91 Malo routes, offering accommodation for 1,290 passengers and featuring 387 cabins across four decks. As with four of the five E-Flexer ships previously delivered to Brittany Ferries, these latest vessels are equipped with multi-fuel engines and a 12-megawatthour battery-hybrid system. This allows the ships to operate in and out of port solely on battery power, enabling them to manoeuvre during berthing without relying on their diesel engines. The ships have a maximum speed of 23 knots, or 17.5 knots when operating on battery power alone. Grandi Navi Veloci’s (GNV) new GNV Polaris entered service between Sicily and Sardinia in January. The first of four newbuilds by Guangzhou Shipyard International, the ship accommodates 1,500 passengers in 239 cabins. “The delivery of this ship is a significant milestone for GNV,” says Matteo Catani, the ferry company’s CEO. “It marks the first step in our fleet modernisation project, which, through the introduction of new ships and the restyling of existing ones, will elevate our market offering and services. This will allow us to position ourselves as a carrier of excellence in the Mediterranean in the years to come.” The second vessel in the series, GNV Orion, will not be an exact sister ship; it will feature extended accommodation, with more cabins and public spaces, increasing its capacity to 1,785 passengers in 420 cabins. The third and fourth ships, GNV Virgo and GNV Aurora, are the company’s first LNG ships and are slated for delivery in 2026. Caledonian MacBrayne’s (CalMac) newest ferry, Glen Sannox, finally entered service earlier in January 2025 after significant build delays. Serving Scotland’s Isle of Arran, this dual-fuel vessel can carry up to 1,000 passengers and 127 cars or 16 trucks, and its arrival is a major milestone for the communities it serves, providing much-needed capacity and reliable transport after years of anticipation. The introduction of Glen Sannox is part of CalMac’s ongoing fleet renewal project, with sister ship Glen Rosa now expected by the end of the year. Both were originally planned to enter service in 2018-2019. Notable ferry orders up to 2028 Operator Vessel Yard Pax Del. estimate TT-Line Company Spirit of Tasmania V Rauma Marine Constructions 1,200 2025 Buquebus China Zorrilla Incat Tasmania 1,200 2025 GNV GNV Orion Guangzhou Shipyard International 1,785 2025 CMAL Loch Indaal Cemre Shipyard 450 2025 CMAL Claymore Cemre Shipyard 450 2025 CMAL Lochmor Cemre Shipyard 450 2025 GNV GNV Virgo Guangzhou Shipyard International 1,785 2026 GNV GNV Aurora Guangzhou Shipyard International 1,785 2026 Corsica Linea Capu Rossu CMI Jinling Weihai 1,000 2026 Torghatten Nord Misterøy Özata Shipyard 202 2026 Torghatten Nord Fløytind Özata Shipyard 202 2026 La Méridionale 2 ro-pax CMI Jinling Weihai 1,000 2027 Norled 3 ro-pax Tersan/Havyard Leirvik 250 2027 BC Ferries 4 ro-pax Damen Shipyards, Galati 390 2027 Attica Group E-Flexer 14 CMI Jinling Weihai 1,500 2027 Attica Group E-Flexer 15 CMI Jinling Weihai 1,500 2027 Gotlandsbolaget Horizon X Austal Philippines 1,500 2028 Saint-Malo is the eleventh of Stena RoRo’s E-Flexer ferries and now operates for Brittany Ferries, serving the route between Portsmouth, England, and Saint-Malo, France Photo: Jess-Breheret
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