Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i Ships Monthly

LIGHTHOUSE TENDER On Christmas Day 2025 the Northern Lighthouse Board’s new lighthouse tender Pole Star made her debut in Oban, with RNLI crew on board the Oban lifeboat The Campbell-Watson leading the vessel on the last leg of the journey to her new home from Gijón. Pole Star, the fifth vessel in the fleet to bear the name, will support the NLB’s safety operations in Scottish and Isle of Man waters. The new hybrid-powered Pole Star represents a major technological step forward from what has gone before, according to the NLB. She was built by Astilleros Gondán in Spain and designed by Seaplace and OSK Design. Measuring 70m by 16m, with a maximum draught of 3.9m, the 2,872gt Pole Star has a displacement of 1,174 tonnes. The vessel is equipped…

CLASSIC FERRY On 18 December 2025 the former Pride of Bruges, originally Norsun and latterly GNV Antares, was beached at Aliaga for breaking. As part of Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV)’s announced fleet renovation plan, the ageing GNV Antares left the MSC-controlled ferry company in late October 2025 after finishing her service on the Bari-Durrës route. The vessel departed the port of Durrës in Albania in December 2025, and arrived in Turkey for dismantling. She was anchored off Aliaga, prior to being beached. In recent months, the ferry had already changed flag, switching from Italian to Portuguese. GNV Antares was built in 1987 by Japanese shipyard NKK in Tsurumi as Norsun and sailed on the Rotterdam-Hull route with sistership Norsea. The ships remained on the Rotterdam route until 2001, when they…

NEWBUILD On 15 December 2025 Ocean Infinity delivered the final vessel in its 14-ship Armada fleet, marking the completion of a five-year plan to transform offshore operations. The fleet, which began development in 2020, consists of lean-crewed vessels designed to reduce offshore personnel, cut fuel consumption and improve efficiency. The latest addition completes the 86m class, following the introduction of the 78m class in 2023. Twelve vessels are already operational. Each vessel is equipped with advanced underwater robotic systems for tasks such as geophysical surveys. They are powered by a 7MW diesel-electric hybrid system with lithium-ion batteries, giving them a cruising speed of eight to ten knots.…

TECHNOLOGY On 16 December 2025 Anemoi Marine Technologies, UK-based designer of Rotor Sails for wind-assisted ship propulsion, is to equip two new build chemical tankers for Union Maritime Ltd with its Rotor Sail technology, as part of Union Maritime’s commitment to exceeding the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 decarbonisation targets. The 18,500dwt vessels, currently under construction at Wuhu Shipyard Co in China, will incorporate advanced technologies and retrofit readiness to ensure cost-effective decarbonisation throughout their lifecycle. Anemoi’s Rotor Sails will be manufactured at its state-of-the-art facility in China and installed at Wuhu in early 2026. Each vessel will feature two EX-rated Rotor Sails, with diameters of 3.5m and heights of 20.5m and 24m, meeting stringent safety standards for chemical tankers. Integration design was carried out by China-based Odely Marine.…

VESTLAND CLASSICS In a surprise move, Vestland Classics, operator of a number of historic cruise ships, including several former Hurtigruten vessels, has acquired the 6,334gt Expedition, formerly operated by G Adventures of Toronto. The 1972-built ship began service as the car ferry Kattegat on Danish domestic routes. She later became nf Tiger for P&O Normandy Ferries and was operated as the ferry Tiger by Townsend Thoresen. She then spent many years sailing between Sweden and the Åland Islands as Viking Line’s Ålandsfarjan. Sold to what was then GAP Adventures in 2008, she was converted into an expedition cruise ship. She has been replaced in the G Adventures fleet by the former Clipper Adventurer, now named Expedition. Vestland Classics will rename the ship Vestland Adventurer.…

