Falling passenger numbers and rocketing fuel prices mean that the future of Stena Line’s fast ferry service between Harwich and the Hook of Holland is in the balance.

PSNI officers based in Portadown have matched the power of Stena Line's new high-speed ferry during a sponsored row on board the vessel.

SNCM director Bruno Vergobbi has told CMN (La Méridionale) that his company could take steps to buy it out if the latter definitively refuses to continue bilateral co-operation.

The giant ferry company Trasmediterranea has announced that it will start a new ferry service uniting the ports of Alicante and Ibiza this summer. May or June will see the first service between the ports for almost two decades when the super fast ferry Alcántara sets off on its first trip.

On November 3, 2005, the Sea Containers announced that it had begun a process of restructuring its ferry division, and that it would be entertaining offers to buy the core business of Helsinki-based Silja Oy Ab, which includes eight vessels operating on three routes in the Baltic. The Company also announced its intention to sell or charter out several additional ferry vessels and to entertain offers to buy its SeaStreak business in New York. As a result of this restructuring, the Company announced an impairment charge of $99 million, of which $19 million was recorded in the 2005 third quarter results. These amounts were preliminary and subject to adjustment, based on changes in the restructuring plan.

Stena Line is to cut its high-speed services between Holyhead and Dún Laoghaire from three round trips a day to two because of commercial pressure.

A US company is backing a venture aiming to start operating fast ferries this summer across the English Channel out of Dover.

Frenchferry operator SNCM has seen its chances of winning the concession to run between Marseilles and Corsica suffer a serious blow. The state-controlled company’s traditional partner, CMN (“La Méridionale”), says it is no longer prepared to bid jointly with SNCM for the forthcoming tender, the text of which will be issued on Friday.

Spanish ferry operator Euroferrys has accepted a takeover bid from rival operator Acciona Trasmediterranea. The companies are now awaiting approval on the deal from Spain's competition authority, a Trasmed spokesman told Fairplay today. Euroferrys chairman Joaquin Gonzalez was unavailable for comment but managing director Manuel Jiménez said yesterday the operator would maintain its corporate name and ships and maintain employment levels if the takeover bid is approved.

Corsica Ferries is to go head-to-head with SNCM on the latter’s home turf by announcing it would be prepared to launch ferry links to the island from Marseilles. The Corsican Assembly is expected to adopt the text of the public service tender on 24 March, and a bid by Corsica Ferries would mark the first time it has competed for a public concession.

Tallink Grupp, the Estonian ferry operator, has paid €310M ($372M) for three fast ro-pax ferries of Attica Group, the Greek company that trades under the Superfast Ferries brand name. The deal includes Superfast VII, Superfast VIII and Superfast IX, all of about 30,000gt and built in 2001-02. The ships have 2,000 lane metres of freight capacity and can accommodate about 700 passengers; they operate between Hanko in Finland and Rostock in Germany.

Attica Holdings S.A. announces that it has today contracted to sell to AS Tallink Grupp its ice-class Ro-Pax vessels Superfast VII, Superfast VIII and Superfast IX for a total cash consideration of Euro 310 million. Pending legal and regulatory procedures, the transaction will close within April 2006.

DFDS has confirmed reports that the ferry operator has been approached by international capital funds for a possible joint buyout of Scandlines.

A fast ferry firm is planning to bring new cross Channel services to the Kent port of Dover, creating about 700 jobs.

The fast ferry from the Isle of Man to Liverpool is back in service after undergoing an overhaul.

Color Line has signed up Maritime Communications Partner to provide GSM services across most of its fleet, writes Hugh O’Mahony.

ISLANDERS have welcomed the news that state-owned Caledonian MacBrayne has been named preferred bidder for the lifeline ferry service between Shetland, Orkney and Aberdeen.

Ferry operator DFDS Seaways christened its new ship the King of Scandinavia this week in Amsterdam, writes Sandra Speares.

A new £32 million ferry began sailing on the Newhaven - Dieppe cross-Channel route this week under the Transmanche Ferries banner.

Four more ferry berths are being built at Dover harbour to increase the port's capacity by 50% as part of a master plan costing £200m.

A new agreement has been drafted by the States of Jersey for the ferry route to St Malo in France.

Thinking of taking the ferry to Belgium? Then why not try our exclusive £49 each way offer for a car and up to 9 passengers from Ramsgate to Ostend with Transeuropa Ferries? The crossing is nearly 4 times faster than the P&O crossing to Belgium from Hull and you'll avoid the busy alternatives in Dover.

With the latest offers on crossings from Portsmouth to Le Havre now available, you will be left wondering if these are the best prices ever seen on the western channel!

Last week the ferry company Tallink and Riga Freeport Authorities signed a cooperation agreement to start regular ferry traffic between Stockholm and Riga.

Color Line Deutschland has reported a significant increase in the number of passengers on its Kiel-Oslo route, writes Bülent Erdogan in Cologne.

Irish Ferries will be one of the leading corporate participants in this years St. Patrick's Festival parade, part of the traditional celebrations being held on Friday, March 17th to mark the feast day of Ireland's patron saint.

SeaFrance Dover Calais Ferries has just announced the introduction of its £35 Each Way 5 Day Easter Eggstravaganza fare. Now you can hop over to France and beat the winter blues by treating yourself to a great spring break at a fantastic rate!

Two Italian operators have forged an unprecedented alliance to avoid the consequences of overcapacity on the short-sea route between Civitavecchia and Palermo. Aldo Grimaldi’s Grandi Navi Veloci and Gianluigi Aponte’s SNAV have reached agreement to co-ordinate schedules and use just two of the four vessels to offer three departures a week and sell tickets for both their own and the partner’s ships.

SeaFrance Dover-Calais Ferries has announced that as of 1 March, there will be a non smoking policy in operation across its fleet in all the internal passenger areas.

Transmanche Ferries took delivery of its first new-build yesterday for operation on the Dieppe Newhaven route. The 142-m Côte d’Albatre was built in Spain by Barreras; it can accommodate 600 passengers and has 1,270 lane metres for rolling cargo. The vessel and its sister ship, Seven Sisters, will replace the chartered Sardinia Vera which will be returned to its owner Corsica Ferries.