Innehållsförteckning för November 2025 från Ships Monthly

REBUILT BULKER Canada’s CSL Group has introduced CSL Flexvik to its fleet. The hybrid self-loading/unloading vessel is designed to support marine construction work across Europe. Delivered on 31 May from Wulkan Shipyard in Szczecin, the vessel has been rebuilt from a conventional bulk carrier into a purpose-built 18,003dwt ship for flexible delivery of materials for infrastructure and offshore energy projects. CSL Flexvik was built in 2012 by Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering in China as the general cargo/bulk carrier Raba, and was later sold to a Singapore-based company and renamed Ale. After running aground in Long Point, Newfoundland in September 2022, she was acquired by CSL in March 2023. Following repairs, the ship underwent conversion at Wulkan and is now capable of transporting a wide range of cargo, from fine sand…

NEW CAR CARRIER On 19 September Sallaum Lines marked the European debut of its first LNG dual-fuel newbuilding, Ocean Breeze, with a ceremony in the port of Antwerp. The event at Sallaum Terminal was attended by guests including government officials, OEM representatives, port executives and industry partners. Guests toured Ocean Breeze and the upgraded terminal facilities before the ceremony. Ocean Breeze has a 7,500CEU capacity and is powered by dual-fuel LNG engines. She delivers substantial reductions in CO2, NOx and particulate emissions compared to conventional tonnage, thanks to an optimised hull design and energy-saving devices. She is the first of six LNG dual-fuel PCTCs set to join the Sallaum Lines fleet by 2027, adding over 45,000CEU in capacity as Sallaum Lines remains among the top global ro-ro carriers.…

RNLI LIFEBOAT On 6 September the new 13m Shannon class lifeboat Chris and Jo West (13-52) was named and dedicated at a ceremony held outside the lifeboat station at Clacton. Janet Legrand MBE, the RNLI Chair, accepted the boat on behalf of the charity, and representatives of the donor families were present to honour the generous legacy donations from Chris and Jo West, Diane Judith Foxley and Mr and Mrs Norman Bassett, which contributed to the Shannon lifeboat and SLRS launch system. The new lifeboat arrived at Clacton in November 2024 and became operational in March. She is the first all-weather lifeboat to see operational service at Clacton in four decades. WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com • The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL • t > 01959 541444…

NEW PCTC Wallenius Marine, in collaboration with naval architects KNUD E. HANSEN, has unveiled a new ro-ro vessel concept that builds on the Sleipner PCTC platform and operational insights gained from the car carriers Future Way and Way Forward, which entered service last year. The new design improves cargo-handling and propulsion efficiency, offering a cargo capacity of 2,720 lane metres, equivalent to 181 trailers, despite its compact 170m length. A significant innovation is the relocation of the engine room to the bow, which frees up the full width of the stern and main deck for rapid and efficient loading and unloading. Propulsion is delivered via a dual-fuel electric powertrain capable of running on LNG, LBG, marine gas oil and biodiesel, paired with Azipods.…

FUTURE FUELS CMA CGM and TotalEnergies have established a joint venture to supply LNG as marine fuel to the French carrier’s fleet. The venture will commence in 2028 and will include the deployment of a purpose-built LNG bunker vessel with a capacity of 20,000m3. This ship will be stationed in Rotterdam and be capable of delivering LNG to a wide range of vessels, including ultra-large container ships, in Rotterdam and the southern North Sea area. The new vessel will complement TotalEnergies’ existing LNG bunker tanker in Rotterdam, Gas Agility, an 18,600m3 bunker vessel which has been in service since 2020 and is currently one of the largest LNG bunker ships in operation. Gas Agility has been used extensively to supply CMA CGM’s LNG-powered container ships in northern Europe, as well…

POLSCA BALTIC FERRIES The future Jantar Unity (47,626gt), thus far known as Ropax NB 101, conducted a two-week sea trials programme for the first time in September. The LNG-powered hybrid ro-pax is the first of three newbuilds, with an option for a fourth, that will serve PolSca Baltic Ferries, although she was originally intended to operate under the Unity Line brand. The in-house design measures 195.6m by 32.2m, and has capacity for up to 400 passengers and 4,100 lane metres of traffic. Four Wärtsilä 31DF engines will provide a service speed of 19 knots. Upon entering service early next year, Jantar Unity will primarily serve the Swinoujscie-Trelleborg route. Her sisterships, the second of which is to be named Bursztyn Unity, will follow at yearly intervals. PolSca Baltic Ferries is a…

CAL MAC The Cemre shipyard has missed another deadline, with the handover of the first-of-class Isle of Islay slipping again. The already delayed ferry was due to have been handed over on 30 September, but with work on the bow and stern doors, and mezzanine decks and internal lifts still to be completed, it was not ready in time for CMAL to carry out acceptance trials. Delivery is now expected sometime in November. The Turkish shipyard has blamed a lack of specialist engineers, the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and an earthquake for a series of late ferry deliveries. Once finally accepted, the £45 million Isle of Islay will commence a two-week voyage to Scotland, followed by berthing trials and crew familiarisation, ahead of entry into service on…

DISNEY CRUISE LINE In mid-September Disney Destiny made her way from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany down the River Ems to Eemshaven, Netherlands for sea trials in the North Sea. The 144,000gt Wish class vessel, themed around Disney heroes and villains, is expected to be delivered at the end of October. Once the sea trials are complete, she will cross the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she will begin four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean from 20 November. Disney Adventure left Wismar in early September for sea trials. She later went to Bremerhaven for further work, which seems to have been more than expected, as the maiden voyage, due to sail from Singapore on 15 December, has been postponed to March 2026.…

NORWEGIAN NAVY The Norwegian Government has selected the UK as its strategic partner for the acquisition of new anti-submarine warfare frigates. The deal for at least five Type 26 warships is worth £10 billion, making it the largest single investment in Norwegian defence capabilities to date and the UK’s most valuable ever warship export deal. Unlike the export sales to Australia and Canada, the Norwegian ships are to be identical to the RN’s and will be built simultaneously by BAE Systems on the River Clyde. Given that the first Norwegian ship is stipulated to be handed over by 2030, it was not confirmed whether that hull will be reallocated from the RN production line or if the recent investment in construction facilities will enable the first Norwegian hull to be…

SPANISH NAVY The first of the Spanish Navy’s innovative F-110 class frigates has been launched, a month ahead of schedule. Also known as the Bonifaz class multi-mission frigates, five ships worth €4.3 billion were ordered in 2019, as replacements for the Santa Maria (Oliver Hazard Perry) class. They will become the most digital and automated ships operated by the Armada to date. Although similar in profile to the existing F-100 class, the new ships are marginally smaller and feature an integrated mast, designed to reduce radar signature and optimise electromagnetic spectrum use. This will accommodate Lockheed Martin SPY-7 radar sensors and the International Aegis Fire Control Loop (IAFCL) weapon system, which will be integrated with Navantia Sistemas’ own in-house-developed SCOMBA combat system, providing a powerful anti-air warfare capability. Construction of…

VEHICLE CARRIERS Hoegh Autoliners has placed an order with Everllence for ammonia-capable engines to be installed on the final vessels in its Aurora class series. The Aurora class consists of 12 pure car and truck carriers, each with a capacity of around 9,100CEU. The last four ships in the series will be fitted with ammonia dual-fuel engines, initially operating on LNG. Hoegh expects to be running the ships on ammonia fuel soon after their delivery in 2027. These will be the first ammonia-capable engines installed on deep-sea car carriers. Ammonia offers the advantage of producing no carbon dioxide during combustion, unlike fuel oil or LNG, although it requires careful handling. Hoegh’s decision aligns with its environmental targets, which include achieving net-zero emissions by 2040. The company has already invested in…

CONTAINER SHIPPING German shipowner Ernst Russ has placed an order for two 2,280TEU-capacity container ships for long-term charter to Icelandic carrier Eimskip. The vessels will be constructed at China Merchants Jin Ling Shipyard (Nanjing), part of the China Merchants Industry Group, and are scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2028. Ownership will be through Elbfeeder, a joint venture between Eimskip and Ernst Russ. The ships will be chartered to Eimskip for ten years and deployed on the Blue Line service, which links Reykjavik with Rotterdam and Teesport. The service is currently served by the smaller chartered 1,856TEU 2006 Sietas-built sisters Jonni Ritscher and Helle Ritscher. The newbuilds will be designed in cooperation with the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) for the North Atlantic. They will…

