Gitnux/Report 2026

Ferry Industry Statistics

Shore power, battery ferries and stricter reporting rules are reshaping ferry operations fast, from EU ETS emissions submissions due every 30 April to a projected 40% CO2 intensity cut target by 2030. You will also see how safety and customer demand move together, including a 49% drop in passenger shipping fatalities in Europe from 2009 to 2019 and electric fast routes lifting passenger growth up to 2.5x on selected segments.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Ferry Industry Statistics
Christopher MorganWritten by Christopher Morgan·Edited by Alexander Schmidt·Fact-checked by Olivia Thornton
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The ferry industry at a glance

Global passenger-ferries market value reached $10.93 billion in 2026 (Fortune Business Insights forecast), with continuing expansion toward $14.74 billion by 2034 (3.80% CAGR). In parallel, EU ports recorded 417.8 million maritime passenger movements in 2024, up 6.2% year on year.

$10.52B[87]
Global market size, 2025
6.2%[88]
EU passenger growth, 2024
22.4%[88]
Italy’s EU share, 2024
19.1M[64]
Washington ridership, 2024
Market size
The global passenger ferries market was valued at $10.52 billion in 2025, according to Fortune Business Insights. Definitions vary across research providers because some estimates cover passenger vessels only, while others include ro-pax and broader ferry services.[87]
Forecast & CAGR
Fortune Business Insights forecasts the global passenger ferries market to grow from $10.93 billion in 2026 to $14.74 billion in 2034, representing a 3.80% CAGR. A separate 2026 estimate from Straits Research projects a higher 6.14% CAGR through 2034, illustrating the effect of differing market definitions.[87][89]
Market share & regions
Europe accounted for 36.4% of the global passenger ferries market in 2025 in the Straits Research estimate. In the EU, Italy represented 22.4% of maritime passenger movements in 2024, followed by Greece at 19.4%; the ten EU countries with more than 14 million passengers together accounted for 94.1%.[89][88]
Segmentation
Passenger-ferry markets are commonly segmented by vessel type, including monohull and multihull vessels; by propulsion, including conventional, hybrid and fully electric ferries; by capacity; and by end use, such as passenger transport or combined passenger-and-cargo service.[87][89]
Key players & concentration
The European market is geographically concentrated: 10 EU countries accounted for 94.1% of EU seaborne passenger movements in 2024. Eurostat’s measure is port throughput, so a passenger can be counted at both embarkation and disembarkation, rather than representing unique travelers.[88]
Pricing
Fare structures vary by route, passenger category, vehicle size and season. Washington State Ferries implemented average 3% fare increases on October 1, 2025 and May 1, 2026; standard adult fares from Seattle to Bremerton, Bainbridge Island and Edmonds-Kingston rose to $11.05 from October 2025 and $11.35 from May 2026.
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is recovering: EU ports handled 417.8 million maritime passenger movements in 2024, 24.3 million more than in 2023 and only 0.1% below 2019. Fleet renewal and decarbonization are major investment drivers, while operators face high vessel costs, infrastructure constraints and tighter emissions requirements.[88][90]
Consumer behavior & competition
Passenger demand is concentrated in national and intra-EU services, which Eurostat says account for much of Europe’s seaborne passenger transport. In the United States, Washington State Ferries carried 19.1 million riders in 2024, while its route utilization data shows passenger capacity utilization ranging from 9% to 19% on selected routes, indicating strong peak-period and route-level variation.[88][64]
M&A
Consolidation continued in 2025. DFDS agreed to purchase part of Naviera Armas’ Strait of Gibraltar ferry operations, including two ferries, while Baleària agreed to acquire most of the remaining Armas Trasmediterránea business; the transactions were structured to divide the Gibraltar assets between the two operators.[12][91]
Regulation
The EU FuelEU Maritime regulation began applying in 2025 to ships above 5,000 gross tonnage calling at EU ports, imposing progressively tighter greenhouse-gas-intensity limits. At the international level, the IMO approved a proposed net-zero framework in 2025 combining a global fuel standard with a greenhouse-gas pricing mechanism, although the measures were aimed primarily at large ocean-going ships.[90][92]
Latest news
In 2026, DFDS announced an agreement to purchase assets connected with Naviera Armas’ Strait of Gibraltar operations, including two ferries, with the stated aim of improving services for passenger and freight customers. The transaction reflects continued route-level consolidation in the European ferry market.[12]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Ferry Industry

The leading companies in the ferry industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

Baleària stands out thanks to 6.5 million passengers and 8.4 million linear metres of cargo in 2025, while Austal stands out since it delivered a 71-metre ro-ro passenger vessel in 2026.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in passenger, vehicle and freight ferries

    Baleària

    ES

    Ranked #1 · 9.1 · Passenger, vehicle and freight ferries

    Why we picked it: Its mix of passenger and cargo throughput across Spain and North Africa is measured at large annual volumes.

