensburg, to appear in
full CLdN livery. At the end of March,
PERFORMANCE departed the Harland &
Wolff shipyard in Belfast following a
scheduled dry docking and 15-year
survey, newly painted in CLdN’s
colours.

ANDROS
KING in extensive renovation ahead
of deployment at the end of May

Golden
Star Ferries’ ANDROS KING is expected
to be deployed on the company’s route
from Rafina to the northern and
central Cyclades
(Andros/Tinos/Mykonos) at the end of
May. The vessel, built in 2006, was
purchased as VOLCAN DE TABURIENTE from
Naviera Armas for EUR 20 million back
in July 2024.

Strait
Link now fully owned by
infrastructure investor

Strait
Link has confirmed its completion of
sale to global infrastructure investor
Igneo Infrastructure Partners. Strait
Link plays a critical role in linking
Tasmania with mainland Australia,
supporting local industries and
enabling businesses to access markets
beyond the island.

The
company, which holds a market share on
the Bass Strait at around 45%,
operates the two 2018-built sister
vessels VICTORIAN RELIANCE II and
TASMANIAN ACHIEVER II, each with a
capacity of 2,994 lanemetres between
Melbourne (mainland) and Burnie
(Tasmania).

KAI
YUAN KOU delivered to Santoku
Senpaku

Chinese
Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry delivered
the KAI YUAN KOU to the Japanese
tonnage provider Santoku Senpaku. KAI
YUAN KOU is the fourth of a total of
six 7,500 CEU dual-fuel LNG PCTCs
ordered by Santoku Senpaku at Xiamen
Shipbuilding.

As with
the previous three units, GUANG WU
KOU, KAI YUAN KOU, and ZHEN GUAN KOU –
KAI YUAN KOU will also be deployed by
Guangzhou Yuanhai Automobile Shipping,
a COSCO Shipping Specialized
Carriers-controlled joint-venture.

The
RoRo space rocket carrier
SPACESHIP has been launched

US-based
Bollinger Shipyards has launched the
specialised RoRo newbuilding
SPACESHIP, ordered by the United
Launch Alliance (ULA). SPACESHIP is
the most recent rocket carrier
designed and built by Bollinger
Shipyards.

The
vessel follows in the footsteps of
ROCKETSHIP, which has been
transporting Atlas V components since
2011.

Two
shipyard bids for a replacement
for the veteran ferry REGULA

The
Estonia state-controlled ferry
tonnage-owner Riigilaevastik received
two bids for the design and
construction tender of the fifth ferry
for the TS Laevad-operated routes
between Virtsu and Kuivastu, and
between Rohuküla and Heltermaa. The
bids were submitted to Riigilaevastik
by the Polish shipyard CRIST S.A. and
the Estonian company Baltic Workboats
AS together with UAB Vakaru Baltijos
Laivu Statykla.

A
NEPITA to become ILE ROUGE in
Canada

Marine
Atlantic announced that A NEPITA will
operate under the name ILE ROUGE
during its five-year charter from
Stena RoRo. The name ILE ROUGE
reflects the deep French history of
Newfoundland and Labrador and
recognizes the Francophone community
within the province, the operator
states.

Siem
buys LAKE KIVU from Eastern
Pacific Shipping

Siem
has acquired the 4,888 CEU LAKE KIVU
from Eastern Pacific Shipping. The
PCTC, built in 2006, was taken over at
the end of March and now operates
under the name SIEM NEWTON for Siem
Car Carriers.

Third
EMF-financed PCTC delivered

Atlas
Maritime took delivery of ECO STAR
from CIMC Raffles in China. The 7,000
CEU Ammonia-Ready, LNG dual-fuel PCTC
is the third of four vessels in a
series contracted on behalf of EMF
(European Maritime Finance).

The
first two newbuildings in the series,
UGR AL SAMHA and UGR ZAKHER, now owned
by UGR (United Global Ro-Ro), were
delivered in the first and second
quarters of 2025, respectively. Atlas
Maritime is expected to take delivery
of the fourth and final vessel, TBN:
CLEAN STAR, in July this year.

Irish
Continental Group delivers strong
revenue and profit growth in 2025

Irish
Continental Group (ICG) has published
its Annual Report for the year ended
31 December 2025, reporting solid
double-digit growth in revenue, EBITDA
and operating profit compared with the
prior year.

The
Ferries Division (including Irish
Ferries) recorded revenue of EUR 465.5
million, a 7.4% increase on EUR 433.5
million in 2024, with EBITDA rising
9.9% to EUR 120.7 million. Passenger,
car and on-board revenues grew 7.3%,
while RoRo freight revenue was up
6.7%.

POLSCA
Baltic Ferries started operation

Three
shipowners, one brand, and a shared
destination — Scandinavia. That became
a reality on 30 March 2026, where the
joint-venture company Polsca S.A.
officially began operations,
consolidating ticket sales, fleet
management, and route networks from
Polferries, Unity Line, and Euroafrica
under the POLSCA Baltic Ferries
banner.

Tender
out for the replacement for LORD
OF THE ISLES

On 1
April, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.
(CMAL) issued a tender for a RoPax
newbuilding to replace the 1989-built
LORD OF THE ISLES. The new ferry will
primarily operate on the route between
Lochboisdale on South Uist and Mallaig
on the mainland.

Signed
between RINA and Hanwha an
agreement to promote the adoption
of battery-hybrid propulsion
systems

RINA
has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with Hanwha Group,
through its key affiliates Hanwha
Power Systems (now Hanwha Power),
Hanwha Aerospace, and Hanwha Engine,
with the aim of promoting the adoption
of advanced battery hybrid propulsion
systems in the maritime sector,
particularly in the RoRo ferry
segment.

Peep
Jalakas assumes role as CEO of AS
Tallink Grupp

On 6
April, Peep Jalakas assumed the role
of Chief Executive Officer of AS
Tallink Grupp. The Group’s Supervisory
Board appointed Jalakas as the
company’s new CEO in February, and his
term of office will last for three
years.