Jadrolinija

Jadrolinija is a Croatian ferry company. It is state-owned and it primarily connects Croatian islands to the mainland by operating regular passenger and cargo transport services. The company mainly operates car ferries on domestic routes along the Croatian coast, as well as international routes across the Adriatic Sea to Italy (to ports at Ancona and Bari).

Jadrolinija currently operates a fleet of 54 vessel: it has several large car ferries; Dalmacija and Marko Polo are used on international routes, mostly to the Italian cities of Bari and Ancona. There are also 38 smaller ferries used for local passenger service, 12 catamarans, and four smaller passenger ships. The fleet's total carrying capacity is 4,708 vehicles and 32,364 passengers.

Jadrolinija was founded in Rijeka on 20 January 1947 as a continuation of various smaller shipping companies which had operated along the Croatian coast since 1872. In 2024, its ships carried 12,671,824 passengers and 3,756,957 vehicles.

Projects In January 2022, Minister Oleg Butković announced the procurement of six new ships, three passenger ships, two of which are hybrid-powered up to 45 meters in length and three catamarans. It is expected that two will be built in 2023. One of the ships should replace the MS Postira.

In November 2022, Jadrolinija announced a tender for the sale of MF Dubrovnik at a price of 2.85 million euros. The competition lasts until March 2023. The ship was eventually sold to the Greek company A-Ships.

In December 2022, Jadrolinija announced a tender for the purchase of a used ferry, between 100-110 m long, 17-19 m wide and 2.9 m draft, with a passenger capacity of at least 500 in winter and 700 in summer. The tender was canceled in May 2023, but was announced again in June 2023. At the opening of bids, only one bid worth 7.695 million euros was received, from Livadas Shipping Co. from Greece. On 13 July Jadrolinija accepted the offer and bought ship even after media writing about the unsuitability of the ship for navigation in the Adriatic. The ship was renamed as MF Sveti Duje after the Saint Domnius.

In January 2023, a tender was announced for the procurement of three new electrically powered passenger ships. The ships sail in the Dubrovnik area, on the line to the Elafites, in the Šibenik area, where they will maintain a connection with Prvić, Zlarin and other islands, and in the Lošinj archipelago, if necessary, use them on other lines as well. The approximate length of the ships should be about 45 to 50 meters, with a transport capacity of about 390 passengers. The planned value of each of the ships, according to unofficial announcements, is around EUR 15 million, with co-financing by EU funds in the amount of 65 percent of their total value. These ships should be built by the end of 2026 at the latest, and by then HEP, together with the competent port authorities, should provide adequate connections for charging their batteries in the ports where they will dock. This year, Jadrolinija intends to start the construction of a new ferry for the Zadar water area. The tender was eventually annulled as none of the contestants met the conditions, which led to publication of new tender for which the application deadline is 1 August. The builder for the second tender was chosen as Kraljevica Shipyard, with a full arrangement to be concluded and ships to be built until the end of 2026.

In April 2023, a tender was announced for the purchase of two catamarans, for which Jadrolinija is ready to pay up to 14 million euros without VAT. The condition for these ships is that they must be up to 5 years old, up to 40 meters long and up to 12 meters wide, each with a capacity of at least 300 passengers, and intended for international routes on the Adriatic Sea. Offers for these fast passenger ships are accepted until May 3rd 2023. On 15 July 2023 Jadrolinija presented HSC Danica and HSC Kata as new catamarans bought from TP line for 13.4 million euros without VAT.

In August 2023, the state shipowner announced a public procurement worth 18.3 million euros, according to which the ships must not be older than two years. The technical specifications, among other things, foresee a length of 40 meters, a width of 12 meters, a minimum speed of 27 knots and a capacity of a minimum of 300 passengers, and the material of manufacture must be aluminum. The ships must be delivered no later than the last day of June 2024, and the offer deadline is September 26, 2023.

On 20 February 2024, Jadrolinija put MS Unije (ex Panagia Εvaggelistria) in service on line Mali Lošinj – Unije – Vele Srakane – Susak. The ship was bought for 2 million euros in April 2023 from Star Gem Maritime Company located in Greece.

In November 2025, the company announced that it was raising a loan of 280 million euros for the construction of approximately ten new ships that will be in line with the European policy of “green transition”, i.e. they will be powered by alternative fuels rather than diesel. A mandate letter has been signed with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation and it plans to sign a loan agreement with them in March or April 2026 to finance the construction of up to ten new ships, most of which will be ferries and three to four passenger ships. “Green transition” means ships with engines powered by alternative fuels – biodiesel, green methanol or electric propulsion. The first newly built ships are planned to enter the Jadrolinija fleet in late 2027 or in the first quarter of 2028.