    See in ranking ↓Visit balearia.com ↗

  2. Leader in high-speed passenger ferry shipbuilding

    Austal

    AU

    Ranked #2 · 9.0 · High-speed passenger ferry shipbuilding

    Why we picked it: Its focus on high-speed passenger ferry shipbuilding is reflected in a 71-metre ro-ro passenger delivery in 2026.

    See in ranking ↓Visit austal.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    GNV

    IT

    Ranked #3 · 8.7 · Passenger, vehicle and freight ferries

    Why we picked it: Its Mediterranean passenger-and-ro-pax service shows through capacity benchmarking in Attica Group’s Shippax comparison.

    See in ranking ↓Visit gnv.it ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Pick 2 is the highest-ranked company in the top 5 that adds a new segment; no further segment places in the top 5, so pick 3 follows rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the ferry industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Baleària

Passenger, vehicle and freight ferries · ES

9.1
2

Austal

High-speed passenger ferry shipbuilding · AU

9.0
3

GNV

Passenger, vehicle and freight ferries · IT

8.7
4

DFDS

Passenger, vehicle and freight ferries · DK

8.6
5

Seajets

Passenger, vehicle and freight ferries · GR

8.5
6

Brittany Ferries

Passenger and freight ferries in the Western Channel · FR

8.5
7

ASDP Indonesia Ferry

Vehicle and passenger ferries across Indonesia · ID

8.2
8

Fjord1

Ferries and fast boats on Norway's western coast · NO

8.2
9

Jadrolinija

Passenger and vehicle ferries on Croatia's Adriatic coast · HR

8.0
10

Pelni

Passenger and vehicle ferry services in Indonesia · ID

7.9

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the ferry industry. In Ferry Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ferry-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

Domestic waterborne passenger movements on the Heysham-Douglas ferry service (United Kingdom)

Domestic waterborne passenger movements on the Heysham-Douglas ferry service grew from 62 thousand passengers in 2020 to 341 thousand passengers in 2025.

62
Start
+40.63%
CAGR · 5y
341
Projected
20202025
source-verifiedlancashire.gov.uk2025

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI and machine-learning are directly tied to operating outcomes: Molslinjen reported 3% lower fuel costs and emissions after deploying forecasting and analytics.

AI in the ferry industry

  • 3% lower fuel costs and emissions were reported after Molslinjen deployed machine-learning forecasting and analytics across its Danish ferry operations by December 2023.[1]
  • 36 shipping companies had implemented or planned to deploy AI-enabled technologies within the previous year, according to Lloyd’s Register-commissioned maritime research.[2]
  • $2.6–3.2 million in annual savings was achieved by Molslinjen’s machine-learning forecasting and revenue-management system in Denmark, with $5 million saved cumulatively by December 2023.[1]
  • 6,100 employees worked for Stena Line when its AI-based Voyage Optimisation System was being tested on ferry crossings between Gothenburg and Frederikshavn.[3]
  • 23% was the projected five-year compound annual growth rate of the maritime AI market, which was valued at $4.13 billion in 2024.[2]

Automation in the ferry industry

  • 29% of maritime industry professionals expected fully autonomous vessel operations when surveyed in 2025.[4]
  • 25% of maritime survey respondents identified passenger ferries as one of the most promising vessel types for autonomous operation in 2025.[4]
  • 29% of maritime industry professionals defined autonomous shipping as partially remote-controlled operations in 2025.[4]
  • 25% of maritime automation R&D investment priorities focused on sensors and camera systems in 2025.[4]
  • 20% of maritime automation R&D investment priorities focused on remote-control technologies in 2025.[4]
  • More than 1,500 passengers travelled on milliAmpere2 during its 2022 autonomous urban ferry trial in Trondheim, Norway.[5]

Digital Transformation in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 51% identified high costs as a challenge to digitalizing logistics operations in 2025.[6]
  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 63% expected digitalization to enhance customer experience in 2025.[6]
  • Across surveyed freight forwarders and logistics providers, 23% had digitized more than 75% of business processes or transactions in November 2024.[7]
  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 69% expected digitalization to improve efficiency in 2025.[6]
  • Across surveyed freight forwarders and logistics providers, 49% had digitized 50% or fewer of business processes or transactions in November 2024.[7]

Technology Adoption in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among 2026 transportation-management survey respondents, 15% of logistics service providers reported using AI at scale.[8]
  • Across transportation and logistics executives surveyed in Europe and North America, 44% were using AI for transportation planning and optimization in 2025.[9]
  • Across transportation and logistics organizations, 53% were partially or fully deploying AI to reduce workloads in 2024.[8]
  • Across transportation and logistics organizations, 53% were partially or fully deploying automated real-time shipment tracking to address knowledge-worker shortages in 2024.[8]
  • Among 2026 transportation-management survey respondents, 19% of shippers reported using AI at scale.[8]

Cloud Computing in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 89% planned to increase AI and machine-learning investment during the following one to two years.[10]
  • Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 85% said leadership viewed cloud as a long-term investment in 2023.[10]
  • Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 75% said cloud was crucial to their organization’s future in 2023.[10]
  • Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 84% had increased AI and machine-learning investment during the preceding one to two years.[10]

Big Data in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 49% expected digitalization to improve data visibility in 2025.[6]
  • 9.5% of transportation and storage enterprises used big-data analytics alone in the OECD’s 2026 cross-sector comparison, based on the latest available enterprise data.[11]
  • 12.5% of transportation and storage enterprises used both cloud computing and big-data analytics, according to the OECD’s 2026 sectoral comparison of enterprise technology adoption.[11]
  • 38% of surveyed GCC logistics organizations used structured data, while 20% recognized a systematic link between data and business insights, according to a 2023 study.[4]
  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 34% identified data analytics, including cloud platforms and AI-powered solutions, as the most critical technology in 2025.[6]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Central data build-outs and live operational metrics show up in implementation timelines; DFDS built its central data platform over 5 years by 2024.

