The world's largest fully electric ferry has been delivered to her new owner while construction continues on a Japanese cruise ship, a river ship for European operation, and a ferry for a French overseas territory. A Russian regional administration has placed an order for a hydrofoil ferry.
Spanish shipbuilder Aister has laid the keel of a new passenger vessel ordered by French transport company SPM Ferries.
Janot will utilise a design developed by UK naval architecture firm Chartwell Marine.
She will replace the earlier ferry Jeune France in serving SPM's routes between the municipality of Saint-Pierre and the neighbouring island of Langlade in the French overseas territory of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon near Newfoundland in Canada.
Chartwell said the new ferry has been developed specifically for the route, where challenging waters and location creates a demanding operating environment. Access to Langlade presented a particular challenge due to the island’s limited shoreside infrastructure, while the development of extensive new port facilities risked disrupting its remote setting and character.
The world's largest fully electric ferry has arrived in Uruguay, completing her delivery voyage from Australia to her new owner.
Built by Australia's Incat, the 130-metre China Zorrilla will be operated by Argentina-based Uruguayan customer Buquebus.
The ferry will carry 2,100 passengers and 225 cars at 25 knots across the Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires to Colonia six times a day, all on electric power.
China Zorrilla is powered by four 2,400kW electric motors driving waterjets installed in her catamaran hulls. The propulsion setup also includes a lithium-ion energy storage system that produces 41.2 MWh.
Celebrity Cruises has floated out its first river cruise ship, the 135-metre Celebrity Compass, in Rotterdam as the company prepares to enter European river cruising in August 2027.
The hull was floated at Zwijnenburg after an operation that began on September 9. It then travelled about 50 miles to TeamCo Shipyard in Heusden, arriving on September 12 for interior fit-out.
“The float-out of Celebrity Compass marks a milestone for Celebrity River Cruises,” Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge said.
Zwijnenburg began building the first hull in January 2026 under a contract from TeamCo, which is responsible for completing the ship’s interiors. Zwijnenburg has said that the second hull is expected within 12 weeks.
Rostov Region plans to acquire a second Meteor hydrofoil ferry for a passenger route to Mariupol, where berth construction and dredging remain unfinished.
The proposed 230-kilometre Rostov-on-Don–Taganrog–Mariupol service is scheduled to begin in 2027. It would be operated by the Don Shipping Passenger Company as a mixed river-sea route across the Don and the Sea of Azov.
Alexander Chekmenyov, Deputy Transport Minister of the Rostov Region, said Mariupol had yet to complete berths for high-speed passenger vessels or the dredging required to receive them.
“There is still a lot of work to do there. But we still intend to launch the route to Mariupol,” Chekmenyov said.
Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) recently held a naming and launching ceremony for a new cruise ship that will be operated primarily in Tokyo Bay.
Amane is scheduled to enter service with NYK in the spring of 2027 following completion at Maehata Shipbuilding's facilities in Sasebo. She will replace Lady Crystal, which is being operated as a dinner cruise ship by NYK subsidiary the Cruise Club Tokyo.
Upon completion, Amane will have an LOA of approximately 48 metres, a beam of 9.5 metres, a draught of 2.1 metres, and a gross tonnage of 480.
NYK said that dining on board will continue the tradition of French cuisine once served aboard NYK passenger ships. The company added that a dedicated butler service will be available for guests using private rooms while attentive hospitality will be extended to all guests throughout each journey.
The vessel will also be fitted with technologies that NYK said are in line with the achievement of "net zero" emissions by 2050.