Launched last year, the initiative by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana sought shipyards interested in building dual-fuel fast ferries for deployment on the Strait of Messina. With no participants in the initial round, a second attempt was considered, but it has now been definitively called off. The contract, valued at around EUR 52 million, faced challenges such as the complexity of the procedure and escalating raw material costs. Despite two shipyards seeking more details last year, they ultimately chose not to participate in the tender by submitting an offer.