Business intelligence in the ferry industry

  • 5 years was the period over which DFDS built its central data platform and in-house artificial-intelligence expertise by 2024.[12]
  • 2020 was the year Molslinjen began deploying its forecasting and revenue-management toolbox for Danish ferry operations.[1]
  • 3% was the reduction in Molslinjen’s fuel costs and emissions attributed to its analytics toolbox.[1]
  • 95.4% was NYC Ferry’s FY2024 technology uptime for systems supporting operational information and real-time arrival data.[13]
  • 2,094 thousand lane metres were transported on DFDS’s Strait of Gibraltar ferry routes in 2024.[14]
  • 1,976 thousand passengers were transported on DFDS’s Strait of Gibraltar routes in 2024, providing a major dataset for route and pricing analysis.[14]

Data analytics in the ferry industry

  • 3% lower fuel costs and emissions were reported for Molslinjen after analytics-supported forecasting and revenue management.[1]
  • 6,777 passengers answered Finferries’ annual customer survey in 2024.[15]
  • $5 million in cumulative savings had been generated by Molslinjen’s analytics-based toolbox by December 2023.[1]
  • 3% lower fuel costs and emissions were achieved by Molslinjen after deploying machine-learning forecasting and revenue-management analytics.[1]

Data Quality in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across supply management organizations, 33% rated their data-security ability as very high for assuring data quality in 2024.[16]
  • Across supply management organizations, 49% rated their data quality as good or excellent in 2024.[16]
  • Across supply management organizations, 67% said their data quality was better or significantly better than two years earlier in 2024.[16]
  • Across transportation and logistics shippers, 33% identified data quality as a top barrier to scaling artificial intelligence in 2026.[8]

Data Governance in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across supply management organizations, 61% had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[16]
  • Across supply management organizations with a data-governance function, 47% housed it in a center of excellence in 2024.[16]
  • Across supply management organizations with a data-governance program, 81% found the program useful in 2024.[16]
  • 39% of 3PL respondents said their supply chain governance maturity was running in place, with no noticeable progress, in the 2024 global survey.[17]
  • 32% of transport and logistics respondents said data governance or security was a primary challenge when preparing data for artificial intelligence in 2024.[18]
  • 42.8% of airlines surveyed worldwide considered themselves to be in the early stages of data-strategy implementation in the IATA 2024 survey.[19]

KPIs in the ferry industry

  • 93.63% was Red Funnel high-speed ferry punctuality in September 2026 based on its advertised timetable.[20]
  • 92.4% was NYC Ferry’s on-time performance across all routes in Service Year 1.[13]
  • 98% or more of NYC Ferry’s scheduled trips were completed in most months of Service Year 1.[13]
  • 99.27% was Red Funnel vehicle-ferry reliability in September 2026 based on its advertised timetable.[20]
  • 74 was NYC Ferry’s peak cumulative passenger Net Promoter Score in January 2024.[13]
  • 0.02% was Wightlink’s reported complaints-per-passenger rate in its published performance indicators.[21]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Network and freight scale are tracked with annual transport and revenue metrics; DFDS Ferry Division revenue increased to DKK 17.858 billion in 2024.

Growth in the ferry industry

  • 8.3% was the increase in DFDS Ferry Division revenue to DKK 17.858 billion in 2024.[14]
  • 886,400 passengers were transported by Fjord Line in 2024.[22]
  • 8.1% was the increase in DFDS ferry lane metres transported in 2024 to 41.538 million.[14]
  • 48,600 freight units were transported by Fjord Line in 2024.[22]
  • 35.1% was the increase in cars transported by DFDS ferries in 2024 to 1.559 million.[14]
  • 7.4% was the increase in DFDS ferry passengers in 2024 compared with 2023 on an organic basis.[12]

Differentiation in the ferry industry

  • 48% was Tallink Grupp’s passenger market share on the Tallinn–Helsinki route in 2024.[23]
  • 6% was the reduction in Tallink Grupp’s core-fleet carbon dioxide emissions in 2023.[24]
  • 37% was Tallink Grupp’s passenger market share on routes between Finland and Sweden in 2024.[23]
  • 100% was Tallink Grupp’s passenger market share between Tallinn and Stockholm in 2024, where it was the only provider.[23]

