Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2026 i Ships Monthly

FLNG China has unveiled the world’s largest domestically built floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility, completed in just 33 months. Named Nguya FLNG, the massive structure will operate in the Republic of Congo. At 376m in length, with a beam of 60m and a depth of 35m, Nguya FLNG is the largest floating LNG unit ever constructed in China. It has a storage capacity of 180,000m3 for LNG and 45,000m3 for LPG, with an annual production capacity of 2.4 million tons of LNG. It was built at the Nantong shipyard in Jiangsu Province, and represents a major leap in China’s offshore equipment manufacturing capabilities. Its delivery involved a 740-mile tow convoy, supported by 14 tugboats, patrol ships and three drones, setting a new coastal towing record in Nantong. The facility…

NEW FERRY The first new Mersey Ferry in over 60 years, Royal Daffodil, was floated out from Cammell Laird’s Birkenhead shipyard on 6 November 2025. The £26 million vessel, commissioned by Mersey Ferries, was carefully moved from the construction hall to the river’s edge during a 24-hour operation, where the incoming tide lifted her clear for the first time. Two tugs then guided the ferry to the shipyard’s wet basin for final outfitting ahead of sea trials, which are due to take place in early 2026. Built to combine efficiency with tradition, Royal Daffodil sports the fleet’s iconic black hull, red funnel and white superstructure. She measures 49.8m by 12m beam, and displaces 760 tons, making her the largest ferry operating on the Mersey. She is also designed for greener…

NEWBUILD The first vessel in a new series of heavy lift vessels commissioned by SAL Heavy Lift, named Elise, entered service following a formal launch event in Hamburg on 6 November 2025. Elise is the lead ship in SAL’s new Orca class, 14,600dwt vessels designed to transport ultra-large cargo, including next-generation wind turbine components. The ships are built to Ice-class 1A and Polar Code standards and classified by DNV. Key features of the design include a streamlined hull, twin 800-tonne all-electric cranes, hybrid propulsion systems, and shore power connectivity to eliminate emissions while docked. The vessels are also configured for future methanol fuel use, ready for zero-emission operations once green methanol becomes commercially available. WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com • The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL • t…

STENA LINE Over 200 guests attended the official naming ceremony of Stena Line’s newest vessel, Stena Futura, at Belfast Harbour on 20 November 2025. This state-of-the-art hybrid freight ferry marks a major milestone in Stena Line’s 30-year partnership with Belfast and its path to sustainable shipping. The 147m Stena Futura is the first of two next-generation ‘NewMax’ freight vessels purpose-built for the Belfast-Heysham route. The ship is methanol-ready and equipped with hybrid propulsion systems, including battery capability and shore power connectivity. The naming ceremony was carried out by the ship’s Godmother, Dr Madeleine Olsson Ericksson, a member of the Olsson family, owners of Stena Line, and guests included Deputy Lieutenant of the Borough of Belfast, Dr Philip McGarry and the First Minister, Michelle O’Neill.…

NEWBUILD Damen Shipyards Group unveiled the latest platform in its cargo vessels portfolio with the launch of the Combi Freighter (CF) 5000 ICE during the Europort 2025 event in Rotterdam. The approach Damen has taken is scalable. As such, the CF 5000 ICE is the first in a new series of ice class cargo vessels and can operate in open water and ice. The CF 5000 ICE draws on Damen’s experience with CF 3850 vessels, as well as conventional CF 5000 vessels. Damen has optimised the design, increasing the length of the hull, as well as the draught. Though modest, the modifications have resulted in a considerable increase in cargo capacity. The CF 5000 ICE also features a winterisation package, suitable for its capabilities to operate in temperatures as low…

ÆRØFÆRGERNE The Danish ferry operator Ærøfærgerne has selected Echandia to deliver a replacement battery system for the e-ferry Ellen. The marine battery systems provider will supply a 3.2MWh LTO battery system to replace the previous 4.3MWh NMC system. The new set-up, featuring Echandia’s LTO (Lithium-Titanate Oxide) technology, has a 15-year service life and is designed for the multiple daily fast-charging cycles at high efficiency demanded by ro-pax ferry operations. The system supports very high C-rates, enabling over 20,000 charge cycles and charging in around 25 minutes, an improvement of ten minutes per charging session. Delivered in 2019, Ellen was the world’s first long-range pure electric ferry and a pioneer of zero-emission passenger transport. The 59m vessel operates the nine-nautical-mile domestic route between Soby on the isle of Ærø and Fynshav…

