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Tag: GNV | Ferry Shipping News

Nov 22
2

Brittany Ferries Chairman Responds to Jersey’s Ferry Contract Decision

By | 2024 Newsletter week 47 | No Comments

Brittany Ferries’ chairman, Jean-Marc Roué, has issued a strong response to Jersey’s chief minister regarding the ongoing ferry contract dispute. In a letter to Lyndon Farnham, Mr Roué expressed both surprise and concern over Jersey’s decision not to accept the joint Condor-Brittany Ferries bid, particularly given Guernsey’s approval following a thorough nine-month tender process.

While confirming Brittany Ferries’ intention to participate in Jersey’s new bid process, Mr Roué also addressed recent critical comments made in the States of Jersey Assembly and reported in the media.

“The company I chair exists solely to prioritise customer satisfaction,” Mr Roué stated in his letter. “All financial benefits from our activities are fully reinvested into the company. For instance, we are currently undergoing the largest fleet renewal in our history, with five new-generation ships, including two powered by cleaner hybrid LNG-electric technology.”

The letter underscores Brittany Ferries’ commitment to environmental sustainability and operational excellence amid the evolving tender process.

Source: Brittany Ferries Newsroom

Nov 22
2

GNV Announces Two Top Management Appointments to Strengthen Commercial Strategy

By | 2024 Newsletter week 47 | No Comments

GNV, a ferry company that is part of the MSC Group, has announced the appointment of Matteo Della Valle as its new Chief Commercial Officer and Matteo De Candia as the new General Manager of GNV in Spain.

“These new appointments represent an important step in the evolution of the company, which is committed to consolidating its position in the passenger and freight maritime transport sector in the Mediterranean, with a focus on growth in international markets,” the company stated.

Matteo Della Valle, in his new role, will expand his responsibilities to include the coordination of activities for both the passenger and cargo segments. His extensive experience in passenger sales management and his integrated vision of commercial operations are expected to strengthen GNV’s presence and competitiveness in key markets.

Matteo De Candia, formerly the Freight Commercial Director, will now lead GNV’s operations in Spain. His goal will be to consolidate activities in the Spanish market across both passenger and freight sectors. With his deep knowledge of the cargo industry, he is well-positioned to enhance growth opportunities in the Balearic Islands, a strategic region that represents approximately 20% of the company’s business.

Oct 25
2

ARIES to Leave GNV’s Fleet and Bound for Scrap in Turkey

By | 2024 Newsletter week 43 | No Comments

Sources familiar with the matter have confirmed to Ferry Shipping News that GNV ARIES is now en route to the port of Piraeus and will subsequently reach a dismantling yard in Turkey, after being sold for scrap by Grandi Navi Veloci.

The Genoa-based, MSC-controlled company has recently taken delivery of the newly built GNV Polaris and, on that occasion, confirmed that it will progressively retire older and underperforming vessels.

GNV Aries was built in 1987 and was purchased by MSC Group as Pride of York from P&O Ferries in 2021. It could accommodate up to 850 passengers and had 2,250 lane metres of space for rolling cargo and cars in its garage. The sale price has not been disclosed.

Aug 02
2

GNV increases the capacity of three RoPax ferries under construction

By | 2024 Newsletter week 31 | No Comments

GNV Polaris, the first newbuilding under construction in China and scheduled to be delivered before the end of the current year, will be deployed on the routes linking Barcelona and Valencia to Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza. 

Due to the exit of the fire-stricken La Suprema from the fleet, GNV decided to increase the passenger capacity of the other three RoPax ferries ordered from GSI shipyard in China by adding the number of cabins from 250 to 450 (3,000 lane metres garage confirmed). The upgrade will increase the value of the newbuilding programme for all four new ships signed by MSC Group for GNV from EUR 500 to EUR 600 million. 

GNV closed the financial year 2023 with a loss of EUR 155 million. Total revenues reached EUR 600 million while EBITDA was negative for EUR 53 million. 

According to the Genoa-based, MSC-controlled company, the reasons are linked to the high competition in the cargo market, the fire that occurred in January 2023 on the ferry La Suprema (total loss declared in exchange for EUR 85 million from the insurers), bunker costs, and expenses for the Balearic Islands startup plan launched in 2021. 