APT Australian-based APT has sold the 1991-built Caledonian Sky (4,280gt) to Greek Kalamata Shipping. Caledonian Sky was one of the second batch of four ships built for the then New Renaissance Cruises by Nuovi Cantieri Apuania, Marina di Carrara, Italy as Renaissance Six. With the arrival of the new larger ships, she was sold to Sun Cruises, becoming Sun Viva II at the end of 1998. Just over a year later she was resold to Star Cruises, becoming Megastar Capricorn. It is unlikely that she was ever used, as within months she was acquired by Hebridean Island Cruises, for whom she operated for nine years as Hebridean Spirit. Then, in 2009, she became Sunrise for SBK Bermuda, and later operated for a number of years for Noble Caledonia as Caledonian…

CHANNEL ISLANDS Jersey’s Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel is to review the terms of the contract agreed with DFDS due to ongoing concerns raised by residents and businesses about pricing and service levels. Such has been the public pressure that the Jersey government had to release a copy of the contract for transparency and accountability. One issue in particular, the flat rate pricing for freight, has caused much ire, with importers paying the same rate regardless of how much freight they bring to the island, and retailers reporting the change had increased their costs. Visitor numbers have also fallen by nearly a quarter. During the tender process, DFDS stated they would charge £56 per lane metre and £45 for commodities. Freight charges are set to increase in 2026 after…

HIGH SPEED Kawasaki Heavy Industries has secured a joint order from Kyushu Yusen and the Japan Railway Construction Transport and Technology Agency for the construction of a new Jetfoil. The new high-speed passenger vessel will be built at the Kobe Works for delivery in June 2029, when it will operate on the passenger route connecting Hakata to the islands of Iki and Tsushima. The Jetfoil is a civil passenger evolution of military hydrofoils, which were developed by the US Boeing Corporation in the 1950s and 1960s. Powered by gas turbines and waterjet propulsors, they use submerged hydrofoils to lift the craft clear of the water, enabling a smooth ride in excess of 45 knots, even in wave heights up to 3.5m. After agreeing a construction and sales licensing deal with…

POLISH NAVY The Polish Ministry of National Defence has selected Saab’s A26 submarine as the preferred design to modernise the navy’s underwater capabilities. The Swedish proposal to build three vessels as part of Poland’s Orka submarine acquisition programme was approved against competition from five other European and South Korean bidders. While able to carry cruise missiles, the A26 is specifically designed for clandestine operations in the confined waters of the Baltic Sea. Despite Saab Kockum’s reputation for producing very quiet and capable submarines, their selection has raised a few eyebrows as they have not completed a newbuild submarine since 1997. The Swedish Navy’s A26 Blekinge class submarine project has encountered significant delays, with propulsion, battery and integration issues that have more than doubled its cost and will result in them…

The ro-pax ferry Norbay arriving at Tilbury on 30 September 2025 during the latest part of her long career. Built by Van der Giessen-de Noord in Krimpen aan den IJssel, Netherlands, she was launched in November 1993 and delivered in February 1994. Originally operatedby North Sea Ferries and later P&O Ferries, the 17,464gt vessel measures 166.8m by 23.4m, and is powered by four Sulzer diesel engines producing 24,480 kW, giving a speed of around 22 knots. She offers 2,040 lane metres of freight capacity and accommodates up to 114 passengers. Initially deployed on the Hull-Rotterdam route, she moved to the Liverpool-Dublin service in 2002, and operated on the Irish Sea for over two decades as a reliable freight workhorse with basic passenger amenities. After the closure of the Liverpool-Dublin route…

HMS Liverpool was the 10th Sheffield class Type 42 destroyer to be built and the last of the original Type 42 Batch 2 destroyers. Launched from the Cammell Laird shipyard at Birkenhead, Liverpool on 25 September 1980, she was commissioned on 1 July 1982. Her first deployment was to the Falklands in late 1982 and, although the war had ended, Liverpool remained in the South Atlantic for six months, until 28 March 1983. The conflict had seen the loss of HMS Sheffield and HMS Coventry, two of Liverpool’s sisterships. Liverpool next saw service during the Iraq war and the blockade of Libya, and carried out stop and search patrols countering drug smuggling in the Caribbean. Liverpool was one of 14 Type 42 destroyers, also known as the Sheffield class: the…