Mergers and acquisitions in the ferry industry

  • DKK 1.0 billion was the revenue of FRS Iberia/Maroc in 2023 when acquired by DFDS.[12]
  • 381,000 cars were carried on DFDS’s acquired Strait of Gibraltar routes in 2024.[14]
  • 6 times was the enterprise-value-to-EBITDA multiple for DFDS’s acquisition of FRS Iberia/Maroc.[12]
  • 1.976 million passengers were carried on DFDS’s acquired Strait of Gibraltar routes in 2024.[14]
  • 2.1 million lane metres of freight were carried on DFDS’s acquired Strait of Gibraltar routes in 2024.[14]

Strategic partnerships in the ferry industry

  • 20 years was the concession period awarded to DFDS to provide Jersey ferry services from March 2025.[14]
  • 5 years was the extension of DFDS’s space-charter agreement with CLdN on the Gothenburg–Zeebrugge route in 2025.[25]
  • 2 new freight ferry routes were added to DFDS’s network in 2025.[25]
  • 6 years was the extension of DFDS’s partnership with the Danish Defence in 2025.[25]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce reporting includes measurable retention and operational readiness signals, such as BC Ferries’ 17.9% lower employee turnover in 2025.

Hiring in the ferry industry

  • 21% of NYC Ferry employees were women or gender-nonconforming people as of June 2024.[26]
  • 14,000 employees worked for DFDS in 2024 across its ferry, logistics and related operations.[27]
  • 450 people were employed by NYC Ferry as of June 2024.[26]
  • 75% of NYC Ferry employees identified as people of color as of June 2024.[26]
  • 1,853 employees worked for Finnlines at the end of 2024, including 1,106 at sea and 747 ashore.[28]

Employee retention in the ferry industry

  • 8.75 years was the average employment duration for men at Suomen Lauttaliikenne Group in 2024.[15]
  • 8.61 years was the average employment duration at Suomen Lauttaliikenne Group in 2024.[15]
  • 7.22 years was the average employment duration for women at Suomen Lauttaliikenne Group in 2024.[15]
  • 17.9% lower employee turnover was reported by BC Ferries compared with the prior year in its 2025 performance and sustainability report.[29]

Remote Work in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. transportation and utilities, 20.3% of workers could work from home in 2024–2025, while 18.6% actually did so, according to annual averages.[30]
  • In the U.S. transportation and warehousing industry, 13.9% of wage and salary employees worked from home in January 2025.[31]
  • Across U.S. transportation and utilities occupations, about 11% of workers worked remotely at least sometimes from October 2023 through September 2024.[32]
  • Among U.S. transportation, logistics, supply-chain and storage hires, 17.0% of hires at small companies were remote during the year ending September 2024.[33]

Hybrid Work in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 54% worked hybrid schedules in August 2026.[34]
  • Across transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 42% reported a hybrid work arrangement in 2025.[35]
  • Globally, 25% of engaged employees were working in hybrid arrangements in 2025, compared with 30% of exclusively remote employees and 17% of on-site, non-remote-capable employees.[34]
  • Among transportation employers surveyed for the U.S. Job Outlook, 33.3% reported fully hybrid work arrangements in 2024.[36]

Upskilling in the ferry industry

  • 3.9% of theoretical work hours were lost to sickness absence at Suomen Lauttaliikenne Group in 2024, down from 4.3% in 2023.[15]
  • 3.9% was Suomen Lauttaliikenne Group’s sick-leave rate as a share of theoretical work hours in 2024, alongside expanded training and development reporting.[15]
  • 9% of maritime automation R&D investment priorities focused on personnel training programs in a 2025 industry survey.[4]
  • 346 person-years were worked by Suomen Lauttaliikenne Group employees in 2024, compared with 330 in 2023.[15]

Employee Engagement in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • In U.S. logistics, 71% of frontline workers reported workplace stress in 2024.[37]
  • In U.S. logistics, 40% of frontline workers wanted to quit in 2024, according to a survey of 500 logistics employees.[37]
  • Across Asia-Pacific transport and logistics organizations, 62% of employees were actively engaged, based on feedback from 30,116 employees in 24 surveys.[38]
  • Globally, 20% of employees were engaged at work in 2025, while 16% were actively disengaged.[34]
  • In U.S. logistics, more than 60% of frontline workers considered their roles long-term career commitments in 2024.[37]

DEI in the ferry industry

  • 75% of NYC Ferry employees were people of color in June 2024.[26]
  • Approximately one in four employees at Washington State Ferries identified as women in 2026.[39]
  • 5.06% of certificated UK officers were female in 2024, according to workforce information published by Red Funnel Ferries.[20]
  • 16% of active UK seafarers were female in 2024, according to workforce information published by Red Funnel Ferries.[20]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Customer operations are quantified through service-center performance and complaints rates, including BC Ferries at 5.9 complaints per 10,000 passengers in fiscal 2025.

