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GNV AURORA

Jun 06
Love3

GNV AURORA Christened in Morocco as GNV Expands Services

By 2026 Newsletter week 23

MSC-controlled ferry operator GNV has celebrated the christening of its newest vessel, GNV AURORA, in Morocco, marking both the arrival of a new ship and the expansion of its services to the North African market.

The investment forms part of GNV’s fleet renewal programme, valued at more than €1.3 billion.

From June, the company, led by Matteo Catani, will deploy two of its newest dual-fuel LNG ferries, GNV AURORA and GNV VIRGO, on the Genoa–Barcelona–Tanger Med route.

Both vessels were built by Guangzhou Shipyard International in China. Measuring 218 metres in length, they each feature 426 passenger cabins, capacity for more than 1,700 passengers and 2,780 lane metres of freight.

During the ceremony, GNV highlighted its nearly 20-year presence in the Moroccan market. Over that period, the operator has carried more than six million passengers on routes to and from Morocco. In 2025 alone, more than 465,000 passengers travelled on its Moroccan services.

The expansion also forms part of the company’s long-term growth strategy towards 2030. Demand is expected to benefit from the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

Mar 13
Love3

GNV AURORA Completed First LNG Bunkering in Genoa

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

GNV’s ferry GNV AURORA has completed its first LNG bunkering operation in the port of Genoa where the newly built ro-pax ship has just arrived from China.
The delivery was performed by the LNG bunker tanker GREEN ZEEBRUGGE operated by Axpo and coming from the offshore terminal Olt Offshore Lng Toscana in Italy.

During a technical meeting held on board the vessel, GNV also announced that the first cold ironing test in the port of Genoa will be carried out before the next summer on one of its ferries.

Feb 02
Love3

GNV AURORA delivered to MSC, Next Phase for Four Further Ships Started

By 2026 Newsketter week 05

At Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) in China, GNV, a subsidiary of the MSC Group, has taken delivery of GNV AURORA.

As the second LNG-powered unit in the fleet, and the final vessel of GNV’s first fleet renewal phase, GNV AURORA is scheduled to enter active service at the beginning of April 2026.

The ship will be deployed on the vital Genoa–Palermo route, a move GNV says will “strengthen the national network and support more efficient management of traffic flows”.

Technical Details

  • Gross tonnage: 52,300 GT
  • Length / beam: 218 m / 29.6 m
  • Max speed: 25 knots
  • Passenger capacity: 1,785 (420+ cabins)
  • Cargo capacity: 2,770 lane metres
  • Propulsion: LNG dual-fuel

While the delivery of GNV AURORA closes the first chapter of fleet renewal, GNV’s modernisation is far from over. The company has already confirmed a second phase involving four additional LNG-powered vessels, with deliveries starting in late 2027.

These next-generation ships will be even larger, with a projected:

  • Increased size: 71,300 GT (up from 52,300 GT)
  • Enhanced capacity: 2,500 passengers and 3,500 lane metres of garage space
  • Strategic goal: reaching a total of eight new LNG-ready units by 2030, to modernise the “Motorways of the Sea” infrastructure