US NAVY On 22 December 2025 President Donald Trump announced plans to build a new class of eponymously named battleships intended to be the most lethal surface combatants ever constructed. The new ships, triple the size of an Arleigh Burke destroyer, will become the centre piece of his administration’s Golden Fleet initiative for a fleet of ships with more firepower than any other ever. As such, they are to be equipped with a main battery of the so-called Surface Launch Cruise Missile-Nuclear (SLCM-N), 12 Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missiles and a missile silo with 128 Mk41 VLS cells. The secondary battery will comprise a 32 MJ railgun, two 300 or 600kW lasers and two Mk45 127mm guns, while defensive weapons are to include two RAM launchers, four Mk38 30mm guns…

CARGO VESSEL The historic freighter Fryken, long preserved as a training and heritage vessel, is to be scrapped, having been laid up in Gothenburg for several years. The decision follows an assessment that the ship is no longer viable for restoration or continued preservation. Fryken has been used for maritime training, onboard familiarisation and heritage activities. However, her declining structural condition and rising maintenance costs have led to the decision to dispose of the ship. Measuring 63.4m, Fryken was built in 1938 by Aalborg Vaerft, trading under the Swedish flag for Brostrom until 1961, operating between Lake Vanern and the UK. She later served as Svano and Isvania. The scrapping of Fryken comes as other heritage vessels have faced similar challenges, with preservation groups facing increasing financial pressures, and many…

MOLSLINJEN The Danish ferry operator Molslinjen has signed up for a third 100 per cent battery-electric high-speed ferry from Incat Tasmania. The 129m vessel will join two identical electric ferries already under construction at Incat’s Hobart shipyard, for use on one of Denmark’s busiest domestic corridors. Their introduction on the routes between Aarhus-Odden and Ebeltoft-Odden between late 2027 and spring 2029 will electrify Molslinjen’s entire operation across the Kattegat. On 14 December 2025 Incat achieved a notable milestone with the first powering-up and trialling of the e-motor on Incat 096, currently the world’s largest purely battery-electric driven vessel. The 130m catamaran, named China Zorrilla, is powered by 250 tonnes of batteries. The vessel’s Energy Storage System delivers over 40MW-hours of installed capacity, four times greater than any previous maritime battery…

US NAVY The Damen Shipyards Group’s LST100 has been selected by the US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) as the basis for a new fleet of Medium Landing Ships for the US Marine Corps. The ships are intended to fill a capability gap as longer-range sea-to-shore connectors for expeditionary forces in austere and contested environments. The USMC has a requirement for up to 35 such vessels, which are to be known as the McClung class. The LST100’s standard configuration features a 500m2 ro-ro deck for cargo and a 400m2 vehicle deck, with a bow ramp for beach access and a stern door. It is also equipped with cranes and a helicopter deck. In addition to the design’s transportation versatility, its medium size, range and endurance also enables it to operate…

RUSSIAN NAVY The Security Service of Ukraine has released imagery from hacked harbour security cameras claiming to show a drone attack on a Kilo class submarine at the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk. The video, taken deep inside the harbour on 15 December 2025, shows a huge explosion close to a Project 636.3 submarine, thought to be B-271 Kolpino. While it did not sink or show any signs of damage, the hull’s watertight integrity, propulsor and control surfaces are likely to have been seriously compromised by the blast shockwave, putting the vessel out of action for quite some time. The attack and its consequences have not been independently verified, but Russia was quick to release pictures of the vessel seemingly intact alongside the berth, although it did not show the…

CONTAINER SHIPPING German bulk carrier operator Blumenthal has sold its only container vessel, Tiger, to Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The transaction marks the end of Blumenthal’s involvement in the container segment, with the ship transferring to the world’s largest operator. The sale price has not been disclosed, and the vessel is expected to join MSC’s expanding fleet of second-hand acquisitions. Tiger had been owned by Blumenthal since her delivery in late 2005. Completed by Volkswerft at Stralsund as Maersk Naha, the 2,524TEU capacity container ship operated for Maersk for five years. Since 2010 she has operated for several of the larger operators. MSC has been the most active buyer of second-hand container ships in recent years. The company has acquired more than 300 vessels since 2020 as part of a…

