The 'Aratere' will make its final sailing from Picton on Aug 18 at 11 a.m., after 26 years of service. Major infrastructure work in Picton will then commence to prepare for the arrival of new rail-enabled ferries in 2029. The 'Kaiārahi' is returning from dry-dock in Singapore to replace the 'Aratere' after completing the scheduled maintenance. No booking changes will be required for freight customers or passengers as a new two-ship timetable is already in place. Switching from three ships to two ships, the 'Kaitaki' and the 'Kaiārahi', will have a big impact on staff, passengers and freight. The capacity of the two new ferries will be larger than the current fleet of three ships as a necessary step towards a more efficient and sustainable future. The 'Aratere' crew will send the ship off in a private event in early September.
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MED EXPRESS
The Tallink Grupp's subsidiary, Tallink–Helsinki Line Limited, has sold the 'Regal Star' to the Turkish shipping company Ams Line Shipping Co. The ship was officially handed over to its new owner on Aug 6, 2025. The 'Regal Star' had previously operated the Paldiski–Kapellskär route. In Febr 2025, the m/v 'Star I' commenced operations on the route, and was later replaced by the 'Superfast IX', which provides transport services for both freight and car passengers. The sale of the 'Regal Star' was part of the work to adapt the size of the fleet to current market conditions, according to Paavo Nõgene, CEO of Tallink Grupp. The 'Regal Star' has remained docked in Tallinn since June 25.
MY AMADEA
More than three years after the "Amadea," was seized from a sanctioned Russian oligarch, the yacht, valued at over $300 million (around €260 million), was put on auction on Aug 5. Bidders can submit offers until Sep 10. Bidders must make a deposit of $10 million. The Florida-based company National Maritime Services is in charge of the auction. The "Amadea" was seized in Fiji in April 2022 and is currently moored in San Diego, California. A US judge dismissed a claim for ownership by former head of the oil and gas company Rosneft, Eduard Khudainatov, in March. According to prosecutors, Khudainatov acted merely as a "front man," while the true owner is Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov. Sanctions were imposed on the close ally of Vladimir Putin because of the war in Ukraine.
