FährNews Aktuell – Issue April 2025

Nine new Ferries for Grimaldi, SUPERFAST IX back in service and much more. | FährNews News

Hello and welcome to the April issue of FährNews Aktuell in 2025. The top topics of this episode are presented by ferry-guide.com, where you can easily book Ferries online:

• STENA FUTURO unveiled – new concept ship to bundle environmentally friendly visions of the future
• STAR I leaves Tallink – which ship takes over now
• And: Nine new Ferries for Grimaldi Group – Finnlines also benefits

The top topics of the April issue of FährNews Aktuell were presented by ferry-guide.com, the easy online booking platform for your ferry crossing. But here we go with this issue of FährNews Aktuell.

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And here is the entire April issue of FährNews Aktuell for you to read again:

1 STENA FUTURO presented

[1] The STENA FUTURO is the latest concept from Stena Line for more environmentally friendly shipping. It is a 240 m long RoRo ship that is designed to save around 20 % energy using various innovative technologies.

The measures include, for example, recycling the waste heat from the ship’s engines for heating and power generation on board. In addition, fuel-saving engines are used that can be operated with different fuels. A so-called air lubrication system reduces water resistance by releasing small air bubbles under the ship’s hull.

Another key element is the use of batteries and solar panels, which enable the ship to be partially powered purely by electricity – for example when entering and leaving ports. Particularly striking are the four folding wing sails, each 40 meters high, which could reduce fuel consumption by up to 15 %.

The hull and superstructure of the STENA FUTURO were designed to offer as little resistance as possible, both aerodynamically and hydrodynamically, while at the same time making the best possible use of the cargo space. This should make the ship particularly efficient overall.

With this concept, Stena Line aims to make an important contribution to the planned reduction in fleet emissions by 2030.

The STENA FUTURO is currently still in the concept phase – concrete production has not yet been decided. Rather, this design appears to serve as a test and concept platform for the development of future newbuilds.

[2] Stena Line is pursuing a similarly innovative concept with the all-electric STENA ELEKTRA project. In contrast to the FUTURO, the purchase of two newbuilds for the route between Gothenburg in Sweden and Frederikshavn in Denmark has been planned for this type of ship since 2021 until 2030 at the latest.

2 SUPERFAST IX replaces STAR I at Tallink

[3] The SUPERFAST IX has been sailing the Baltic Sea again since April 12, 2025. The Ferry was last deployed between the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia as part of a 15-year charter contract for Marine Atlantic.

[4] In 2002, the SUPERFAST IX was commissioned for the Greek shipping company Superfast Ferries as part of its well-known SUPERFAST series of similar ships. Although the shipping company now only operates services between Italy and Greece, the SUPERFAST IX was already intended for Baltic Sea traffic when it entered service. After brief deployments between Germany and Sweden, as well as in the North Sea between Scotland and Belgium, she finally took up routes from the German port of Rostock to Finland. After being sold to Tallink in 2006, she was also deployed between Estonia and Finland. In 2008, the SUPERFAST IX was then chartered to Marine Atlantic and renamed ATLANTIC VISION. The ATLANTIC VISION was deployed in North America until March 2024 and returned to Estonia at the end of the charter. Since May 2024, the renamed SUPERFAST IX Ferry has been moored in the port of Tallinn. Since April 12, 2025, the SUPERFAST IX has been operating on the route between Paldiski in Estonia and Kapellskär in Sweden.

The Ferry is 203 m long, reaches up to 28.9 knots and has a capacity of 717 passengers and 1920 track meters for vehicles.

If you would like to experience the SUPERFAST IX on the Paldiski-Kapellskär route for yourself, then book your ticket for the Ferry with our partner ferry-guide.com. Here you can also see all alternative crossing options directly when you make your booking if, for example, a departure does not fit into your schedule. You will also receive a price overview of the individual shipping companies during the booking process. At ferry-guide.com you can easily book online at Ferries. You can also find the link to ferry-guide.com at the top of the video description or at the end of this video in the endcard.

[3] The SUPERFAST IX will make way for the STAR I, which has been operating on the route to date. Irish Ferries under the name OSCAR WILDE, later JAMES JOYCE, and is now to be sold permanently to Irish Ferries and deployed again as JAMES JOYCE between Dublin in Ireland and Holyhead in Wales.