MEDITERRANEAN The financially troubled Italian ferry operator Moby is to sell five of its ships as part of a restructuring process to service the company’s debt. Moby Aki, Moby Wonder, Moby Ale Due, Athara and Janus are listed as a single lot on an online auction with a starting price of €229.9 million, with the offering due to take place in December 2025. A stipulation for any transaction is that Aki and Wonder are to be bareboat-chartered back to Moby for 15 years, at a daily rate of €15,000 each, and that their names are not to be changed. As a result, the company’s Naples-Palermo route will be closed. The situation arose after the Italian Competition Authority ordered the MSC shipping group subsidiary, Shipping Agencies Services (SAS), to relinquish its…

DISNEY CRUISE LINE Disney Destiny, the last of the three 144,256gt Wish class ships ordered from Meyer at Papenburg, was christened on 10 November 2025 at Port Everglades by the actress Susan Egan. A fourth ship of the same design was ordered subsequently, along with three smaller ships of about 105,000gt. There is also a further Wish Class vessel on order for the Oriental Land Company, which operated the Disney resort in Japan. Separately, the 208,000gt Disney Adventure, the ship acquired part way through building from the now defunct Genting Hong Kong, is now in the final stages of fitting out in Bremerhaven. She is due to enter service in March 2026 and will be the largest vessel in Disney’s fleet.…

PHOENIX REISEN The 1998-built Deutschland, which has been operating summer charters to Phoenix Reisen, will leave the German fleet at the end of her summer 2026 season. Owned by Absolute Nevada LLC since 2015, following the collapse of Peter Deilmann Cruises the previous year, she has been operating for Phoenix during the summer since April 2016, apart from a gap during 2020-2021 due to the pandemic shutdown. She sails for Semester at Sea as World Odyssey for the remainder of the year, and is expected to continue in that role. It has been rumoured that Plantours might take up the summer charter, or alternatively she may operate year-round for Semester at Sea. In her current form, she carries 520 passengers. Her interiors are largely unchanged from the time of her…

PLAN CHINA China’s third aircraft carrier, named Fujian (18), was commissioned by the People’s Liberation Army Navy at a high-profile ceremony attended by President Xi Jinping, at Sanya on 7 November 2025. At 80,000 tonnes, the domestically-designed and built vessel is the world’s largest conventionally powered warship and only the second to have an advanced electromagnetic catapult system. The catapult-assisted take-off and arrested recovery (CATOBAR) configuration provides a step change for the PLAN’s naval aviation capabilities versus the short ramp-assisted take-off with arrested recovery (STOBAR) designs of the first two ships, Liaoning (16) and Shandong (17), as it enables the operation of larger aircraft and also allows fighter jets to carry greater payloads. China’s rapid development of aircraft carriers and carrier-borne aircraft has clearly benefitted from studying and copying the…

SOUTH KOREAN NAVY The Republic of Korea’s aspirations for a fleet of at least four nuclear-powered submarines have moved a significant step closer following the agreement of a US$350 billion trade deal with the United States. As part of the accord, South Korea is to invest US$150 billion in the US shipbuilding sector in return for the transfer of nuclear-propulsion technology, namely uranium-enriched fuel rods. A minor sticking point could be where the submarines are to be constructed. South Korean politicians have called for them to be built locally, while the Trump administration expects the work to be done at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, which the Korean company acquired in 2024. However, the Delaware-based shipyard does not have the capability to build nuclear-powered vessels. The development has prompted…

TANKERS Stena Bulk has confirmed the sale of two tankers from its fleet, including Stena Impero, a vessel that gained international attention in July 2019 when she was seized by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz. The sale marks a significant fleet adjustment for the Swedish operator, which has long maintained a presence in the product and chemical tanker market. Stena Impero was built in 2018 at Guangzhou Shipyard International in China. Measuring 183m by 32m, she was the final unit in a 13-ship series ordered by Stena Bulk in 2012. The ship is currently UK-flagged and has been operated by Northern Marine Management. The vessel was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on 19 July 2019 following allegations of a collision with a fishing vessel. The incident…