Ships List of ships - updated on 20 September 2025

Ferries Ship Built Entered service LOA (m)Beam (m)Draught (m)Max speed (knot)Passenger capacityCapacity of cars MF Bartol Kašić 1989 1989 64.813.83.213.050044 MF Biokovo 2009 2009 87.617.52.413.01,200138 MF Bol 2005 2008 95.420.02.311.5600176 MF Brač 2014 201499.817.52.412.5616145 MF Cres 2005 2005 87.617.52.411.5600100 MF Dalmacija 1993 2024 134.424.05.217.01,800350MF Faros 2010 2020 105.017.52.714.0650170 MF Hanibal Lucić 1993 1994 49.912.83.112.536035 MF Hrvat 2007 2007 87.617.52.413.01,200138 MF Ilovik 2006 2007 95.87.52.812.0500170 MF Jadran 2010 2010 87.617.52.413.01,200138 MF Juraj Dalmatinac 2007 2007 87.617.52.413.01,200138 MF Kijevo 1997 1997 41.216.02.49.515036 MF Korčula 2007 2008 101.417.33.516.0685150 MF Kornati 2014 201499.817.52.412.5616145 MF Krk 2014 201499.817.52.412.5616145 MF Laslovo 1997 1997 41.216.02.49.515036 MF Lastovo 1969 1978 72.713.73.714.048260 MF Lošinj 2010 2021 97.916.013.0600140 MF Lošinjanka 1969 1969 48.010.81.810.820030 MF Marjan 2005 2005 87.617.52.412.31,200130 MF Marko Polo 1972 1988 128.119.65.719.51,100270 MF Mate Balota 1988 1988 64.713.42.911.044050 MF Mljet 2014 201499.817.52.412.5616145 MF Oliver 1997 202410817.54.118680100 MF Otok Pašman 2003 2021 42.015.325035 MF Pelješčanka 1971 1971 48.010.82.211.520930 MF Petar Hektorović 1989 1999 91.818.03.815.51,080120 MF Sis 1974 1997 73.816.42.510.570070 MF Ston 1997 1997 41.216.02.49.515031 MF Supetar 2004 2004 87.617.52.411.5594100MF Sveti Duje 20172024107.018.02.814.51,000244 MF Sveti Juraj 1980 1991 49.912.83.211.030045 MF Sveti Krševan 2004 2004 87.617.52.411.5600100 MF Šoltanka 1971 1971 48.010.82.411.520030 MF Tin Ujević 2002 2003 98.317.02.714.01,000200 MF Ugljan 2011 2020 102.218.02.711.0650114 MF Valun 1983 1998 81.215.13.413.073060 MF Vladimir Nazor 1986 1986 87.514.03.012.545070 MF Zadar 1993 2004 116.018.95.217.51,053280

Catamarans Ship BuiltEntered serviceLOA (m)Beam (m)Draught (m)Max speed (knot)Passenger capacity HSC Adriana 1990 1998 40.010.11.336.0356HSC Cvijeta2023202538.010.0312HSC Danica 2019 2023 39.010.01.329.0317 HSC Dora 1985 201541.97.628.0350 HSC Dubravka 1991 2001 41.611.01.432.0306 HSC Jelena 2018 201842.211.61.640.0403 HSC Judita 1990 2001 41.611.01.432.0316 HSC Karolina 1989 2004 41.611.01.234.0316HSC Kata 2019 2023 39.010.01.329.0317HSC Mila2025202536.5 HSC Novalja 1991 2004 41.611.01.234.0316 HSC Olea 1981 1991 29.09.01.326.0218HSC Ružica2023202538.010.0312 HSC Silba 1990 1998 36.59.81.236.0310

Conventional ships Ship BuiltEntered serviceLOA (m)Beam (m)Draught (m)Max speed (knot)Passenger capacity MS Lara 1988 1991 37.66.31.712.0250 MS Postira 1963 1963 44.68.12.914.0380 MS Premuda 1957 1957 44.78.22.813.0450 MS Unije 2004 2024 46.99.03.011.8208

Former ships MF Brestova - built in 1985, sold in 2025 tu unknown international buyer. MF Dubrovnik - built in 1979, sold to A-Ships from Greece in 2023 MF Liburnija - built in 1965, sold for scrap in 2015. MF Lubenice - built in 1989, sold for scrap to Turkey in 2022 MS Perast - built in 1963, attacked by JNA forces in 1991, retired in the same year, and scrapped in 2004. MF Prizna - built in 1970, sold to Morsko dobro from Montenegro in 2023 MS Tijat - built in 1955, retired in 2023 HSC Vida - built in 2011, sold in 2025.

Gallery

References

Jadrolinija

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