Following a legal dispute involving some ships and consequently some lines operated by Siremar – Caronte & Tourist Isole Minori Spa, the Sicilian Region said publicly that it will look for other ferry operators to cover some subsidized maritime links with the small islands surrounding Sicily.
In order to guarantee the maritime continuity and due to some public tenders which remained not assigned, the local government of the island decided to proceed with a direct call to the Italian ferry players in order to find new maritime transport providers for passengers, cars and ro-ro cargo.
Earlier this summer Italys’ financial police (Guardia di Finanza) seized nine ferries serving the Aeolian Islands and Ustica from the shipping company Caronte & Tourist since they would not be compliant for passengers with reduced mode according to the prosecutors.