NEWBUILDINGS Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine has placed an order with Samsung Heavy Industries for a series of ultra-large container ships, each with a capacity of 24,000TEU. The order, announced on 12 November 2025, covers six vessels at a reported cost of US$1.2 billion. The ships will measure approximately 400m in length with a beam of 61m, making them among the largest container vessels afloat. The new ships are scheduled to be delivered between 2027 and 2028. Evergreen has been active in newbuilding orders, with more than 60 ships currently on order, including feeder vessels and LNG-fuelled units. The company operates a fleet of over 200 container ships, ranking them among the world’s top five carriers. Other operators have also placed significant orders in recent months, including Hapag-Lloyd, which has focused on…

NUCLEAR CARGO On 14 November 2025 the Russian-flagged general cargo ship Mikhail Dudin loaded uranium at Dunkirk port in France for transport to Russia. The shipment was reported by Greenpeace, which has monitored similar cargoes in recent years. The cargo consisted of uranium oxide, destined for processing in Russia. Dunkirk has previously handled shipments of nuclear materials, with consignments exported to Russia under long-term contracts. The 3,000dwt general cargo vessel Mikhail Dudin was part of a series of five similar sea-river coasters built for Russian owners in 1996 and 1997, and currently operates under the Panamanian flag. France has exported uranium and related materials to Russia, despite broader energy sanctions, citing contractual obligations. Greenpeace has highlighted the continuation of such shipments as controversial. WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com • The Granary, Downs…

A major contributor to the charm of the Trasmed vessels, at least until the mid-1970s, was the retention of several traditionally classical ships, kept in service well beyond their operating lives in other waters and under other flags. Some of these remarkable and elegant survivors date from the constituent companies that were amalgamated to form the Compañia Trasmediterránea in November 1916, which commenced operations from 1 January 1917. Initially, four shipping companies were involved: the Compañia Valenciana de Vapores Correos de Africa; the Valencia-domiciled Ferrer Peset Hermanos; the Linea Vapores Tintoré; and the Sociedad Navegación e Industria, the last two of Barcelona. Within the first two years of its establishment, Trasmed acquired four additional companies: the Compañia Anónima de Vapores Vinuesa of Seville and the Compañia Maritima de Barcelona, as…

HMS Belfast was launched on St Patrick’s Day in 1938, and commissioned just before the outbreak of World War II. During the conflict, she carried out Arctic convoy patrol duties and was involved in the D-Day Landings, before seeing service in the Far East. She was actively involved in the Korean War, and finally, in 1978, became part of the Imperial War Museum (IWM) as a museum ship, preserved for future generations, offering visitors a glimpse of what life was like onboard a Royal Navy ship of that era. HMS Belfast’s origins lie in, firstly, the constraints of the inter-war naval treaties, which limited the size and numbers of warships any country could build, and, secondly, the Royal Navy’s response to the emerging threat posed by the Japanese Navy’s new…

ASTORIA REMEMBERED Few ships lived as many lives as Astoria. Completed in 1948 as Stockholm, she changed names, owners and roles many times, until her journey ended in 2025 PLUS PORT LINE’S PIONEERING TRIO • Port Line operated some of the finest motor vessels of the 1920s and 1930s, including three which were built by yards on the Tyne and the Clyde. TRASMEDITERRANEA part 2 • A second article about Compañia Trasmediterránea looks at the company’s fleet development from 1960 to 1991. HAWKE AND OLYMPIC • Tracing the career of the ill-fated armoured cruiser HMS Hawke, which became the subject of a major legal action. HMS LIVERPOOL • Profile of the Type 42 destroyer HMS Liverpool, scrapped a decade ago after serving the Royal Navy for over 30 years. ON…

CANADIAN CG ABB has been awarded a contract to deliver a complete electric power and propulsion system for the Polar Max icebreaker, a next-generation vessel being built for the Canadian Coast Guard. The ship is scheduled to enter service by 2030 under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, with Davie Shipbuilding acting as a strategic partner. The Polar Max will be constructed through a collaboration between Helsinki Shipyard in Finland and Davie’s facilities in Lévis, Quebec. Measuring 22,800 tonnes and 138.5m in length, the vessel will be the first project at Helsinki Shipyard since its acquisition by Davie. Designed for year-round operations in North American ice-covered waters, the icebreaker will also serve as a research platform and support oil spill response, emergency towing and maritime rescue. ABB’s Azipod propulsion system will provide…

