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MSC-controlled GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci) celebrated the launching at Guangzhou Shipyard International of the newly-built GNV ORION, second of four new ro-pax ships commissioned by the Geneva-based MSC Group.
The delivery will take place during the summer 2025 while the first unit (renamed GNV POLARIS) is scheduled for delivery before the end of the current year.
GNV POLARIS and GNV ORION will be 218m long with a capacity for 1,785 passengers and 3,100 lane metres of freight.
Two more sister ships will follow and will be LNG-powered.
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Liberty Lines, a company owned by the Morace family, has taken delivery of the second high-speed craft named CRISTINA M, sister ship of the VITTORIO MORACE, built by Astilleros Armon shipyard in Navia, Spain.
With a length of 39.5 meters and a capacity of 251 passengers, it is the second HSC hybrid fast unit under construction. It is equipped with two MTU-Rolls Royce hybrid engines, allowing it to operate entirely in electric mode within ports before recharging the batteries while sailing at 30 knots in open sea.
CRISTINA M is the second of the 9 innovative fast hybrid ships that will join the fleet by 2026 and 2027 and be deployed on the routes to and from Sicily.
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Polferries has announced the start of ticket sales for their new ship, the Varsovia. Replacing the Cracovia on the Świnoujście-Ystad route from July 27, 2024, the Varsovia will offer daily departures.
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Polferries RoPax Cracovia will leave the Świnoujście-Ystad line on July 1, 2024 and will be employed in the Mediterranean Sea for the next year. Charterer unknown.
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As the construction of Spirit of Tasmania IV nears completion, the ship took to the open seas for the first time on a five-day trial run from Rauma Marine Constructions Oy in Finland.
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It is reported that Africa Morocco Link chartered Virtu Ferries’ HSC Maria Dolores mid-June. The ship is operating on the Tarifa – Tanger Ville route along with Morocco Express 1, which was recently introduced following the successful agreement between Stena and Attica Group. HSC Maria Dolores was active on the above route, chartered (2022-2023) by the collapsed Moroccan Intershipping and then laid up at Valletta (Malta). She was built in Australia (2006).
Photo: Austal
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Magic Sea Ferries reported that its HSC Cat 1 (1994), will be introduced on the Lavrion-Kea-Kythnos-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos route on July 4, 2024.
Last summer, she served on the Mandoudi (Evia) – Sporades line. She was built in Japan (1994). Her carrying capacity is for 1000 passengers and 200 cars.
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos