Propspeed, a leading innovator in underwater biocide-free, foul-release coatings, announced today 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 MIAsubsequently used an average of approximately 0.6-0.7 tons less fuel per crossing. The operator estimated that the vessel saved approximately 56 tons 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 is a mainstay of the frequently traveled route.
AF MIA switched to operate on Biofuel B20 in December 2025. To provide a consistent comparison, Adria Ferries evaluated the data collected on their fixed route crossings completed with the same B20 fuel prior and post the application of the Propspeed coating system.
“I believe an average benefit in fuel consumption of 2-3% can reasonably be attributed to Propspeed,” Commander Salvatore Della Rocca, Fleet Manager / Chief Operating Officer, 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 have delivered in terms of fuel saving, 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 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.
For more information, visit www.propspeed.com/en/commercial/