NEW FERRIES New Zealand’s Interislander service is set for a major upgrade, with two new Cook Strait ferries scheduled to enter service by Christmas 2029. The new vessels will replace the ageing Kaitaki and Kaiarahi ferries and are designed to meet growing demand for both passenger and freight transport across the strait. Each ship will measure approximately 200m by 28m, making them significantly larger than the current fleet members. They will feature rail-enabled decks, allowing them to carry both road and rail freight, critical for maintaining efficient supply chains between the North and South Islands. The ferries will have a capacity for 1,530 passengers, along with 2,400 lane metres and space for 40 rail wagons, providing a substantial increase in freight capability. In addition to size and capacity improvements, the…

SANCTIONS On 12 November 2025 the UK government announced a ban on British companies providing maritime services, including shipping and insurance, for Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. The measure will be phased in during 2026, in coordination with European partners. The UK had already banned imports of Russian LNG in 2023, but British firms continued to provide services for tankers carrying the fuel to third countries. The new restrictions target shipping companies and insurers, with London controlling around 90 per cent of the global marine insurance market. The ban is intended to reduce Russia’s energy revenues, which have supported its war effort in Ukraine. It follows similar EU sanctions, which will prohibit Russian LNG imports from 2027. The UK’s move is expected to impact global LNG trade flows.…

PASSENGER FERRY The Isle of Wight has welcomed a a new addition to its transport network with the launch of Kraken, a passenger ferry operating between Yarmouth and Lymington. Built by Blyth Catamarans Ltd at Canvey Island and officially launched in July 2024, Kraken represents a £1 million investment aimed at improving connectivity across the Western Solent. Measuring 15m by 6m, Kraken has MCA Class IV certification and is powered by two 350hp Hyundai engines. She cruises at 12-14 knots and has a top speed of 20 knots. Kraken accommodates 110 passengers across enclosed and open seating areas, with refreshments available. The service, with crossing times of 35 minutes, is operated by Quay 2 Quay and will initially run on weekdays, with plans to expand to a full timetable and…

SHIN NIHONKAI The Shin Nihonkai Ferry Co and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency have taken delivery of an advanced new ferry built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding. The 14,300-tonne Keyaki is the first Japanese ferry to feature the latest energy-saving hull form. As such, the design includes a Katana Bow and a buttock-flow stern hull, intended to reduce water resistance, with a duck-tail at the stern. Propulsion resistance is further suppressed by a roll-damping system combining an anti-rolling tank and fin stabilisers to counter the vessel’s motion. Combined, these innovations should enable a five per cent energy saving compared to earlier vessels. The interior of the cruise ferry is very open plan, with a three-storey atrium at the entrance and a forward salon with a two-storey atrium. There is also…

NEONYX CRUISES The Seajets-owned company Neonyx Cruises was due to bring the former Costa Magica, now Goddess of the Night, into service in 2024, but after a troublesome charter as an accommodation vessel, the ship was laid up. It now seems that the ship has been sold to Tianjin Orient International Cruises, to operate under the name Ideal. She will join the former Sun Princess, currently sailing as Dream. Seajets still owns three cruise ships, all of which have been laid up since being acquired during the almost panic selling of ships at the time of the pandemic. They are Queen of the Oceans, formerly P&O Cruises Oceana, and before that Ocean Princess; Aegean Majesty, formerly Holland America’s Veendam; and Majesty of the Oceans, previously Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the…

PLAN CHINA Following the showcasing of the PLAN’s latest aircraft carrier, official Chinese media agencies have proudly released images of the equally intriguing Sichuan, as the first Type 076 amphibious assault ship conducted three days of initial sea trials, out of Shanghai. With an overall length of 252m and a beam of 45m, the LHD is estimated to displace around 45,000 tonnes. It has a large CATOBAR-configured full-length flight deck, with two aircraft elevators and a floodable stern well dock for LCU or LCAC shore connectors. However, the most notable design features are the two islands and the unique single electromagnetic catapult for the launch of fixed-wing drones. The Type 076 has evidently been designed to operate a range of uncrewed combat drones alongside conventional crewed helicopters. These could include…

FRENCH NAVY The French Navy has taken delivery of FS Amiral Ronarc’h, the first of five so-called Defence and Intervention frigates (FDI). The successor to the French FREMM is a general-purpose vessel with added capabilities to combat asymmetric threats, such as swarm attacks by drones and small boats. To this end, they are equipped with the latest advancements in digital and data processing technologies developed by Thales. In their baseline configuration the ships feature a SEA FIRE 4D AESA S-band multi-function radar for anti-air warfare, along with a compact variant of the CAPTAS-4 towed array sonar for anti-submarine warfare. Weapons include eight Exocet MM-40 Block 3c anti-ship missiles and 16 Sylver A50 VLS cells for Aster 15 or 30 surface-to-air missiles. The capacity of the latter is to be doubled…