FALLS OF CLYDE Falls of Clyde, the world’s only surviving iron-hulled, four-masted, fully-rigged ship and the only surviving sail-powered oil tanker, looks set to be sunk 12 miles off the coast of Hawaii later this year after a $4.9 million contract has been awarded to Shipwright LLC for her removal from Honolulu. The Hawaii Department of Transportation has announced that this Florida-based maritime consulting firm has been hired to prepare the ship for disposal. This includes removal of debris, hull-strengthening and reinforcement to allow the vessel to be safely towed away to be sunk in late November. Falls of Clyde was built in Glasgow in 1878 and, after a long career trading internationally, became a floating oil barge from 1922 to 1958 in Alaska. After that she became a museum…

KEEWATIN In July the Steamship Historical Society of America presented the coveted Museum Ship of the Year award to the Canadian steamship Keewatin. Built in 1907 by Fairfield in Glasgow with a giant quadruple expansion steam engine, SS Keewatin was designed for the Canadian Pacific Railways routes on Lake Superior. With the vastness of the lakes, she took two and a half days each way on her travels, including traversing the Soo locks. Because of her wooden cabins, Keewatin fell foul of new fire regulations for passenger vessels in 1965, but continued in service for a further year carrying cargo only, after which she was withdrawn and sold for scrap. She was saved by Michigan entrepreneur Roland J. Peterson Sr, who opened her as the Keewatin Maritime Museum, docked in…

HMS VICTORY Like the generations of craftsmen and women before them, HMS Victory’s team of specialist shipbuilders have left a secret signature within the fabric of the ship for future generations to discover, as the 100th futtock was laid in a major conservation project The team at the National Museum of the Royal Navy hit a milestone while delivering £42 million worth of structural repairs to HMS Victory, marking significant progress in protecting the famous warship. To commemorate the 100th new futtock (the large curved timbers that form the ‘ribs’ of the ship) being installed as part of the ten-year project, the 16-strong team of shipwrights engraved their names onto the timber before it was lowered on the starboard side. WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com • The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill,…

The James Fisher group, one of the oldest British shipping companies, is the country’s undisputed leader in tank shipping, and has now adopted new fuel technologies, with six LNG-powered ships in service or on order. Its story embraces wooden sailing ships, steam and specialised motor coasters, while it has managed nuclear fuel carriage, heavylift ships, chemical and container carriers. Fishers have also absorbed significant British companies whose individual operations reflect the fortunes of the shipping industry in the 20th century. Based on the recently published and thoroughly researched Fisher’s Fleets book, this article charts its long and eventful history. YEARS OF SAIL Between 1848, when a Fisher is known to have acquired shares in the schooner Nancy and Betty, and 1925 no fewer than 165 sailing ships were owned or…

The fast ro-pax ferry James Joyce operated by Irish Ferries has recently taken up service on the busy Dublin-Holyhead route across the Irish Sea. She is an ideal companion to her fleetmate Ulysses, undertaking two return trips a day, departing Holyhead at 08.15 and 20.15, for a crossing which takes approximately three and a half hours. Her Dublin departures are at 14.30 and 02.00. Although she seems to have been designed for Irish Sea services, her origins in fact lie in the Baltic. Built as the fast ferry Star, she was ordered in August 2005 at a cost of €135 million and constructed at Aker Finnyards, Helsinki, the same yard which built Ulysses. Star was largely based on the design of cross-Channel ferries Côte Des Dunes and Côte Des Flandres,…

FLEET CHANGES Wallenius Lines has announced the acquisition of two vehicle carriers, Don Juan and Turandot, which will now operate under the Swedish flag. The move is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Sweden’s maritime capabilities and ensure the availability of vessels that can support both civilian society and the Armed Forces when required. The newly acquired ships join six existing vessels in the Wallenius Lines fleet, reinforcing the Soya Group’s growing commitment to Sweden’s total defence infrastructure. In an era marked by shifting geopolitical and market dynamics, maintaining access to a national fleet is seen as vital for safeguarding critical transport services. The 55,598gt Don Juan, built in 1995, entered charter service in Asia in early September, and sistership Turandot is scheduled to begin operations around the turn…

