New ferries have been delivered to two separate Russian operators while an Italian yard has floated out a cruise ship ordered by a US customer. An Italian operator has selected a Turkish builder for a new fast ferry for use in the Mediterranean. Lastly, a Scottish state-owned firm has awarded a contract for the concept design of a new ship that will serve the western Clyde and Hebrides regions.
Russian Classification Society has confirmed the completion of construction of two new non-self-propelled ferry barges in a series.
The vessels belong to the recently introduced Russian-built Project TMT.250-03 series of ferries.
The first two examples from the same series were delivered earlier this year.
The vessels were designed for transporting passengers, deck cargo, and other equipment with a rear axle gable load not exceeding nine tons.
Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL) has appointed ferry design consultancy naValue to support the concept design phase of the new mull vessels project.
Under the programme, new vessels will be procured for the Oban to Craignure route as part of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services network.
The appointment marks the commencement of the concept phase, during which multiple vessel concepts and design options will be developed and assessed.
Jim Anderson, Director of Vessels at Caledonian Maritime Assets, explained that the ferries will play a vital role in supporting communities, businesses, and visitors along the crossing.
Italian transport company Navigazione Libera del Golfo (NLG), which operates high-speed passenger vessels in the Gulf of Naples and surrounding destinations, has selected Turkey's Nova Shipyard for the construction of a new monohull ferry.
Nova Shipyard said the vessel is intended for intensive service with NLG in the Mediterranean.
Designed by Italian naval architecture firm M2Engineers, the vessel will be constructed entirely in aluminium will measure 52 metres long.
The ferry will have space for up to 655 passengers plus a crew of ten on two decks.
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has launched a new cruise ship ordered by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) subsidiary Oceania Cruises.
Fincantieri said Oceania Sonata is scheduled for delivery in 2027. Upon completion, the ship will have a gross tonne of 86,000 and a capacity of 1,390 guests.
Oceania Cruises said the ship has been designed with large spaces and "high levels of comfort," with one-third of the guest accommodation consisting of suites.
Oceania Sonata will be the ninth ship in the Oceania Cruises fleet. Fincantieri said the ship will also be, "the most spacious and amenity-rich in the [Oceania] fleet."
Russian transport operator Vodohod has commenced operational sailings of a new electric river ferry built by local shipyard Emperium.
Pushkin (Пушкин) belongs to the Project EM901 or Moskva 2.0 series of river ferries, which are being built as improved variants of an earlier series of diesel-powered vessels that operated in Russian inland waters during the Soviet era.
Notable improvements over the earlier vessels include a hull that is wider by two metres to permit the incorporation of larger spaces.
Ownership of the ferry will remain with State Transport Leasing Company. Her area of operations will encompass river routes in Moscow.