CONTAINER SHIPS Ellerman City Liners, part of GB Global, has acquired Norwegian shortsea operator Viasea Shipping from ColliCare Holding AS. The deal, announced on 12 November 2025, strengthens Ellerman’s presence in the European shortsea market. Founded in 2016, Viasea operates scheduled services between the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, and Lithuania. The company has offices in Moss, Rotterdam, Gdynia, Klaipeda and Immingham, and runs a fleet of around five vessels. Viasea has positioned itself as a sustainable alternative to road freight, offering reliable shortsea connections across Northern Europe. Ellerman, a historic UK shipping name revived in recent years, has expanded its liner services between Europe and the UK. The acquisition of Viasea provides access to established routes and customer bases, complementing Ellerman’s existing network. The integration of Viasea will allow…

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AUTOMEDON Automedon, the former Cyclops built by Scotts’ at Greenock in 1948 and only very recently renamed, pictured in the River Thames passing Tilbury Fort, inbound for London on Wednesday 30 July 1975. She sailed from London on 6 August for Penang, Port Kelang and Singapore via Gibraltar and Jeddah. As London was historically served by Glen Line, the call was unusual for a Blue Funnel Line ship but can be explained by the fact that, in 1975, the ships were operating on the Ben Ocean joint service. She became one of the Blue Funnel Line ships transferred to Elder Dempster Lines service without change of name (see table, SM, June, page 52), her transfer taking place after her return to Antwerp from Nagoya on Christmas Eve 1975. She finally…

HMS Totem was a Group 3 T-class submarine of welded construction, and was launched at HM Dockyard Devonport on 28 September 1943. After being fitted out, she left Devonport on 2 January 1945 and was commissioned at Holy Loch on 9 January. Following work-up, she sailed from Lerwick on 8 April 1945 for her first war patrol around the Kors Fjord, near Bergen in Norway. This patrol was frustrating, due to persistent bad weather, mechanical defects and a radar fault that could only be rectified in harbour. Totem left the patrol area on 18 April 1945, and arrived back at Lerwick the following day. On 22 April 1945 she left Lerwick for Holy Loch, for rectification of the defects reported during the patrol. Following noise trials in Loch Goil, Totem…

In April 1990 I gained promotion from my job at Parkeston Quay to work at the two rail terminals at Ipswich. This gave me the chance to take photographs during my long day shift, which lasted from 07.00 to 18.00 on weekdays and half a day Saturday. I found the dockers at Ipswich to be helpful as, once they knew of my hobby, they alerted me to movements within the port. Ipswich had at that time two container services operated by Geest North Sea Line, running to Rotterdam and Duisburg, and CAST running a feeder service from Zeebrugge to Ipswich and a Scandinavian service. Several berths in the Wet Dock were still open, loading Malt from Paul’s and grain from local farms. Slag and stone was also handled at Southwest…

SHIPS MAIL THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF RESIDENCY SHIPS letter of the month Tim Gibbs’ letter (SM, March 2025) referenced the increasing interest in residential ships and, in particular, the saga of the Odyssey’s delayed entry into service. Recently some clarification of what went on in Harland and Wolff’s Belfast shipyard was rather surprisingly documented on the Channel 5 programme Coastguard SOS, which included input from the MCA about their inspection work. The way it was presented strongly suggested that the promoters had little realisation of the work and associated costs required in putting this 30-year-old ship through Special Survey and making it compliant with all the necessary statutory requirements such a vessel has to meet. It also appeared that some of the clients were remarkably naive about the project they…

CARGO SHIP After almost 40 years of service, the 277gt general cargo vessel Silver River left Ramsey, Isle of Man for the final time on 12 November 2025. Built in 1968, this 44.7m-long ship was a vital link for freight between the Isle of Man and ports in the UK and Ireland, carrying everything from containers to building materials and vehicles. Operated by Mezeron, Silver River was known for her reliability during challenging times. She has been sold for about $330,000 and is heading to Büsum, Germany, to begin a new chapter serving small islands near Cuxhaven. Her replacement, the larger 852gt Snaefell River (1989), arrived just after Christmas 2024 to continue Mezeron’s operations. Silver River was built by Schiffswerft Schlömer GmbH at Moormerland, Germany as Seacon and was later…