CONTAINER SHIPS Pacific International Lines (PIL) named its first LNG dual-fuel container vessel in Ghana on 16 September. The ceremony, held at the Port of Tema, introduced Kota Odyssey, an 8,200TEU vessel from PIL’s new O Class series. The vessel was officially named by Her Excellency Ms Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana. The 78,384gt Kota Odyssey is set to operate on PIL’s South West Africa Service (SWS), providing direct weekly links between China, Singapore, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, enhancing trade between Asia and West Africa. PIL’s presence in Africa dates back to the 1970s. Today, the company serves over 30 African countries through seven weekly services and a feeder network linking more than 40 ports.…

SHETLAND The Shetland Island Council has selected Chartwell Marine for the detailed design of the next Fair Isle ferry, which is likely to be named Good Shepherd V. Earlier this year Whitby-based Parkol Marine Engineering was awarded a contract to build the 24m ferry, which will replace the 1986-built Good Shepherd IV. For the first time, the vital transport link between Fair Isle, the most remote island in the Shetland archipelago, and the Shetland mainland will have a ro-ro capability, with capacity for either four cars or one lorry, and 12 passengers. It will feature a bulbous bow, strengthened hull, and a variable-pitch propeller for enhanced safety in the region’s rough seas. There will be accommodation for four crew and advanced cargo-handling equipment. It will also be IMO Tier-3 emissions…

ARANUI CRUISES Papeete-based Aranui Cruises’ second ship, Aranoa, will enter service in March 2027, serving the Austral Islands on a 13-day itinerary that will also deliver cargo to the remote outstations of French Polynesia. Sailing from Tahiti, the principal town of the Society Islands, the 7,000gt Aranoa will carry up to 198 passengers in 91 cabins. Sailings to Pitcairn and the Marquesas Islands will also feature in her inaugural season’s itinerary. Aranui Cruises also operates the 2015-built Aranui 5 (7,500gt), which principally serves the Marquesas Islands on 12-day cruises, and also calls at the Tuamotu, Society, Austral and Gambier Islands. The 126m by 24m Aranui 5, built by Huanghai Shipbuilding, China, can take up to 256 passengers and has 103 cabins, including suites and deluxe staterooms.…

MSC CRUISES Prior to her 2026 Alaska season, the 2008-built MSC Poesia (92,627gt) will undergo a major refurbishment, including the addition of a Yacht Club enclave featuring 63 cabins, as well as a restaurant, bar and private sun deck. The refit will also include a new steakhouse, sushi restaurant and a sports bar, the last of which will replace the wine bar. The spa will also be refreshed, and the gym will move to the area currently occupied by the S32 disco. MSC Poesia’s Alaska programme next year will be the first time that MSC has sailed in the area, although it has several ships based in the USA. At the conclusion of the inaugural Alaska season in August 2026, the ship will relocate via a 20-night Panama Canal voyage…

CANADIAN NAVY Canada’s quest to acquire a new fleet of up to 12 conventionally powered submarines has rapidly narrowed to a shortlist of just two contenders, largely due to a key stipulation that they must be able to operate under Arctic ice for weeks at a time. As such, the Canadian PM announced that ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems’ Type 212CD and Hanwha Ocean’s KSS-III (pictured) are the two vessels under consideration. The South Korean offering is well placed to meet Canada’s pressing need to replace their ageing and often unavailable Victoria class vessels by 2035. The KSS-III is in series production, with three already in service. The company has stated it could deliver four submarines by Canada’s deadline for the first of the class to be in service, with a subsequent…

INDUSTRY NEWS COSCO Shipping has taken delivery of COSCO Shipping Libra following her conversion to methanol dual-fuel propulsion. The work was carried out by Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry’s yard at Shanghai. The conversion involved installing methanol-compatible fuel tanks, modifying the main engine to operate on both methanol and conventional fuel and upgrading fuel supply and safety systems on the 20,038TEU, 2018-built ship. Details of the conversion were announced in December 2023, and the work was undertaken in collaboration with Everllence. COSCO Shipping plans to convert another vessel in the same class, as well as two 13,800TEU ships, which serve the company’s Asia-Europe service, operating in the Ocean Alliance alongside CMA CGM, Evergreeen, CMA CGM and OOCL. COSCO Shipping operates one of the world’s largest fleets, which includes container ships, bulk…