METHANOL FUEL Hapag-Lloyd has invested US$500 million in an order for a series of methanol dual-fuelled feeder vessels as part of its decarbonisation strategy. The ships will have a capacity of 4,500TEU and will be equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of operating on methanol and conventional marine fuels. The vessels are being built by CIMC Raffles and are scheduled to enter service in 2028 and 2029. They are expected to operate on regional trades, including north Europe and the Mediterranean, where feeder networks support the company’s mainline services. Methanol has been selected due to its lower emissions profile and the growing availability of green methanol production projects. The order aligns with a previous announcement by the Hamburg-based operator, who has partnered with Seaspan to convert five 10,000TEU container ships to…

INCIDENT Nine crew members from 2003-built Danish-owned LPG tanker CGAS Saturn (2,708gt) were kidnapped while the ship was operating off Equatorial Guinea. The incident occurred on 3 December 2025, when the ship was on passage between Port Gentil and Malabo. The ship made it to Owendo, Gabon on the west coast of Africa, arriving the following day with the four remaining crew, one of whom had been injured in the incident. Operated by Copenhagen head quartered Christania Holdings under their Christiania Gas operation, the Italian-built tanker joined the company’s fleet in 2023, having previously operated as B Gas Saturn, Ceska, Coral Electra, Electra Star One and Electra Star for various European-based owners. The tanker anchored off Gabon for nearly two weeks, before proceeding to Port Gentil. At the time of…

Port Line can trace its origins back to 1914, when the Commonwealth & Dominion Line was formed with the merger of Tyser Line, Star Line, Indra Line and the Anglo-Australian Steam Navigation Co. These firms had long served routes between Britain, Australia and New Zealand, and their merger created a fleet of 23 ships dedicated to transporting refrigerated cargo and general goods around the world. In 1925 Commonwealth & Dominion Line took delivery of the company’s first motor ships, Port Dunedin and Port Hobart. Port Dunedin, built in Belfast by Workman Clark, was the first motor ship designed for the New Zealand-Britain trade, the first twin-screw ship fitted with Doxford engines, and the first refrigerated cargo vessel of her type. She was broken up in 1962 after 37 years of…

Commissioned by the Swedish American Line (SAL) in 1944, the liner Stockholm was constructed at the Götaverken shipyard in Gothenburg. Her keel was laid in April 1945 and she was launched on 9 September 1946. At 12,165gt, she was modest in size but strikingly modern in design, with a sharply raked bow built to slice through the icy waters of the North Atlantic. She could carry 395 passengers in first and tourist class and had a 3,000-ton cargo capacity. Her sleek profile and reinforced hull made her a symbol of Sweden’s post-war industrial resurgence. Although the smallest passenger vessel on the North Atlantic, she was the largest passenger ship built in Sweden at the time. She entered service on 21 February 1948 from Gothenburg, under the command of Captain John…

ULTRA LUXURY YACHT STYLE Following the recent delivery of Luminara, we look at the Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection from its inception in 2017 and its various ships, with a particular focus on Ilma, the first of a pair of stylish new cruise yachts built in France. PLUS BIBBY LINE SPOTLIGHT • The first of a two-part history of the Bibby Line, one of the oldest privately-owned shipping companies in the UK, which was founded in Liverpool 200 years ago. SAILING WITH SUNFLOWER • Profile of MOL Sunflower, Japan’s major domestic ferry operator, its various ships, and an account of a trip from Osaka to Beppu on board Sunflower Kurenai. THE CARSKEY BAY DISASTER • In 1942 two Belgian ships, the cargo ship Mobeka and the Ostend trawler Annie Marie, were…

