Baltic cruise ferry AMORELLA arrived in Italy

By | 2022 Newsletter week 40 | No Comments
  • Corsica Ferries’ newest acquisition —the 1988-built AMORELLA from Viking Line— has arrived in Genoa.
  • Reported sales price is EUR 19.1 million.
  • Book value as of 30 June 2022 EUR 3.2 million.
  • Length 170m, pax 2,480 and lane metres 970
  • The vessel, soon to be renamed MEGA VICTORIA, will be repainted by Zincaf Ship Repair Yard in Genoa. She follows the former MARIELLA (renamed MEGA REGINA) bought last year from Viking Line too.

Corsica Ferries: 0.1% Sulphur Fuel

By | 2020 Newsletter week 3 | No Comments

On 9 January, Christian Estrosi (Mayor of the city of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, Deputy President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region), and Pierre Mattei (President and CEO of Corsica Ferries) have formalized the use of 0.1% sulphur fuel at the port of Nice.

Nice is not in a SECA, and 0.5% fuel would be the norm. Corsica Ferries has decided to play a pioneering role, with the hope to have a Mediterranean SECA soon. The company also participates in the relevant program under the wings of the French Shipowners Association.

FERRY SHIPPING

By | 2019 Newsletter week 26 | No Comments

Corsica Very Worried About the Strike at the Beginning of the Holiday Season

La Méridionale is on strike and unions block the port of Marseille.

The industrial action started six days ago. Two ships from La Méridionale and three ships from Corsica Linea are currently blocked.

The reason is the fact that La Méridionale has been excluded from the latest DSP, at least from three of the five ports. The main ones!

La Méridionale, traditionally a partner of Corsica Linea (and before SNCM), decided this time to tender alone for the DSP.

Because the company only owns three vessels they needed to acquire two extra ships, which didn’t go easy. A plan to charter a Stena RoRo ship couldn’t be realised. Last minute La Méridionale had to change their plans, and it was said they were going to have LIVERPOOL SEAWAYS instead.

Another ship that was going to reinforce the three-ship fleet had to be changed eventually.

Because of the different characteristics of the initially planned vessels, it was decided the candidature of La Mériodionale was not valid.

This means that in spite of their historic track record (with no industrial actions as with the defunct SNCM), La Méridionale will be excluded from all major Corsican services tenders.

The Corsican tourist industry is of course very worried, with the 1st of July around the corner.

The customer information page on the La Méridionale website explains (in French) the ‘why’ of the strike.

Ferry Shipping News translated the last paragraph:

“Today, at the dawn of a decision taken by partisan parties and stained by procedure errors, our candidature to (de)serve the Corsicans and Corsica is about to be rejected for the next 15 months.

Tomorrow, you (the customer) will no longer have a free choice.”

Corsica’s “Red” Ferry Company Has The Intention To Become “Green”

By | 2018 Newsletter Week 24 | No Comments

Corsica Linea has officially inaugurated the VIZZAVONA on June 5. This ferry, formerly EUROFERRY CORFU, is on long-term charter.

The video (in French) shows the event and has interviews with Corsica Linea’s President, Pascal Trojani and CEO Pierre-Antoine Villanova.

In the interview Mr Villanova put a lot of emphasis on the green transition of the company.

  • VIZZAVONA is the first ferry on a Corsican ferry route equipped with scrubbers.
  • Connecting all the ferries to shore power (starting this project in Ajaccio in 2019).
  • LNG as fuel for new ships.

Watch the video (in French)(4:18)