NEW ORDERS Hanwha Ocean has secured an order valued at KRW 1.93 trillion (US$1.4 billion) from Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation for the construction of seven LNG-powered container ships. Each vessel will have a capacity of 15,880TEU and be equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of operating on both LNG and conventional marine fuels. The ships will measure approximately 366m by 51m, with a design optimised for fuel efficiency. They will feature advanced hull forms, energy-saving devices and waste heat recovery systems. The LNG propulsion system is intended to meet IMO Tier III NOx emission standards. Yang Ming operates over 90 vessels, including container ships and bulk carriers, with a total capacity exceeding 700,000TEU. This order marks the company’s first large-scale investment in LNG. The newbuilds are expected to be deployed…

LAKE GENEVA It has been a difficult summer on Lake Geneva, with only two of the eight paddle steamers in service during the peak weeks. La Suisse was pulled in June, with a crack discovered in one of her cylinders. In her drydocking it was found that Savoie would require extensive hull replating. Rhône had a problem with a damaged piston ring, which had affected the inside of one of her cylinders. Montreux had a boiler issue, as well as difficulties with her bow thrust batteries. Simplon is still awaiting major work following her accident at Pully last year. Helvetie continues to await funding for a major rebuild. Only the diesel electric paddlers Italie and Vevey have been in service during the peak weeks, with the former, based at Geneva,…

HISTORIC STEAMERS On the afternoon of 13 September two celebrity steamships met up for their 2025 Sail Together in the vicinity of Palmerston’s Solent Forts in the eastern Solent, showcasing the power and beauty of steam. The first to arrive was the 70th birthday girl, the 1955-built 200-passenger Southampton-based Shieldhall. After she had turned and was setting a straight course from the Solent Forts due west, the paddler Waverley, having been off Bembridge on the far east of the Isle of Wight, arrived at full speed at 16.00 and sailed alongside. With her passengers on deck to see Shieldhall, Waverley duly announced her arrival, with Shieldhall responding in similar fashion. The two ships have a combined age of 148 years, and there was high demand for tickets to board both…

Grand Princess, launched in 1998, was a landmark vessel for Princess Cruises and the first of the Grand class ships. Built by Fincantieri in Italy at a cost of $450 million, she was the largest and most expensive cruise ship at the time. Measuring 949ft in length and of 107,517gt, she accommodates up to 3,100 passengers and 1,150 crew across 17 decks. Operated by Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, Grand Princess pioneered the ‘Personal Choice Cruising’ concept, offering guests flexible dining, entertainment and activity options. Her original design featured the iconic Skywalkers nightclub suspended over the stern, but this was removed during a major refit in 2011 to improve fuel efficiency. The ship sails diverse itineraries, including Alaska’s Inside Passage, the Southern Caribbean and transpacific voyages to Hawaii,…

HMS Barham  was a Royal Navy Queen Elizabeth class battleship, built on the Clyde by John Brown & Co Ltd at Clydebank. She served at the Battle of Jutland, took part in the attempt to occupy Dakar, the bombardment of Bardia, the Battle of Matapan and the attack on the Port of Tripoli during World War II. Survivor of a torpedo attack in 1939 and an air attack in May 1941, Barham was finally sunk, in the Mediterranean, on 25 November 1941. Only 400 or so of her 1,200 crew survived. Her loss is commemorated at Westminster Abbey by two standard candlesticks, which stand beside the Nave altar. On the altar itself are two smaller matching candlesticks, while at the opposite end of the Nave is an illuminated Roll of…