COMPANY NEWS DFDS has agreed to sell the ro-ro vessel Cappadocia Seaways after more than 23 years of service, as part of its ongoing fleet optimisation strategy. The decision follows an assessment of current and future capacity requirements across the company’s Mediterranean network. To maintain service levels, DFDS will deploy Selandia Seaways on the Tunis-Marseille route. The 197m freight ferry offers a capacity of 2,772 lane metres, equivalent to 177 trailers. Meanwhile, Gallipoli Seaways will replace Cappadocia Seaways on the Mersin-Trieste route. The Tunis-Marseille route has experienced steady volume growth, and DFDS aims to strengthen this corridor with the introduction of Selandia Seaways. The company stated that the fleet adjustments will ensure adequate frequency and service quality supporting trade between Europe, Turkey, and North Africa.…

HEAVY LIFT The first vessel in a new series of heavy lift vessels commissioned by SAL Heavy Lift, Elise, entered service following a formal launch event in Hamburg on 6 November 2025. Elise is the lead ship in SAL’s new Orca class, a fleet of 14,600dwt vessels designed to transport ultra-large cargo, including next-generation wind turbine components. The ships are built to Ice-class 1A and Polar Code standards and classified by DNV. The vessel’s key design features include a streamlined hull, twin 800-tonne all-electric cranes, hybrid propulsion systems, and shore power connectivity to eliminate emissions while docked. The vessels are also configured for future methanol fuel use. Elise measures 149.9m (491.8ft) overall, has a moulded beam of 27.2m (89.2ft), a moulded depth of 16.7m (54.8ft) and a deadweight of approximately…

TASMANIA The second of two ro-pax ferries destined for service across the Bass Strait has sailed from the Rauma Marine Constructions shipyard in Finland. The departure of Spirit of Tasmania V concludes the largest single export contract ever between Finland and Australia, although the ship was formally handed over in June 2025. Spirit of Tasmania V began her long journey to Devonport on 30 October 2025, under the command of the same master who sailed sistership Spirit of Tasmania IV on her delivery voyage home in June 2025. Similarly, the latest TT-Line vessel’s first port of call was Leith, near Edinburgh, for lay-up to avoid being stranded in Baltic Sea ice. The 48,000-tonne ferries built by RMC are designed to cope with the notoriously rough open sea route between Geelong…

CALMAC The Caledonian MacBrayne ‘soap opera’ has several new twists and turns, with a series of age-related technical issues affecting a number of lifeline ferry services, and a surprising decision to return to a shipyard that CalMac has a legal dispute with. With the regular ferry Loch Seaforth away for annual maintenance, the failure of the car deck ventilation system on board the relief vessel Isle of Lewis led to a week and a half of disruption on services to Stornoway. The 30-year-old ferry was initially restricted to carrying only 30 cars, then none at all. Fortunately, supplies were still able to reach the capital using the chartered ro-ro Arrow. After 20 months out of service, Caledonian Isles was again sidelined for more than a week with ongoing, but unrelated,…

CRYSTAL CRUISES The first of the trio of new ships on order with Fincantieri will be named Crystal Grace when she is delivered in 2028 as the first new ship for Crystal in 25 years. Her maiden voyage is scheduled for 11 June. At around 62,000gt, she will carry 650 passengers and will join the 506-passenger, 51,044gt Crystal Symphony, dating from 1995, and the 740-passenger, 68,870gt Crystal Serenity, which was delivered in 2003. Both of the older ships underwent major refits which reduced their passenger capacity after the brand was acquired by Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group in 2022. The only other ship owned by Crystal Cruises was the 50,142gt Crystal Harmony, which was delivered in 1990 and transferred to NYK as Asuka II in 2006, when Crystal was owned…

INDUSTRY NEWS Two members of the Marella Cruises fleet have recently received routine attention in dry dock, the 1997-built Marella Voyager (ex-Mercury) at the Navantia yard in Cadiz and the 995-built Marella Discovery (ex-Splendour of the Seas) at the Damen Shiprepair facility in Rotterdam. Ambassador’s 1999-built Ambition received her overhaul at the A&P yard in Falmouth during November 2025 and Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony is receiving attention in Genoa g. The biggest refit during this period saw the 2010-built MSC Magnifica being dry docked in Valletta, Malta in early November. During the docking, she underwent a major conversion of part of her accommodation to create a Yacht Club, comprising lounge, restaurant and separate deck areas.…