[5] The 186 m long STAR I had been part of the Tallink Group since 2007 and was originally ordered under the name STAR as a direct newbuild for the route between Tallinn in Estonia and Helsinki in Finland. It offers space for 1900 passengers and 1981 loading meters for vehicles. The MEGA STAR has been in service on this route, which is also marketed as the Tallink Shuttle, [6] since 2017 and the MySTAR [7] since 2022, which replaced the STAR I.

With the return of the SUPERFAST IX, the STAR I will now leave the Tallink Group for good.

3 Nine new Ferries for Grimaldi Group

[8] On April 8, 2025, the Grimaldi Group signed an order to build 9 RoPax vessels at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai.

[9] The contract for the newbuilds has a total value of USD 1.3 billion. The new ships have been designed to improve the quality of maritime transportation for both rolling cargo and passengers in the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. All nine ships will be equipped with engines that can run on methanol, enabling them to achieve the goal of “net zero emissions”.

They will offer high transport capacity, a well thought-out design and good on-board comfort – while taking ecological sustainability aspects into account.

Delivery of all nine ships is planned for the period between 2028 and 2030. They will be equipped with advanced, environmentally friendly technologies that are considered groundbreaking for the industry.

Optimized hull and propeller designs, energy-efficient on-board energy management systems, shore power readiness and the use of silicon-based hull coatings will reduce CO₂ emissions per unit of cargo transported by more than 50% compared to ships currently operating on the same routes.

[8] Four of the nine newbuildings are intended for Grimaldi Lines and are to be launched under the Italian flag.

[10] These would be the first RoPax newbuildings for Grimaldi Lines since the delivery of the CRUISE EUROPA and CRUISE OLYMPIA in 2009 and 2010, [11], [12] which were chartered to Minoan Lines for 10 years and have been operating for the owner Grimaldi Lines for the first time since 2021.

[8] Also Minoan Lines as part of the Grimaldi Group is to receive two Ferries with a Greek flag.

[13] The last newbuilds to come into the possession of Minoan Lines date back to 2003, when the ARIADNE PALACE was built in South Korea. More than two decades have passed since then.

[8] The six new buildings now planned have a length of 229 meters and offer space for 3,300 loading meters of freight as well as additional parking space for 300 cars. Up to 2,500 passengers can be accommodated on board. There are 300 cabins with a total of 1,200 beds available for this purpose.

The ships also offer extensive passenger facilities. These include three bars, a shopping area, a conference hall, two self-service restaurants, a panorama restaurant, a combined indoor and outdoor lounge with sun deck, two pools and a rooftop disco bar.

[9] Finnlines will receive three RoPax-Ferries, which will sail under the Finnish flag.

These three newbuildings intended for use in the Baltic Sea will have a length of 240 meters and a freight capacity of 5,100 loading meters for rolling cargo as well as parking spaces for 90 cars.

As is usual in Northern Europe, the passenger capacity of 1100 passengers is low compared to the cargo capacity. There are 320 cabins available for passengers.

The new design is based on the Superstar class ships from Finnlines, the FINNSIRIUS and FINNCANOPUS, but has been adapted for the longer crossing on the Finland-Germany route. The new ships are better suited to longer crossings and offer new cabin categories and dining options tailored to different passenger needs. The focus is clearly on comfort and a high-quality on-board experience.

Facilities include five bars and restaurants, a spa area with a comprehensive range of services including a traditional Finnish sauna, various shopping facilities and two play areas for children of different age groups. A special highlight is the main bar in the bow on deck 12, which offers an impressive view of the Baltic Sea during the crossing.

There are also the following newsflashes this month:

4 Baleària expands summer offer to Algeria

[14] Baleària is significantly expanding its ferry services between Spain and Algeria for the summer months. Between June 15 and September 15, the shipping company is increasing the number of weekly departures from three to five.
The extended timetable includes three weekly connections from Valencia to Mostaganem and two departures from Barcelona – one to Algiers and a newly introduced route to Oran.

5 Developments at GNV

[15] The shipping company GNV, part of the MSC Group, has officially announced its entry into the Algerian ferry market – a move that had already been expected and has now been confirmed.

The timetable for 2025 includes two weekly connections to Algeria. Between June 3 and September 30, the routes Sète-Algiers and Sète-Bejaia will each be served once a week. The ship FANTASTIC will be used for both connections.

[16] In addition, GNV has taken delivery of the GNV ORION, the second of an original series of four newbuilds, from Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI). The GNV ORION will be deployed on the Genoa-Palermo route from June. It is 218 meters long and has a passenger capacity of 1,700 people, accommodated in 433 cabins. There are 3,080 loading meters available for cargo transport. GNV has also recently confirmed the options for the fifth and sixth ship in the series and has also secured options for two further units.