SHIPS MAIL TAKING ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON CAR AND TRUCK CARRIERS letter of the month The pure car, truck carrier (PCTC) business continues to expand, with ever larger vessels being built. The business models to transport the vehicles are quite complicated, and now a Chinese car maker, BYD, are getting their own ships. Technically, the vessels are quite simple: a propulsion plant, domestic systems, hold ventilation systems, a large fire firefighting capability and a lot of steel to form the hull and deck structures. So, the price of a large vessel is probably ‘only’ in the order of $90-100 million, but the value of the cargo carried on each voyage could possibly be double that figure. It seems to me that the current safety record of these vessels is not great,…

MEGA CRUISE SHIPS PART 2 LATEST WARSHIPS P&O IN NORTH CHANNEL TITANIC EXPERIENCE WARSHIPS OF THE WORLD Assessing the latest naval developments around the world, with details of new warships which have recently entered service. PLUS TITANIC EXPERIENCE • Three articles: profile of the Titanic Experience in Belfast, the restored tender SS Nomadic, and some of the ships that have been part of Titanic’s enduring legacy. MEGA CRUISE SHIPS PART 2 • Mega cruise ships which exceed 200,000gt, with Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class taking the initiative in 2009, as the ship itself becomes the destination. GREAT YARMOUTH COASTERS • The port of Great Yarmouth is home to offshore tugs and supply ships, but has in the past been visited by a wide variety of coasters. EUROPEAN CAUSEWAY • Profile of P&O’s…

RFA Prime contractor Navantia UK has said that the first of three naval logistics vessels destined for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will now be largely built in Spain. The mid-section of the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship was to have been constructed at the Harland & Wolff (H&W) shipyard, but the work has since been moved to Cádiz as the Belfast shipyard is not ready. Former H&W shipyards are to get a greater share of construction work on the second and third ships to compensate. The FSS ships are being built in blocks across multiple sites for final assembly and delivery at Belfast. Meanwhile, in early August the Scottish Secretary formally cut the first steel for a new £8 million transport barge at Navantia UK’s facility in Methil, Fife. Bow…

NEW CARGO SHIPS In September AtoB@C Shipping took delivery of Ventumar, the eighth vessel in its series of 12 plug-in hybrid coasters, from Chowgule & Co in Goa, India. The Green Coaster series represents a major leap forward in energy-efficient transport. Each 5,400dwt vessel is equipped with advanced battery technology and shoreside electricity solutions, enabling emission-free port operations. Like the previous sister vessels, the 5,350dwt Ventumar has an ice class rating of 1A so she can sail all year round in the Baltic and northern Europe. The vessel measures 89.95m by 15.95m, and has a capacity of 7,650 cubic metres. It has up to 50 per cent lower emissions per unit of cargo compared to the previous generation of vessels. The new vessels are being delivered at a rate of…

NEW CSOV Bernhard Schulte Offshore (BS Offshore) has taken delivery of the Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV) Windea Clausius from Ulstein Verft. Delivered on 5 September, the vessel (yard no.321) is the second in the SX222 series and continues the collaboration between BS Offshore and Ulstein in advancing offshore vessel design and performance. Designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, Windea Clausius features the innovative Twin X-Stern configuration, which includes azimuth propulsion units at both ends of the vessel. This design enhances dynamic positioning, improves fuel efficiency, and ensures superior operability in challenging offshore environments. The vessel is equipped with a height-adjustable walk-to-work gangway and elevator tower, is outfitted with hybrid battery propulsion, and is methanol-ready.…

NEWBUILD Another new container ship has made her debut at Felixstowe, with the LNG dual-fuel containership, MSC Annamaria, operated by Switzerland-based shipping operator MSC, being the next giant boxboat to call at the Suffolk port. China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding has handed over the vessel earlier this year, and Jiangsu Yangzi Xinfu Shipbuilding, a unit of Yangzijiang, delivered the vessel. She is MSC’s fourth LNG dual-fuel container ship in a new series of vessels with a capacity of 16,000TEU. Unlike the other three vessels, this ship is the first large container ship built by Yangzijiang to be equipped with a wind deflector, which effectively reduces the wind resistance of the ship during sailing. The shipbuilder delivered the third vessel in this batch, MSC Olbia, in December 2024. In October 2022 Yangzijiang secured…

