Caronte&Tourist fined by the antitrust authority in Italy for abuse of dominant position on the Strait of Messina

By | 2022 Newletter week 16 | No Comments

The Italian antitrust authority sanctioned ferry company Caronte&Tourist with a fine valued EUR 3.7 million for abuse of dominant position on the maritime links in the Strait of Messina.

Last year,Italy’s Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato launched an investigation in order to ascertain whether the Messina-based company took an irregular advantage from a dominant position in the maritime transport of passengers with accompanying wheeled vehicles and commercial vehicles with driver.

Analysis carried out by the Authority revealed, in particular, that Caronte&Tourist applied prices which are significantly higher than those charged by other operators, moreover not parameterized with respect to the costs that would be expected in the performance of the service. Moreover, these prices appeared to be particularly discriminatory towards passengers with car travelling alone.

Caronte&Tourist Protests for the Lack of LNG Bunkering for Its Ferry ELIO in The Strait Of Messina

By | 2020 Newsletter week 39 | No Comments

Two years ago, Caronte&Tourist took delivery of the dual-fuel ship ELIO which has been running up to date with marine gasoil since LNG is not available in the Strait of Messina.

A few days ago,  CEO Vincenzo Franza publicly protested during the opening ceremony of a LNG station for trucks in Catania. This summer, Caronte’s application to realise a small LNG depot in Tremestieri, in order to make LNG available for ELIO, was rejected for the second time.

Mario Mega, newly appointed chairman of the port authority in Messina, replied that they are evaluating the opportunity to build up a larger LNG depot also for cruise vessels therefore a smaller one would be in case not necessary.

Franza underlined that ELIO will not be able to bunker LNG until a depot is opened in Messina.

Caronte&Tourist Acquire Ro-Pax EPSILON

By | 2019 Newsletter week 13 | No Comments

The Italian ferry company Caronte&Tourist has purchased the ro-pax unit EPSILON.

They did with the financial support of Banco Bpm and Sace, which forms with Simest the export and internationalization hub of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group.

The line of credit guaranteed was used to fund the deal just closed by the Messina-based company controlled by the Franza and Matacena families and which is worth some EUR 34 million.

The ship in question was built in Italy by Cantiere Navale Visentini and delivered in 2011 to Caronte in bare boat charter and from 2013 sub-chartered out to Irish Ferries. The latter still operates the vessel today.

Basalt And Caronte&Tourist Announced EUR 300 Million Worth Of New Ferries

By | 2019 Newsletter week 3 | No Comments

Caronte&Tourist and the new 30% shareholder Basalt Infrastructure Partners jointly announced, on Tuesday 15 January in Palermo, a new 5-year business plan which is expected to bring five news ships in fleet.

The investment required is worth some EUR 300 million.

Some 60 million is coming from the Sicily Region. It is related to a pair of small ferries due to be deployed on the short sea routes.

Some 240 million will be put on the table by Caronte&Tourist for ordering three new ferries and a further 20 million are to be invested for refitting works on the fleet already controlled.

In the same occasion it has been revealed also that a sister ship of the double-ender ELIO recently delivered by Sefine shipyard in Turkey had already been ordered.

Vincenzo Franza e Calogero Famiani, both at the helm of the Messina-based ferry group, revealed that, following the partnership sealed with Basalt and the new investment plan in pipeline, Caronte&Tourist’s revenues are expected to increase from 203 million in 2017 to 224 million, in five years’ time.

The group has been valued at 400 million and Basalt paid some 130 million to take a 30% share.