Customer experience in the ferry industry

  • 3.92 out of 5 was the average rating for services on Superfast Ferries ships in 2024.[40]
  • BC Ferries recorded 5.9 customer complaints per 10,000 passengers in fiscal 2025, Canada.[29]
  • 50 was DFDS’s freight-activity Net Promoter Score in 2025, covering its freight ferry operations and logistics activities.[12]
  • 84% was BC Ferries’ overall customer-satisfaction score in fiscal 2025, Canada.[29]
  • 93% of surveyed customers were satisfied with BC Ferries’ Customer Service Centre experience in fiscal 2025, Canada.[29]

Customer retention in the ferry industry

  • Over 4,000 bookings were made through DFDS’s Jersey passenger booking platform in its first days of operation in 2025.[41]
  • Revenue from DFDS’s top 25 freight-ferry trailer customers increased 5% in 2025, Europe.[12]
  • BC Ferries answered customer-service calls within an average of 75 seconds during the June–August peak season in fiscal 2025.[29]
  • Revenue from DFDS’s top 30 freight customers using multiple products increased 9% in 2025.[12]
  • BC Ferries handled 419,065 customer-service calls in fiscal 2025, Canada.[29]

Customer acquisition in the ferry industry

  • The San Francisco Bay Ferry campaign generated more than 64,000 engagements across social, video and paid channels.[42]
  • The San Francisco Bay Ferry campaign generated more than 5 million impressions across digital, influencer and print channels.[42]
  • A San Francisco Bay Ferry campaign generated more than 1,100 new ferry riders and helped restore pre-pandemic ridership levels.[42]
  • NYC Ferry’s launch campaign generated 8 million out-of-home media impressions across 35 bus stops and phone kiosks.[43]
  • NYC Ferry’s launch campaign generated 5 million additional public-relations impressions through coverage in 15 major publications and more than 50 digital content providers.[43]

Customer loyalty in the ferry industry

  • Irish Ferries reported continued growth in Irish Ferries Club membership across all routes in 2024.[44]
  • Seamiles customer-loyalty-program membership increased 20.7% in 2024, Greece and international routes.[40]
  • Viking Line ranked first in a Nordic ferry-industry survey for both customer satisfaction and passenger loyalty in 2026.[45]
  • Baleària Club had more than 530,000 members in July 2026, Spain and international routes.[46]

Lead generation in the ferry industry

  • NYC Ferry generated 556,000 engagements on its social content during the October 2023–June 2024 reporting period.[47]
  • NYC Ferry’s launch website attracted 10 million visitors after its brand and digital-platform rollout.[43]
  • NYC Ferry generated 6 million impressions on its social content during the October 2023–June 2024 reporting period.[47]
  • NYC Ferry attracted 22,000 new social-media followers from October 2023 through June 2024.[47]
  • NYC Ferry’s social channels grew to 13,000 followers after its launch branding and marketing program.[43]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Campaign performance is tracked with ROI and awareness lifts; CalMac’s storytelling campaign delivered a 12:1 return on digital advertising spend in its second campaign year.

Marketing in the ferry industry

  • CalMac’s storytelling campaign generated a 12:1 return on digital advertising spend during its second campaign year.[48]
  • CalMac’s storytelling campaign increased leisure bookings 7.2% during its second campaign year in Scotland.[49]
  • P&O Ferries’ campaign delivered a 1.30:1 return on investment in 2023.[49]
  • P&O Ferries’ campaign produced a 120% lift in advertising awareness in the United Kingdom.[49]
  • P&O Ferries’ campaign increased website traffic 50% in the United Kingdom.[49]

Digital marketing in the ferry industry

  • CalMac’s digital campaign delivered more than 1,700 pieces of curated content for its ferry and island-travel brand platform.[48]
  • CalMac’s digital campaign achieved a 94% video view-through rate during its first campaign year.[48]
  • Brittany Ferries’ social-media relaunch generated 92,000 engagements, a 58% increase, during its first nine months.[50]
  • A Beetlejuice promotional collaboration with NYC Ferry generated more than 220,000 video views and over 21 million additional user-generated video views.[47]
  • Brittany Ferries’ social-media relaunch generated 1.73 million video views during its first nine months.[50]

Branding in the ferry industry

  • P&O Ferries’ campaign made it the United Kingdom’s biggest brand-health improver in 2023.[49]
  • CalMac’s unprompted brand recognition increased from 61.7% to 74% during the first campaign year in Scotland.[48]
  • Irish Ferries won the Best Ferry Company award from the Irish Travel Agents Association for the 13th consecutive time in 2024.[44]
  • DFDS won the World’s Leading Ferry Operator title for the 14th consecutive time in 2024, based on passenger and industry-professional votes.[51]
  • CalMac’s brand reputation increased 15% during the first year of its “Every journey starts a story” campaign in Scotland.[48]

Social media in the ferry industry

  • NYC Ferry generated 5.1 million views across its social platforms from October 2023 through June 2024.[47]
  • NYC Ferry generated 556,000 social-content engagements from October 2023 through June 2024.[47]
  • NYC Ferry generated 6 million impressions on social content from October 2023 through June 2024.[47]
  • BC Ferries’ social-media video views increased 53% in fiscal 2025, Canada.[29]
  • BC Ferries’ social-media follower base grew 7% in fiscal 2025, Canada.[29]

Influencer Marketing in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • 53% of U.S. B2B marketers reported a growing dedicated influencer-marketing budget in 2024 survey data.[52]
  • 49% of B2B marketers selected industry relevance as a criterion for choosing influencers in 2025, globally.[53]
  • 43% of worldwide B2B marketers who achieved positive results said micro-influencers generated the most success in 2024.[52]
  • 29% of B2B companies planned to adopt influencer marketing within the following year in 2025, globally.[53]
  • 55% of B2B companies used influencers in 2025, according to a global survey of marketing decision-makers.[53]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Execution is linked to standardized launches and ticketing throughput; DFDS sold 110,000-plus Jersey tickets by end-2025 after standardised processes.