NCL HOLDINGS The previously agreed charters of Oceania’s Insignia and Regent Seven Seas’ Seven Seas Navigator to Crescent Seas for conversion into residential cruise ships have been cancelled by the charterer. That company now believes that its ‘residents’ will require larger accommodation units than can easily be provided within the existing ships, and will concentrate on one or more newbuild vessels, the first of which could come on stream in 2032. The cancelled charters were originally set to run for ten years, with options to purchase. Seven Seas Navigator in part dates from 1991, when work commenced on what was to be a Russian research ship. She was completed by Mariotti in Genoa in 1998. Insignia was one of the second series of ships built for the short-lived Renaissance Cruises,…

BELGIAN NAVY A new type of drone-based mine countermeasures vessel has arrived at her homeport for the first time. Oostende (M940), lead vessel of the Belgian-Dutch Replacement Mine CounterMeasure (rMCM) programme, was welcomed to Zeebrugge by the Belgian Minister of Defence, Chief of Staff of the Belgian Armed Forces, the CEO of Naval Group, and the Director of the Exail Maritime Division, on 3 November 2025. The arrival of the new ship is a significant milestone for the €2 billion joint project to replace ships of the Tripartite class of minehunters of both navies, with the new vessels equipped for remote and autonomous mine warfare operations. Of the 12 ships ordered, nine are currently under construction, with five already afloat. The second in the series, Vlissingen (M840), intended for the…

MINI-BULK CARRIER Aasen Shipping has returned to Royal Bodewes in the Netherlands to order additional bulk carriers, expanding its fleet of eco-designed vessels. The order, confirmed in November 2025, adds two more units to the company’s growing series of ships. The new ships are based on the Bodewes Eco Trader design, featuring fuel-efficient engines and optimised hull forms, resulting in reduced emissions. Each vessel has a deadweight of 8,000 tonnes, a length of 110m, and is equipped for bulk and general cargo trades. Aasen, which operate in Northern Europe, has already taken delivery of four vessels from the yard. The company specialises in shortsea trades, carrying aggregates, cement and project cargoes, with a focus on sustainable operations. Royal Bodewes, at Hoogezand, has built a reputation for innovative eco designs, supplying…

In the aftermath of World War II Britain saw mass emigration to Australia, which was assisted by subsidies from the Australian Government. This coincided with the P&O Company’s decision to replace their ageing ‘Strath’ liners of the pre-war years, and on 28 September 1956, the company placed an order with Harland & Wolff of Belfast for a new 45,733grt passenger liner, which would be very different from all of the company’s previous ships. With slim twin funnels sited aft and her superstructure forward, she would carry 548 first class and 1,690 tourist class passengers. She had a length overall of 820ft (249.9m), and a beam of 102ft (31m). Her twin screws were powered by electric motors, run by three Foster Wheeler external superheater D-type oil-fired boilers operating at 750psi and…

In February 2022 the Luxembourg-based transport and logistics company CLdN signed a contract with the Hyundai Mipo Shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea for two hybrid 8,000 lane metre ro-ro vessels. This order formed part of the company’s long-term plans for growth, and strengthened its position as the most environmentally friendly ro-ro operator in Europe. The new ships represent the company’s largest investment ever in new tonnage, and are the result of two years of engineering and development work. The new vessels, Chaumine and Leonine, are modelled on Celine and Delphine, delivered in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Each of the four ships offers 8,000 lane metres of freight and together they operate on the company’s network linking Belgium, Ireland and the UK. With the introduction of the new ships, CLdN now…

WHY DID YOU FOLLOW A CAREER AT SEA? I come from Bergen, which has such a seafaring tradition, and as a child I stayed with my grandparents on a remote island off the west coast of Norway, where I went fishing, swimming and sailing, so I guess you could say the sea is in my blood. WHERE DID YOU TRAIN? I attended the Bergen Maritime College and also served in the Royal Norwegian Navy and Coastguard for my cadetship. I then worked for the Odfjell tanker company, which operates ships and terminals worldwide, and that enabled me to travel the world. My first command was five years ago on Spitsbergen. WHAT IS THIS SHIP LIKE TO WORK ON? Fantastic! Roald Amundsen is an amazing ship, solidly built with her Ice…