NEW ZEALAND NAVY The Royal New Zealand Navy’s auxiliary ship HMNZS Aotearoa returned to Auckland after a 307-day deployment which saw her sail over 31,000 nautical miles. During this time she resupplied Scott Base and McMurdo Station in Antarctica as well as refuelling ships of partner nations in waters around the Korean Peninsula and the greater Indo-Pacific area. During her time away, Aotearoa acted as fleet tanker for ships of the navies of France, Japan, the United States, Vietnam, Canada, Australia, the Philippines and Singapore. She also hit the news after transiting the disputed Taiwan Strait, which saw her shadowed by up to seven Chinese warships. The 26,000-tonne displacement ship, which commissioned in July 2020, is ice-strengthened and winterised to facilitate operations in Antarctica’s weather conditions.…

CRUISE VISITS Portland Port enjoyed a record-breaking year for cruise activity in 2025, and marked two significant milestones. The port hosted 64 cruise ships, the highest number in a single year, and welcomed vessels during every month for the first time. The final call of the year came on 19 December 2025, when Saga’s Spirit of Discovery arrived unexpectedly, having encountered adverse weather after leaving Portsmouth. The port handled nearly 100,000 passengers from 20 different cruise lines, generating an estimated £10 million for the local economy. This figure is based on Cruise Lines International Association data for passenger spending. Additional revenue came from crew spending, berthing fees, and local supply chain services. Portland Port, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, continues to invest to attract cruise operators. The port…

WINDSTAR CRUISES The first new ship to be delivered to Windstar Cruises under its current ownership joined the fleet on 15 December 2025. Star Seeker is one of a series of seven ships built for Mystic Invest, and originally destined for that company’s subsidiary, Altas Ocean Voyages as World Seeker. She has a gross tonnage of 9,934 and carries 224 passengers, and a crew numbering 135. She will be named by Libby Anschutz in Miami on 15 January 2026. The 2019-built sistership, World Explorer, will join Windstar next year as Star Explorer. Her godmother will be Sarah Anschutz. Both women are daughters of Philip Anschutz, ultimate owner of Windstar. The new ships were both built by the West SeaShipyard, Viana do Castelo, Portugal. Windstar Cruises was established in 1984, and…

DUBAI-IRAQ DP World has launched a new 36-hour freight ferry route between Dubai’s Mina Rashid and Umm Qasr Port in Iraq. The service was inaugurated at Mina Rashid on 12 December 2025 with the official welcome of the ro-ro vessel DP World Express. The vessel began scheduled operations in December 2025, accommodating up to 145 accompanied trailers per sailing, following an extensive upgrade at Drydocks World. The shift to non-containerised accompanied trailers reflects clear customer demand for faster, more reliable cross-border movement, providing a faster alternative to overland trucking. The corridor improves access into Iraq’s main commercial centres and supports wider connectivity into Jordan and Syria through inland routes.…

STEAM PACKET The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has launched a three vessel timetable for 2026-27 season, with increased services on all of its core routes and the introduction of a new link with Northern Ireland. It is the first time in over 15 years the Isle of Man has had a regular schedule operated by three vessels outside of the peak TT race events. Ben-my-Chree is to pilot an enhanced schedule to Dublin and Larne, with five sailings a week during peak season, and three sailings a week to Larne throughout the low season. The latter is aimed at the development of freight and commercial links between the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. Prior to taking up regular services to Ireland, the former flagship will undergo substantial…

US NAVY The Secretary of the Navy has announced the cancellation of the Constellation class frigate programme due to its slow progress. Consequently, only the first two ships, Constellation (FFG-62) and Congress (FFG-63), are likely to be completed, as their construction is already under way. Even so, their future remains under review. Up to 20 frigates, based on a proven FREMM design, were intended to enter service from 2026 onwards. However, countless changes and modifications to the blueprints to fulfil US Navy requirements have resulted in a ship that has only around 15 per cent commonality with the original. As such, it is significantly overweight, and has compromised performance and scope for future upgrades. As an alternative, the US Navy is to procure a new FF(X) class based on the…

