February 13, 2020

About Last Week in Italy

Last week I was in Civitavecchia and Livorno on two different cruise assignments. These jobs are always good to combine with ferry photography. Especially with ISPS it has been increasingly difficult to see and photograph ferries. A cruise ship is a nice alternative.

Let’s start with Civitavecchia. The pictures shows (from left to right) CRUISE BARCELONA, MOBY DADA and MOBY TOMMY.

Don’t you expect a cappuccino in Italy? No, it was CAPUCINE showing up. This CLdN vessel has been chartered by the Italian MoD.

A fantastic sunrise asks for a FANTASTIC ship, like the one from GNV.

I visited Livorno with SEVEN SEAS SPLENDOR on Tuesday 4 February 2020.

The first ferry I saw leaving was the ELIANA MARINO. Only later on I realised she was the former PORTO EXPRESS / LOUISE RUSS.

Although the sky was blue the weather was extremely windy. After a while all ferries in and out needed tugs.

Low season means a few ferries are not in service or are in reduced service. Some are in Livorno for maintenance.

Moby is currently not covering the connection between Santa Teresa di Gallura, in Sardinia, and Bonifacio, in Corsica, after the ferry GIRAGLIA grounded and suffered an 8-metre hole in hull. Moby is now looking to charter a small ferry. It is likely that the sistership BASTIA (currently in dry dock in Livorno, see on the picture on the right) will be deployed on the line as soon as possible.