Corsica Linea will make its ferry MEDITERRANEE available to the prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône in Marseille, from 29 March. The ship will become France’s first refugee accommodation centre.
The new Visentini-built LNG-powered ropax will be named A GALEOTTA, after Pascal Paoli’s flagship.
Sea trials are planned for May 2022.
Pasquale Paoli was a Corsican patriot, statesman and military leader who was at the forefront of resistance movements against the Genoese.
Ropax A GALEOTTA has a dedicated website (in French): gnl.corsicalinea.com
Pierre Antoine Villanova, Corsica Linea’s CEO, posted on LinkedIn a picture and a message announcing his visit at the Italian shipyard Cantiere Navale Visentini in Porto Viro (Rovigo).
“Our new ship starts to get the colours of the Corsica Linea family. This is our environmental transition in action!”
“How far we have come since the creation of the company 5 years ago!”
Length: 206m.
Lane metres: 2.560m with extra deck for 150 cars.
- Passengers: 650
- Speed: 23 knots
- Delivery is planned for 2022
- Designed by NAOS
No surprise: the Corsican Assembly has voted to attribute the 5 subsidised ferry lines to Corsica Linea and La Méridionale. (public service contract).
Route 1: Marseille – Ajaccio: Corsica Linea & La Méridionale
Route 2: Marseille – Bastia: Corsica Linea
Route 3: Marseille – Portovecchio: Corsica Linea
Route 4: Marseille – Propriano: La Méridionale
Route 5: Marseille – Ile-Rousse: Corsica Linea
Period: 1 March 2021 – 31 December 2022
Earlier it was reported that Corsica Ferries’ offer was rejected (because of “non-compliance of the offer”).
Public Service Contract for Corsica: What’s Up?
In January 2020, Corsica Linea and La Méridionale submitted a joint application for the public service contract for the links with Corsica. (Ferry Shipping News)
This new contract should start on 1 January 2021 (until end of 2027), but so far, no decision has been taken.
Two ongoing investigations are disrupting the decision schedule:
- Investigating the creation of a SEMOP (a company owned 50.1% by Corsican authorities and 49.9% by private operators). French Competition Authority is investigating its impact on competition and will deliver its advice to the Government in October.
- Investigation launched by the European Commission on 28 February 2020, about the allocation to Corsica Linea of rotations between Marseille and Bastia, Ajaccio and L’Ile-Rousse as part of the ongoing contract. European Commission must deliver its conclusions by the end of 2020.
Corsica Linea has suspended all ferry crossings between France and Algeria, until August 31.
The reason is that Président Abdelmadjid Tebboune has decided to close all borders of his country after a rise in Covid-19 cases.
A NEPITA is seen leaving Greece after a serious technical overhaul in Perama (scrubber). She has in the meanwhile arrived in Marseille, as the 8th ferry in Corsica Linea’s fleet. Instead of the planned crossings between Marseille and Algeria she will sail to Corsica, on the routes to Ajaccio and Bastia. The reason is Covid-19.
As from June 23, she will do 2 return crossings on Bastia, and two on Ajaccio.
As from mid-August she will operate 7 crossings on the Ajaccio route.
Formerly STENA SUPERFAST X, she is on a long-term charter from Stena RoRo. She will fly the French flag, with only French crew on board.
A Nepita, was named after Corsican marjoram, an endemic plant emblematic of island biodiversity.
(140 trucks and 100 cars / 1930 lane metres / 1200 pax / 173 cabins)
Fast is the progress on Corsica Linea’s A. NEPITA, which is undergoing her small scale conversion at the Perama Repair Zone. So far, she had her livery and flag changed (Cyprus), and her scrubber installed.
The large ship is on long-term charter from STENA LINE
There is more progress on the Attica Group’s scrubber conversions. SUPERFAST XI) is undergoing -in tandem- her dry docking (Perama) since May 21, while BLUE STAR PATMOS is in Palumbo Shipyards –out of the dry dock- and had her new enlarged funnel back in place. She is expected to be back mid-June.
Freestyle translation by Ferry Shipping News
- Corsica Linea went from 7 to 4 ships: 2 on Bastia, 2 on Ajaccio.
- No link to North-Africa
- Only a few passengers, majority is freight. In the middle of the crisis freight went down. Then we carried only 70% of the normal capacity. Now we transport 80% of the goods that arrive on the island.
- Very difficult to predict summer. I don’t know if we will carry passengers this summer. We need to carry people without putting them at risk.
- We’re going to lose lots of money, but I am not afraid for my company. I am more afraid for the economic earthquake on the island.
- We have a social ambition. We want to develop the local economy. That’s why we employ French seafarers, not Italians (as Corsica Ferries does, note from editor). They are costing us three times more. We have also decided to only work with food from Corsica.