ROYAL NAVY The Royal Navy’s historically strong presence in the Persian Gulf is at a new low following the withdrawal of two more ships, without replacement. After three years based at the UK Naval Support Facility in Bahrain, HMS Lancaster arrived for the final time on 5 December 2025 to be decommissioned. The forward-deployed frigate was operational for 34 years, well beyond the Type 23’s planned 18-year service life. Her retirement leaves the Royal Navy with just seven frigates overall, and a single warship, HMS Middleton, in active service in the Gulf. Meanwhile, HMS Bangor has also departed the region. She returned to Rosyth as deck cargo on board the heavy lift vessel Mighty Servant 2. The mine hunter was repatriated from Bahrain, where she was holed by HMS Chidding…

ETHANOL FUEL Maersk has begun trials using ethanol fuel on Laura Maersk, its first methanol-enabled container vessel. The trials commenced in October 2025 and form part of a broader programme to evaluate alternative fuels which could complement methanol in the company’s future fleet. Initial trials saw a ten per cent ethanol/90 per cent e-methanol blend, which confirmed that ethanol could safely be handled and integrated into the fuel mix without compromising engine performance. By December 2025 the share of ethanol in the mix had been increased to 50 per cent; the trials are set to continue, with fuel ethanol trials expected. Completed by Hyundai Mipo shipyard in Korea during 2023, Laura Maersk has served in Maersk’s European feeder network. Maersk currently has 20 methanol dual-fuelled container ships in service, ranging…

NEW FERRY The Island class generation of ferries has long been regarded as a success, but in November 2020 a preliminary design was introduced by The Realt Na Maidne Teoranta Ferry Company, a family-owned business, for a new generation of ferry that would bring the Island class concept up to date. Reflecting its geographical roots, the new Oileán (the Gaelic word for ’Island’) class ferry, was designed by Marine Design International (MDI) of Glasgow, with the order officially announced in July 2022. The build contract was awarded to Bute Boatbuilders Ltd, based at Undraynian Point on the Isle of Bute near Rothesay. This project was the shipbuilder’s fourth major undertaking and was completed in December 2024 with the launch of the ferry Arranmore Blu. Construction began in 2023, when the…

The 1960s began with what might prosaically be termed more of the same, with the delivery of Ciudad de Tarifa, a third but considerably larger stern-loading ferry for the Straits service, and with the commissioning of Ciudad de Granada for the Valencia-Palma route. She was a near sister of the highly successful Ciudad de Barcelona and Ciudad de Burgos, which were discussed in Part One. The final evolution of capacity for the longer-haul routes from Cantabrian ports and Barcelona to the Canaries and to Spanish Guinea took the form of two particularly handsome passenger cargo liners, Villa de Bilbao and Ciudad de Pamplona, which were completed in 1962 and 1964, respectively. Following the termination of the Guinea service in 1980, the duo became surplus to company requirements, but both…

HMS Hawke was a first-class armoured cruiser, and one of eight Edgar class ships. She was built in a dry dock at Chatham Dockyard, with her keel being laid in June 1889, and she was launched by being floated out of the dock into the dockyard basin, on 11 March 1891. Two years later, on 16 May 1893, she was commissioned for the first time, and four days later she was shifted to a buoy at Sheerness, ready to begin machinery and weapons trials. Between 29 May and 1 July 1893 Hawke ran a series of trials and exercises in the North Sea, which included visits to Trondheim and Bergen, and then on 6 July she left Portsmouth for the Mediterranean Station at Malta, where she arrived seven days later.…

SHIPS MAIL NZ FERRY THAT WENT TO THE FALKLANDS IN 1982 letter of the month I was very interested by the caption details and photograph of the passenger and vehicle ferry Rangatira (SM, Dec 2025, page 61), which was built on the Tyne. In mid-May 1982 the UK Ministry of Defence chartered the ship to assist in the Falklands operation. In the latter part of May 1982 the ship was modified at Devonport Dockyard to serve as a troopship. The ship was fitted with a helipad and other important extra equipment, such as RAS gear, extra fuel tanks and freshwater tanks, plus anti-aircraft weapons. The ship sailed on 19 June, just after the war had suddenly ended, with a full load of troops, mainly Army engineers, and arrived in Port…