Process optimization in the ferry industry

  • Thousands of passenger price agreements were updated by DFDS using systems launched in 2024 as part of its 2025 ferry strategy.[25]
  • 110,000-plus Jersey tickets were sold by DFDS by the end of 2025 after standardised processes enabled the new service launch.[25]
  • 3 routes, 4 ports and 4 ferries were opened by DFDS for Jersey at a company-record pace in 2025.[25]
  • 1 AI pilot at DFDS used machine learning in 2025 to predict terminal dwell time and optimise fuel consumption.[25]
  • 24 days after contract signing, DFDS enabled ticket sales for its Jersey routes in 2025 using an existing passenger-booking platform with minimal customisation.[25]

Operational efficiency in the ferry industry

  • 2,992 million DKK was DFDS Ferry Division bunker cost in 2024, down 4.1% from 2023.[14]
  • 8 billion dollars of cargo was transported by BC Ferries in fiscal 2025, according to the company’s estimate.[29]
  • 10,162 million DKK was DFDS Ferry Division operating cost in 2024, including bunker, terminal, ferry-operation, and logistics costs.[14]
  • 3,697 million DKK was DFDS Ferry Division port-terminal operating cost in 2024, up 17.3% year on year.[14]
  • 17,858 million DKK was DFDS Ferry Division revenue in 2024, while ferry operations accounted for 2,781 million DKK of operating costs.[14]

Supply chain in the ferry industry

  • 3 routes were opened by DFDS for Jersey in 2025 as part of a standardised network rollout.[25]
  • 12,594 million DKK was DFDS Ferry Division freight revenue in 2024, representing the division’s largest revenue stream.[14]
  • 8 billion dollars of cargo moved through BC Ferries’ network in fiscal 2025, supporting goods supply in British Columbia.[29]
  • 4 ports were included in DFDS’s Jersey ferry launch in 2025, supported by standardised operating processes.[25]
  • 692 million DKK was DFDS Ferry Division transport-and-warehouse-solutions cost in 2024, down 1.0% from 2023.[14]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 65% expected outsourcing to continue increasing in 2026.[54]
  • Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 25% had fully outsourced warehouse operations in 2026.[54]
  • Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, about 60% had fully outsourced transportation services in 2026.[54]
  • Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 57% planned outsourcing projects in warehousing in 2026.[54]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing and revenue-management initiatives are tracked alongside cost impacts; DFDS Ferry Division bunker cost fell 4.1% year on year to 2,992 million DKK in 2024.

Pricing strategy in the ferry industry

  • 1 centralised pricing and revenue-management centre of excellence was created for DFDS’s European passenger-ferry routes.[55]
  • 1 three-tier ticket architecture was recommended for DFDS’s passenger ferry business to support good, better, and best fare positioning.[55]
  • 1 dynamic-pricing model at Eckerö Line adjusts passenger and car prices daily using demand, seasonality, weekday, departure time, and ticket type.[56]
  • 1 revenue-management engine at Molslinjen sets prices for each departure individually and decides whether LowFare tickets are offered.[1]
  • 1 vehicle-registration lookup is used by Molslinjen’s pricing system to infer booked-car length and improve lane-metre allocation.[1]

Cost reduction in the ferry industry

  • 1 machine-learning pilot at DFDS targeted fuel-consumption optimisation on ferries in 2025.[25]
  • 1 AI-driven planning initiative at DFDS targeted improved ferry and terminal operating efficiency in 2025.[25]
  • 1 existing booking platform was reused by DFDS for Jersey, reducing customisation requirements during the 2025 launch.[25]
  • 1 chartering approach was used by DFDS to enhance cost flexibility for part of its freight-ferry fleet, according to the 2024 annual report.[14]
  • 4.1% was the year-on-year reduction in DFDS Ferry Division bunker cost in 2024, to 2,992 million DKK.[14]

Profitability in the ferry industry

  • 471 million euros was DFDS Ferry Division EBITDA in 2024.[14]
  • 3,514 million DKK was DFDS Ferry Division EBITDA in 2024.[14]
  • 691 million euros was Baleària’s revenue in 2024, up 6% year on year.[57]
  • 19.7% was DFDS’s group EBITDA margin in 2024, according to its annual-report financial-filings summary.[27]
  • 130 million euros was Baleària’s EBITDA in 2024, up 11% from the previous year.[57]