ORKNEY The Orkney Islands Council has revealed the outline design for three new ferries to serve the outer North Isles (Westray, Stronsay, Sanday and Eday) using existing infrastructure, marking the end of Phase 1 of the Ferry Replacement Programme. Following several years of study by Leadship Design and Consulting, along with input from experienced Orkney Ferries crew, a monohull was considered the most suitable hull form than a catamaran or double-ender ro-pax vessel. As such, the outline vessel design is 60m in length, with a 14.5m beam, accommodation for 190 passengers and a vehicle capacity of 34 cars or ten HGVs. This is greater than the current carrying capacity of the largest of the three ships currently serving the North Isles. While already reviewed by Orkney Ferries staff, Elected Members,…

STENA LINE After an initial overnight run between Belfast and Birkenhead, Stena Futura entered service on the Belfast-Heysham route on 22 September. The new 147m ro-ro ferry is the first of two so-called ‘NewMax’ dual-fuel hybrid propulsion vessels, purpose-built for the constraints of the Lancashire port on the Irish Sea route between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. She will be joined early next year by Stena Connecta, which is currently fitting out at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in WeiHai. The ships are designed to run on methanol and renewable e-methanol fuel, and feature technologies that can take advantage of battery propulsion and shore power. Stena Connecta will be delivered early next year with two 28m x 4m Norsepower rotor sails, projected to deliver up to nine per cent fuel…

ROYAL CARIBBEAN The third ship in the Icon series, Legend of the Seas, is expected to be delivered by Meyer Turku earlier than previously contracted, so her first passenger-carrying voyage will sail from Barcelona on 11 June 2026, on the first of three short preview cruises. The 248,663gt vessel, which was floated out on 29 August, will reposition to Port Everglades in November, sailing Caribbean itineraries. The second ship in the series, Star of the Seas, entered service on 16 August. Meanwhile, work on the fourth unit in the series began on 8 September with a traditional keel-laying ceremony. As yet unnamed, she will be delivered in 2027. Royal Caribbean has confirmed the order for a fifth ship in the series, for delivery in 2028, and has taken a new…

CELEBRITY CRUISES Celebrity Cruises’ new Edge class ship Celebrity Xcel completed her first series of sea trials in early September, ahead of a late October delivery. She is the fifth ship in the class, all of which have been built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique at St Nazaire. The first, Celebrity Edge, debuted in 2018, and she has been followed by three more at two-year intervals. The first two ships, Edge and Apex, were slightly smaller than the later ships. Brazilian chef Janaina Torres will be godmother to the ship at a naming ceremony in Fort Lauderdale on 16 November. The 141,400gt Celebrity Xcel will initially sail on Caribbean itineraries, but will reposition to the Mediterranean for the summer of 2026, when she will sail from Barcelona and Piraeus on a…

UKRAINE CONFLICT The Ukrainian Defence Intelligence agency has released imagery of another UAV strike against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The video, dated 28 August, shows a drone approaching a Russian Project 21631 Buyan-M class corvette in the Azov Sea, near Crimea, before detonating next to the mainmast. While the attack did not sink the Kalibr cruise-missile-equipped vessel, it is thought likely to have caused significant damage. Such strikes are now few and far between, with Russian warships largely staying out of range of Ukraine’s arsenal of drones. Meanwhile, Russia has carried out its own drone boat attack for the first time, sinking Simferopol, a Ukrainian reconnaissance ship, near the mouth of the River Danube. The Ukrainian Navy confirmed that two sailors were killed during the strike on the four-year-old spy…

NAVAL SUPPORT Serco has agreed a contract with the Damen Shipyards Group for the provision of 24 new vessels. They include a wide range of ship types, including ASD tugs, RSD tugs, pilot boats, barges and crane barges. Delivery of the vessels will commence in 2027 and is scheduled to be completed in 2028. The order is part of the UK MoD’s Defence Maritime Service Next Generation (DMS NG) Vessel Replacement Project (VRP), under which Serco was awarded a ten-year contract to continue the provision of maritime services to the Royal Navy at HM Naval Bases on the Clyde, Devonport and Portsmouth. Serco originally won the port maritime services contract in 2007, at which time they ordered 29 Damen-built vessels of 16 types. They have since returned to the Dutch…

