The year 2025 is already a reminder of how unpredictable the seas can be and how closely ferry services depend on weather conditions. From the Pacific to the Atlantic and across Europe, storms disrupted vital routes, sometimes for days.
The first significant ferry disruption came in January, when Storm Éowyn swept Ireland, the UK and Norway. With hurricane-force gusts reaching well over 100 mph, ferries across the Irish Sea and North Sea were forced to shut down. Sailings such as Cairnryan to Larne and Holyhead to Dublin were cancelled, while operators suspended services on longer crossings like Harwich to Hoek van Holland and Hull to Rotterdam. The impact was immediate, leaving both passengers and freight delayed at a critical time of year.
Just a few days later, winter storms continued to hammer northern Europe. In the Baltic Sea, strong winds and ice created particularly difficult conditions in late January and early February. Routes such as Ystad to Rønne and Helsinki to Tallinn saw repeated interruptions, while longer links, including Rostock to Trelleborg, were also affected.
On the other side of the world, New Zealand was hit at the end of April. The May storm brought winds up to 150 km/h and waves of more than 12 metres across the Cook Strait. For two days, all crossings between Wellington and Picton were suspended. Interislander and Bluebridge ferries stood still, cutting the main passenger and freight link between the North and South Islands.
As summer approached in Asia, typhoons again caused major disruption in the East China Sea. Local island connections, such as the Kagoshima to Yakushima route, were repeatedly halted during July and August. Typhoon Gaemi in August was one of the strongest, forcing operators to cancel sailings for several days.
In southern Europe, the winter months had already caused problems in the Balearic Sea. During January, strong Atlantic-driven swells reached the western Mediterranean, and popular tourist routes like Valencia to Palma and Denia to Ibiza were temporarily suspended. The same pattern repeated in February further south, when the Canary Islands were hit by Atlantic lows. Sailings between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, and even the short Lanzarote to Fuerteventura link were affected by dangerous crosswinds and high waves.
Later in the summer, Storm Floris struck Scotland on 3 August. Winds of up to 85 mph forced CalMac to cancel most of its west-coast services, leaving island communities temporarily cut off. The storm, which carried an amber “danger to life” warning, showed how quickly ferry timetables in exposed regions can collapse when weather conditions shift.
Only a few weeks after Floris, another Atlantic system left its mark further south. Hurricane Erin, tracking offshore in late August, never made U.S. landfall but generated powerful swells along the East Coast and into European waters. On 21 and 22 August, sailings in the Celtic Sea were directly affected. Long-haul crossings such as Rosslare to Bilbao and Plymouth to Santander faced delays and cancellations. Meanwhile, on the U.S. coast, ferries to Block Island and services in Cape Cod and Connecticut were also suspended as waves built and evacuation orders came into effect.
All storms and ferry influence
| Storm / System | Dates | Region(s) Affected | Ferry Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm Éowyn | 21–27 Jan (landfall 24 Jan) | UK, Ireland, Isle of Man, Norway | Cancellations in the Irish Sea and North Sea. Routes like Cairnryan–Larne, Holyhead–Dublin, Harwich–Hoek van Holland and Hull–Rotterdam were suspended. |
| Winter storms (Baltic) | Late Jan – Feb | Baltic Sea | Ystad–Rønne, Helsinki–Tallinn, and Rostock–Trelleborg faced repeated delays and cancellations due to ice and strong winds. |
| May Storm (NZ) | 30 Apr – 2 May | Cook Strait, New Zealand | All Wellington–Picton sailings canceled for two days. Waves reached 12 m and winds 150 km/h. |
| Typhoon Gaemi | Aug | East China Sea, Japan | Suspended sailings on Kagoshima–Yakushima and nearby island services. |
| Winter swells (Mediterranean) | Jan | Balearic Sea | Valencia–Palma and Denia–Ibiza cancelled during rough winter seas. |
| Atlantic lows (Canaries) | Feb | Canary Islands | Crossings between Tenerife–Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria–Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote–Fuerteventura canceled due to swells and crosswinds. |
| Storm Floris | 3 Aug | Scotland, UK | CalMac cancelled most west coast routes. Amber “danger to life” warning issued. |
| Hurricane Erin | 20–22 Aug | U.S. East Coast, Bermuda, Celtic Sea | U.S. ferries (Block Island, Cape Cod, Greenwich, Ocracoke) suspended. In Europe, long-haul Rosslare–Bilbao and Plymouth–Santander canceled or delayed. |
By the end of 2025, passengers and operators across multiple seas had faced the same challenge: the constant influence of storms on ferry travel. From Éowyn in January to Erin in August, ferry networks worldwide showed their importance and vulnerability. For anyone planning a crossing, 2025 already is a reminder to always check ferry weather alerts before heading to the port ❤️.