Financial planning in the ferry industry

  • 1 monthly recognition method was used by DFDS in 2025 for Maritime Emissions Trading Scheme costs based on measured emissions and hedged or spot prices.[27]
  • 2.0% was the long-term consumer-price-index growth assumption used by DFDS in 2025 impairment testing, unchanged from 2024.[27]
  • 40% of Baleària’s emissions were affected by the European Union Emissions Trading System in 2024, increasing the company’s financial-planning exposure to carbon costs.[58]
  • 17,858 million DKK was DFDS Ferry Division revenue in 2024, compared with 16,493 million DKK in 2023.[14]
  • 38.2% was the increase in DFDS Ferry Division passenger revenue in 2024, to 5,264 million DKK.[14]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Fleet replacement and propulsion transition are visible in deployment metrics, including 4 large wind-propelled ferries in operation worldwide by Q2 2026.

Product development in the ferry industry

  • 2,600 employees represented Baleària’s peak-season workforce in 2024 as the company expanded its fleet and services.[46]
  • 4 large wind-propelled ferries were in operation worldwide by Q2 2026, with one additional large ferry under construction for 2027 delivery.[59]
  • 6 newbuildings comparable to DFDS ferry vessels were delivered to competitors during 2024.[14]
  • €5 billion is the estimated funding gap for the Greek ferry fleet’s green transition over a 25-year horizon.[60]
  • 3 ferries had wind propulsion installed by Q3 2024, representing 78,900 gross tonnes of ferry capacity.[59]

Product lifecycle in the ferry industry

  • 28 years was the median age of U.S. commercial ferry vessels shown in the 2024 maritime emissions action plan.[61]
  • 67% of the Greek coastal ferry fleet was more than 22 years old in 2021.[62]
  • Almost 25% of EU-flagged ferries were more than 30 years old in 2026.[63]
  • 26 years was the average age of an EU Ro-Pax vessel in 2026.[63]
  • 36.3 years was the average age of Washington State Ferries’ 20-vessel fleet in the worldwide comparison study.[64]

After-sales in the ferry industry

  • 96.4% was NYC Ferry’s peak preventive-maintenance completion rate in May during Service Year 1.[13]
  • 92% of Washington State Ferry passengers rated vessels as well maintained and safe in FY2024.[64]
  • 67 years was the age of Washington State Ferries’ oldest vessel reported in 2025, increasing parts-obsolescence and maintenance pressure.[65]
  • 92% of NYC Ferry preventive-maintenance tasks were completed on time during Service Year 1.[13]
  • 93% of Washington State Ferry passengers were satisfied or neutral about vessel and terminal cleanliness and comfort in FY2024.[64]

Value proposition in the ferry industry

  • 75% of Baleària’s 2024 revenue came from domestic routes.[46]
  • €691 million was Baleària’s turnover in 2024, up 6% year on year.[46]
  • 35% of Baleària’s 2024 revenue came from freight transport.[46]
  • 4.27 billion passengers and 373 million vehicles were carried by ferries worldwide in 2019.[59]
  • 400 million passengers were transported annually by European ferries according to the 2026 fleet assessment.[63]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Decarbonization progress is quantified through reported reductions, including Fjord1’s 66% reduction in ferry emissions between 2018 and 2025.

Sustainability in the ferry industry

  • 47% was Fjord1’s reduction in energy use between 2018 and 2025 in Norway.[66]
  • 4.5 million gigajoules was BC Ferries’ total energy consumption in fiscal 2024 in British Columbia, Canada.[29]
  • 2,707 MWh of green shore power was used by Wasaline in 2024 on the Vaasa–Umeå route.[67]
  • 20% of BC Ferries’ energy consumption was renewable energy in fiscal 2024 in British Columbia, Canada.[29]
  • 66% was the reduction in Fjord1’s ferry emissions between 2018 and 2025 in Norway.[66]

ESG in the ferry industry

  • 80% was the participation rate in DFDS’ employee engagement survey in 2024.[27]
  • 58% of Fjord Line employees were men and 42% were women in 2024 in Norway.[68]
  • 33% of Fjord Line’s board members were women in 2024 in Norway.[68]
  • 19% of DFDS management positions were held by women in 2024.[27]
  • 3,978,420 tonnes of CO2e were DFDS’ total reported emissions in 2024 across its ferry and logistics operations.[27]

Ethics in the ferry industry

  • 100% of DFDS’ identified high-risk employees were covered by anti-corruption and bribery training in 2024.[14]
  • 2021 was the year DFDS implemented its Data Ethics Policy for its ferry and logistics operations.[25]
  • 10 hours was the DFDS disclosure threshold for mandatory business-conduct training in its 2024 sustainability statement.[14]

CSR in the ferry industry

  • 642 employees worked for Fjord Line in 2024 in Norway.[68]
  • 9.7 million vehicles travelled on BC Ferries in 2024–2025 in British Columbia, Canada.[29]
  • 22.7 million travellers used BC Ferries in 2024–2025 in British Columbia, Canada.[29]
  • 25 routes were operated by BC Ferries in 2024–2025 in British Columbia, Canada.[29]
  • 48,500 freight units were transported by Fjord Line in 2024 between Norway and Denmark.[68]