6 MOBY ZAZA sold

[17] The 153-meter-long MOBY ZAZA, which was commissioned in 1982 for the Olau Line as the OLAU BRITANNIA, had been part of the Moby Lines shipping company since 2015.

[18] The MOBY ZAZA has now been sold by Moby to Atlantis Maritime SA, a company from the Marshal Islands. The whereabouts of the ship, which is currently in Livorno, are still unclear. However, it is possible that the ship’s career has come to an end and that it is now facing scrapping.

7 PREVELIS decommissioned

[19] The PREVELIS of the Greek shipping company ANEK Lines was decommissioned on April 15, 2025 and transferred to Elefsis Bay, where it is laid up until further notice.

There she lies next to the KRITI I which, as already reported in the last issue, is also awaiting its fate.

[19] This decision marks the provisional end of over 40 years of service.

The PREVELIS was built in Japan in 1980 as Ferry Orange No. 2 and taken over by the Greek shipping company Rethymniaki Naftiliaki SA in 1994, which renamed her PREVELI. After being taken over by ANEK Lines in 1999, she was renamed PREVELIS and operated on various routes in the Aegean, including connections between Piraeus, Crete, the Cyclades and the Dodecanese.

But the April issue of FährNews Aktuell in 2025 is supposed to be the end of the story. Did you like the issue? Then leave with pleasure a Like there. If you have any other comments or requests, feel free to write us a comment. We look forward to your feedback!

To book your ferry crossing, you can now click on the link to Faehren.net. Otherwise, please leave another subscription! If you haven’t had enough of FerryNews, we can recommend the latest issue of FerryNews News. Among other things, it dealt with the sale of WOLIN and the end of the STENA LIVIA at Stena Line. Have fun and see you soon!

Sources

• [1] “Stena Line develops new concept ship”, News Powered by Cision. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://news.cision.com/de/stena-line-deutschland/r/stena-line-entwickelt-neues-konzeptschiff,c4129222
• [2] “Stena Elektra – from vision to vessel – StenaLine.com”. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://stenaline.com/stena-elektra-from-vision-to-vessel/
• [3] sandra, “Tallink Sells STAR I to Irish Continental Group”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/tallink-sells-star-i-to-irish-continental-group-and-replaces-her-with-superfast-ix/
• [4] “M/S SUPERFAST IX (2002)”. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/superfast_IX_2002.htm
• [5] “M/S STAR (2007)”. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/star_2007.htm
• [6] “M/S MEGASTAR (2017)”. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/megastar_2017.htm
• [7] “M/S MySTAR (2022)”. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/mystar_2022.htm
• [8] sandra, “Grimaldi Group Orders Nine Groundbreaking RoPax Ships”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/grimaldi-group-orders-nine-groundbreaking-ropax-ships/
• [9] “Grimaldi Group signs order for nine new ro-pax vessels”, Shippax. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.shippax.com/en/news/breaking-news-grimaldi-group-signs-order-for-nine-new-ro-paxes.aspx
• [10] “Grimaldi Lines”, Wikipedia. April 14, 2025. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grimaldi_Lines&oldid=144491528
• [11] “M/S CRUISE OLYMPIA (2010)”. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/cruise_olympia_2010.htm
• [12] “M/S CRUISE EUROPA (2009)”. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/cruise_europa_2009.htm
• [13] “M/S ARIADNE PALACE (2002)”. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/ariadne_palace_2002.htm
• [14] sandra, “Baleària Expands Summer Services”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/balearia-expands-summer-services-to-algeria-with-five-weekly-connections/
• [15] sandra, “GNV Officially Announced Its Debut Into The Algerian Market”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/gnv-officially-announced-its-debut-into-the-algerian-market/
• [16] “GNV ORION delivered to GNV”, Shippax. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.shippax.com/en/news/gnv-orion-delivered-to-gnv.aspx
• [17] “M/S OLAU BRITANNIA (1982)”. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://www.faktaomfartyg.se/olau_britannia_1982.htm
• [18] sandra, “MOBY ZAZA sold to Atlantis Maritime SA”, Ferry Shipping News. Accessed: April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/moby-zaza-sold-to-atlantis-maritime-sa/
• [19] “PREVELIS Laid Up at Elefsis Bay”. Accessed April 21, 2025 [Online]. Available at: https://ferryshippingnews.com/prevelis-laid-up-at-elefsis-bay/

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