Jun 14
2

GNV declared total loss for LA SUPERBA – Now likely to be sold for scrap

By | 2024 Newsletter week 24 | No Comments

Grandi Navi Veloci’s ferry La Superba, which suffered a fire while docked at Palermo, Sicily, on 14 January 2023, has been declared a total loss and is likely to be sold for scrap in Turkey soon.

The insurance company Siat now owns the vessel after GNV declared it a constructive total loss. Initially, GNV aimed to have La Superba back in service by the summer of 2023, but the ship has remained inactive due to significant fire damage to the forward part of the vessel, including two decks in the garage, some cabins, and a public area.

La Superba was built by Nuovi Cantieri Apuania in Italy and, upon its entry into service in 2002, was the largest passenger ferry in the Mediterranean and one of the largest worldwide. The ferry can accommodate 2,920 passengers in 567 cabins and 940 seats, along with 1,000 cars in four garages, and has a total cargo capacity of 2,800 lane metres.

Photo: Vigil del Fuoco

Feb 09
1

In 2024, GNV will add a third ship on the Genoa-Palermo route and take delivery of GNV POLARIS

By | 2024 Newsletter week 6 | No Comments

The Genoa-based and MSC-controlled ferry company, Grandi Navi Veloci, announced this week at the tourism exhibition Bit held in Milan that a third ferry will be deployed next summer on the Genova – Palermo regular route.

Matteo Della Valle, Chief Passengers Sales & Marketing Officer, stated that GNV recorded a 5% increase in transported passengers in 2023 compared to the previous year.

One of the significant developments for Grandi Navi Veloci in 2024 will be the delivery, scheduled for the last month of the year, of the new ship GNV Polaris, currently under construction at Ganghzou Shipyard International in China. This vessel is part of a broader order for four ships, each with a capacity of 1,500 passengers and 3,100 lane meters, along with 303 cabins. These four new units will be 218 meters long, with a beam of 29.6 meters and a maximum speed of 25 knots.

Mar 03
0

GNV to repair La Superba for summer

By | 2023 Newsletter week 9 | No Comments

Grandi Navi Veloci’s LA SUPERBA ro-pax cruiseferry, which suffered an onboard fire while it was berthed at the Sicilian port of Palermo on 14 January, is to undergo repairs and should be back in service later in the year.

The Genoa-based company, controlled by MSC Group, said in a statement to FERRY SHIPPING NEWS that it “is acting in order to have LA SUPERBA active on the market for the next summer season”.

The fire was successfully extinguished by the following week and now the vessel has been transferred to the nearby Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo.

Only the forward part of the vessel (two decks in the garage, some cabins and a public area) was seriously damaged by the fire.

Photo: Vigili del Fuoco

Feb 03
0

GNV AZZURRA as accommodation ship in Turkey

By | 2023 Newsletter week 5 | No Comments

GNV Grandi Navi Veloci signed a three-month charter contract with the Turkish company Defartes Global Services for the use of the ferry GNV AZZURRA.

She will be used as a floating hotel for the personnel of companies engaged in the work that Turkish Petroleum is carrying out in that stretch of sea.

Cruise ship GEMINI, also used as a floating hotel, is moored next to GNV AZZURRA.

1981-built GNV AZZURRA is the former GOTLAND, WASA STAR, PETER WESSEL, SNAV TOSCANA.

Dec 02
0

Construction started for the first RoPax ordered from MSC for GNV

By | 2022 Newsletter week 48 | No Comments

Guangzhou Shipbuilding International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, started the construction of the first of two (with option for further two) RoPax ships ordered last year by MSC and set to be operated by Grandi Navi Veloci.

The vessel has a length of 218m, a width of 29.6m, 3,100 lane metres capacity and a service speed of 25 knots.

There are 299 cabins on board and it can accommodate 1,500 passengers. It will be equipped with multiple themed restaurants, bars, lounges, children’s entertainment areas and other leisure and entertainment venues.

The first and second units of this series will be equipped with energy-saving and emission reduction devices such as SCR systems and waste heat recovery systems, while the third and fourth will be powered by an LNG dual-fuel propulsion system.