Circular economy in the ferry industry

  • 701 tonnes of printed material were avoided through Viking Line’s digitisation of campaign flyers in 2024.[69]
  • 80 waste-collection drives were saved by Scandlines’ compactor sensor system in four months in Denmark, covering 30,000 kilometres of avoided travel.[70]
  • 83% of Scandlines’ waste was recycled in 2024, based on the company’s reported waste-treatment shares.[71]
  • 4.8 tonnes of worn textiles from Viking Line vessels were collected for breakdown and remanufacture in 2024.[69]
  • 22 tonnes of used cooking oil from Viking Line vessels were collected for renewable diesel production in 2024.[69]

Carbon footprint in the ferry industry

  • 13,453,702 tonnes of CO2 were emitted by European ferries in 2023 in the Transport & Environment fleet assessment.[63]
  • 11,756,789 tonnes of CO2 were emitted by ferries above 5,000 gross tonnes in Europe in 2023.[63]
  • 127,833 tonnes of CO2e were Fjord Line’s total greenhouse-gas emissions in 2024 in Norway.[68]
  • 1,696,914 tonnes of CO2 were emitted by European ferries between 400 and 5,000 gross tonnes in 2023.[63]
  • 123,093 tonnes of CO2e were emitted by PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry’s ship operations in 2024 in Indonesia.[72]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

International short-sea traffic remains a measured demand channel, with 15.1 million international short-sea ferry passengers to or from the UK in 2023.

Globalization in the ferry industry

  • 15,400 vessels comprised the global ferry fleet in 2019.[83]
  • 24% was the increase in UK international short-sea ferry passengers in 2023 compared with 2022.[84]
  • 15.1 million international short-sea ferry passengers travelled to or from the UK in 2023.[84]
  • $60.3 billion in global GDP was supported by the ferry industry in 2019.[83]
  • 4.27 billion passengers travelled on ferries globally in 2019.[83]

Cultural adaptation in the ferry industry

  • 4.2% of Hankyu Ferry customers were inbound international customers in fiscal 2024.[85]
  • 7.4% was the increase in DFDS ferry passengers in 2024, reflecting changes in international route demand.[12]
  • 5.7% of Hankyu Ferry customers were inbound international customers in fiscal 2025.[85]

Supplier management in the ferry industry

  • 81% of Tallinna Sadam’s largest customers and suppliers applied sustainable-development principles in 2023.[86]
  • 29 suppliers were included in Tallinna Sadam’s 2023 sample assessing sustainable-development practices.[86]
  • 74% of Tallinna Sadam’s largest customers and suppliers applied sustainable-development principles in 2022.[86]

Stakeholder management in the ferry industry

  • 500 crew members worked across NYC Ferry in fiscal 2024.[47]
  • 38 vessels operated NYC Ferry’s five-borough system in fiscal 2024.[47]
  • 6 major customer groups were monitored by Tallinna Sadam using customer-satisfaction measures in 2023.[86]

Distribution channels in the ferry industry

  • 5 routes were operated by Tallink Grupp in 2025.[24]
  • 3 routes comprised DFDS’s Strait of Gibraltar business in 2024 after its acquisition of FRS Iberia Maroc.[14]
  • 13 ferry routes were operated by DFDS for passenger services in 2024.[14]

Key questions about the Ferry Industry

What is the size of the global passenger ferries market in 2025?
The global passenger ferries market was valued at $10.52B in 2025, according to Fortune Business Insights.
How fast is the passenger ferries market expected to grow into 2034?
Fortune Business Insights forecasts growth from $10.93B in 2026 to $14.74B in 2034, a 3.80% CAGR. Straits Research instead projects a higher 6.14% CAGR through 2034 for 2026.
Which companies lead the ferry industry?
Baleària stands out thanks to 6.5 million passengers and 8.4 million linear metres of cargo in 2025, while Austal stands out since it delivered a 71-metre ro-ro passenger vessel in 2026.
What technology shifts are showing up in ferry operations?
Operators are using machine-learning forecasting and analytics, with Molslinjen reporting 3% lower fuel costs and emissions after deployment. DFDS also built a central data platform over 5 years by 2024 and used an AI pilot to predict terminal dwell time and optimise fuel consumption.
How is the ferry market structured geographically in the EU?
Europe accounted for 36.4% of the global passenger ferries market in 2025 in the Straits Research estimate. In the EU, 10 countries accounted for 94.1% of EU seaborne passenger movements in 2024, measured as port throughput.
What pricing pressure exists in ferry travel right now?
In Washington State Ferries, average fares increased 3% on October 1, 2025 and May 1, 2026, with standard adult fares from Seattle rising to $11.05 from October 2025 and $11.35 from May 2026.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Ferry Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ferry-industry-statistics
MLA
Christopher Morgan. "Ferry Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/ferry-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Christopher Morgan. 2026. "Ferry Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ferry-industry-statistics.

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