Propspeed, a leading innovator in underwater biocide-free foul-release coatings, has announced that Adria Ferries has reported a 2–3% reduction in fuel consumption aboard its passenger ferry AF MIA following the application of Propspeed to the vessel’s propeller blades.
Adria Ferries applied Propspeed in March 2026 and, according to an internal analysis conducted by the ferry company, AF MIA subsequently used an average of approximately 0.6–0.7 tonnes less fuel per crossing. The operator estimated that the vessel saved around 56 tonnes of fuel during the first three months following the application.
AF MIA operates Adria Ferries’ Ancona–Durrës route between Italy and Albania and can carry up to 1,528 passengers and 819 vehicles per trip. The vessel joined the Adria Ferries fleet in December 2023 and has become a mainstay of the busy route.
The ferry switched to Biofuel B20 in December 2025. To ensure a consistent comparison, Adria Ferries evaluated data from fixed-route crossings completed using the same B20 fuel both before and after the Propspeed coating system was applied.
“I believe an average benefit in fuel consumption of 2–3% can reasonably be attributed to Propspeed,” said Commander Salvatore Della Rocca, Fleet Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Adria Ferries.
“Fuel represents one of the largest operating costs for commercial fleets, so modest efficiency improvements can become significant when multiplied across frequent crossings,” said Marcus Hamilton, CEO of Propspeed. “Adria Ferries’ reported results are an encouraging real-world example of the commercial value of protecting propeller surfaces. We appreciate the company’s disciplined B20-to-B20 fuel comparison and CMP Europe’s continued partnership in supporting Italy’s commercial market.”
CMP Europe, the sole Italian distributor of Propspeed, worked with Adria Ferries on the application and continues to support the company’s fleet requirements.
“We were confident in the outstanding results that the application of Propspeed would deliver in terms of fuel savings, and we are fully committed to supporting Adria Ferries on future projects,” said Fabrizio Porrone, CMP Europe Sales Manager for Commercial Shipping in Italy.
Adria Ferries was founded in Ancona in 2004 to revive the historic ferry connection between Italy and Albania. Operating under the Frittelli Maritime Group, whose roots in the Port of Ancona date back to 1903, the company has grown from a single chartered vessel to a fleet of four ferries. Today, Adria Ferries connects Ancona and Bari in Italy with Durrës in Albania and Bar in Montenegro.
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