Bluferries, a company that is part of the FS Group (Italian State Railways), has welcomed its newly built double-ended ferry ATHENA, which has just arrived in the port of Messina.
“ATHENA – the name of the latest addition to the Bluferries fleet – marks a significant step forward in the field of sustainable maritime technology,” said Giuseppe Sciumè, Chief Executive Officer of Bluferries. “It is a hybrid RoRo passenger ship equipped with a latest-generation hybrid propulsion system, underlining our commitment to environmental protection.”
Valued at EUR 26 million, ATHENA is a sister ship to the non-hybrid vessels TRINACRIA and SIKANIA. All three ships were ordered through the support of Ferrando & Massone Shipbrokers and built at the Kanellos Brothers Shipyard in Perama, Greece.
ATHENA is 105 metres long and 18 metres wide. She has a dedicated vehicle deck and a separate passenger deck. Her capacity allows for up to 22 trucks or 125 vehicles, and 393 people including travellers and crew members.
In the coming weeks, ATHENA will enter service on the regular maritime route between Messina and Villa San Giovanni, across the Strait of Messina.