INDUSTRY NEWS German container operator Hapag-Lloyd has entered into an agreement with Shell for the supply of bio-LNG to fuel its dual-fuel container ships. The deal will see the renewable liquefied natural gas supplied at major European ports, with Rotterdam expected to be the primary bunkering location. The arrangement supports Hapag-Lloyd’s decarbonisation strategy, which aims for a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Bio-LNG, produced from sustainable biomass sources, can be used in existing LNG-fuelled engines without modification, offering a lower-carbon alternative to conventional LNG. Hapag-Lloyd currently operates a number of LNG-powered vessels, including the 14,993TEU capacity Brussels Express, which was the first large container ship retrofitted to LNG propulsion. Several more LNG-fuelled ships are under construction, including a series of ultra-large container vessels due for delivery over…

DANIEL ADAMSON The Daniel Adamson Preservation Society has launched an urgent fundraising campaign to raise £150,000 for essential upgrades to meet new statutory regulations for the tug tender. Recent changes to Maritime and Coastguard Agency regulations have necessitated expensive work, as well as other significant investments, which are needed to stay compliant. The work required includes mandatory dry-docking and rolling maintenance to ensure continued seaworthiness; engineering work on the steam boiler ahead of its ten-year inspection; two new 65-person life rafts with release systems to meet safety regulations; replacement of canvas covers; a new fixed fire-fighting system for engine and boiler rooms; staff and volunteer training; and training for future engineers.…

DRESDEN PARADE On 7 September the paddle steamers Dresden, Leipzig, Meissen, Diesbar and Krippen, along with the motor ships Grafin Cosel and August der Starke, ran a special parade on the River Elbe from Dresden upriver as far as the Blaues Wunder Bridge at Loschwitz to celebrate the reopening of the river to traffic following the collapse of the Carola Bridge last year. More than 1,500 guests were aboard, spread across the fleet, including construction crews and planners, who had worked hard to remove the bridge and clear the riverbed so speedily and ahead of the planned schedule. This last year has been challenging for the Dresden paddle steamers which, after the bridge collapsed, were forced to sail from piers distant from their usual centre of operations. This involved passengers…

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Queen Mary 2, launched in 2004, is the world’s last active ocean liner and flagship of Cunard Line. Built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France, she was designed to maintain transatlantic travel with speed, strength and elegance. At 1,132ft in length and of 149,215gt, QM2 accommodates up to 2,695 passengers and 1,253 crew across 18 decks. Her integrated electric propulsion system enables speeds of up to 30 knots, making her significantly faster than the majority of cruise ships. Unlike resort-style vessels, QM2 was purpose-built for regular crossings between Southampton and New York, continuing a tradition dating back to the golden age of ocean liners. She also undertakes world cruises and seasonal voyages to the Caribbean, Norwegian fjords and Canada. Her facilities include 15 restaurants and bars, five pools and a…

On 4 August 2025 Hovertravel celebrated the 60th anniversary of its regular scheduled hovercraft crossings between the UK mainland and the Isle of Wight. In that time it has become the world’s longest-running hovercraft operation, carrying over 30 million passengers. Today, the company continues to employ two hovercraft, with up to 40 journeys per day on average, on the ten-minute link across the Solent between Southsea (Portsmouth) and Ryde. A large part of the route’s longevity is due to the topography at Ryde, where low tides take the sea out far from the town’s esplanade. Until the advent of the hovercraft, which has no problem reaching the terminal at any stage of the tide, traditional passenger vessels were, and are still, required to berth at Ryde Pier Head, a Georgian-built…

Captain Adam Wroblewski, from Poland, has worked on board Irish Ferries ships for 12 years: Ulysses and Jonathan Swift out of Holyhead, as well as on Isle of Inishmore out of Pembroke. He started his career on general cargo vessels as a cadet. He moved to the ferry industry in 2008 with Norfolkline, and served on Ark Forwarder when she was contracted to NATO. He worked for Norfolkline on Lagan Viking, Dublin Viking and Mersey Viking running from Twelve Quays, Birkenhead. In 2013 he moved to Irish ferries as second officer on Ulysses. He is impressed with James Joyce, having joined the ship in May 2025 when she was in Rosslare being prepared for service, and said: ‘This ship has good passenger accommodation with good facilities; we can carry up…