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Tag: MSC | Ferry Shipping News

Apr 18
3

Newly Built RoPax Ship GNV ORION Delivered to MSC

By | 2025 Newsletter week 16 | No Comments

GNV, the Genoa-based ferry company owned by the MSC Group, has taken delivery of GNV ORION at Guangzhou Shipyard International in China. This is the second vessel in a series of four new RoPax units.

The ship, owned by MSC and bareboat chartered to GNV, will soon depart for the Mediterranean to complete final fittings before entering service by the end of June on the regular Genoa–Palermo route.

With a gross tonnage of approximately 52,000 tons, a length of 218 metres, a beam of 29.60 metres, and a maximum speed of 25 knots, GNV ORION can accommodate 1,700 passengers in 433 cabins and transport up to 3,080 lane metres of cargo.

The vessel is equipped for cold ironing. It also features advanced emission reduction systems, including exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR), complying with IMO Tier III requirements.

Mar 30
3

SHIPS

By | 2025 Newsletter week 13 | No Comments

Four New RoPax Ships Ordered by MSC from GSI for GNV

Sources familiar with the matter told Ferry Shipping News that Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has ordered two new RoPax ferries—plus options for two more—from Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) in China for its subsidiary GNV.

These four new dual-fuel LNG vessels, set for delivery from 2027 onwards, will be sister ships to GNV VIRGO and GNV AURORA. Each will be 218 metres long and nearly 30 metres wide, with a gross tonnage of 52,300. They will have a maximum speed of 25 knots, over 420 cabins, the capacity to accommodate up to 1,785 passengers, and 2,780 lane metres of RoRo cargo.

Each newbuild is expected to cost more than EUR 150 million. The vessels will be financed by MSC and subsequently transferred to GNV under bareboat charter agreements.

The Aponte-controlled ferry company has already taken delivery of GNV POLARIS from GSI, with GNV ORION, GNV VIRGO, and GNV AURORA due to follow in the coming months

Dec 20
2

MSC Enters Direct Competition with DFDS and Grimaldi on Türkiye –Trieste Link

By | 2024 Newsletter week 51 | No Comments

MSC has officially entered the Türkiye –Trieste maritime link market, directly competing with Grimaldi and DFDS.

  • Route: every Saturday: Gebze, Türkiye → Trieste, Italy
  • Transit Time: 4 days to Trieste; 9 days for the return journey to Türkiye
  • Target Cargo: Industrial goods, commercial freight, and automotive cargo
  • 45ft HCPW containers

In a recent statement, the Geneva-based global carrier announced the introduction of 45ft HCPW (high-cube palletwide) containers on its short sea route connecting the Gebze region in Türkiye to Trieste in Northern Italy.

“This door-to-door transportation solution offers customers a very competitively priced option for larger shipments. This strategically designed service addresses the growing demand for reliable and efficient freight solutions while facilitating the shift from traditional trucks and RoRo vessels to larger-capacity containerised transport,” MSC stated.

Departing weekly from Gebze every Saturday, the service ensures a transit time of just four days to Trieste. Customers benefit from enhanced capacity, competitive pricing, and the convenience of working with a global logistics operator. This solution is further supported by MSC’s own inland transportation provider, MEDLOG, in both Türkiye and Italy.

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.

Aug 29
0

MSC to enter directly with a 49% stake in Moby

By | 2022 Newsletter week 34 | No Comments

The Gianluigi Aponte – controlled MSC Group will take directly a 49% stake (not only 25%) in Moby as soon as the restructuring plan will be approved by the Court of Milan at the end of September.

Some documents seen by Ferry Shipping News confirm that MSC already put on the table EUR 150 million, of which EUR 81 million will be used to partially repay the debt of 180 million with Tirrenia in Amministrazione Straordinaria (bad company controlled by the Italian economic development minister born when the former public Tirrenia was sold in 2012).

MSC also reserved for itself the possibility to maintain the harbour towage division (which was intended to be sold according with the previous restructuring plans) and to replace LCBC Leasing as owner of the two new ferries under construction at GSI shipyard in China and soon to be long-time chartered to Moby.

Jan 06
5

MSC announced an order for four new ropax ferries for Grandi Navi Veloci in China

By | 2022 Newsletter week 1 | No Comments

MSC Group announced a new order for four ropax vessels to be built in China at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) and set to be delivered from late 2024 onwards.

The four newbuilds will have a 1,500 passenger and 3,100 lane metre capacity, with 303 cabins. The shipbuilding contract takes origin from the order with Fratelli Onorato Armatori, announced in 2019, but the project and several technical details are different.

These four new units will be 218m long, with a beam of 29.6m and a maximum speed of 25 knots.

Instead of dual fuel, the new ferries will have scrubbers and are likely to be deployed on the routes to Sardinia or Sicily, and to the Balearic Islands.

Sep 09
4

MSC Increase Competition on the Turkey to Europe Trade Route via Trieste

By | 2021 Newsletter week 36 | No Comments

MSC announced the launch of a new, direct rail service connecting Trieste, Italy and Ludwigshafen, Germany available from 10 September 2021, designed to improve rail capacity and reduce transit time between Turkey and Germany to an estimated 12 days.

This service is directly in competition with the combined (roro and train) transport services offered on the same tradeline by DFDS and Ulusoy.

MSC specified that the service is designed to offer customers transporting automotive parts, chemicals, textiles, packaging, food, pharmaceuticals and many other commodities.. Ludwigshafen’s strategic position on the Rhine, with easy access to Frankfurt and Stuttgart and its importance as a centre for commerce make it an ideal location for both local goods distribution and access to the wider Northern European market.

Sep 17
0

Deal Done: MSC Is Now 49% Shareholder of Ignazio Messina & Co.

By | 2020 Newsletter week 38 | No Comments

MSC has finally taken a 49% stake in the Ignazio Messina & C. shipping group.

An official statement from Banca Carige and the NPL management company Amco informed that Gianluigi Aponte’s Italian holding company Marinvest and Messina Group have formally signed all the requested conditions which makes MSC the new owner of four ships and of a minority stake in the Genoa-based con-ro operator.

Aponte will invest €25m both for a 49% stake in the Ignazio Messina & C. group and for a 52% stake in a new vehicle firm called RoRo Italia, controlling four of Messina’s eight modern con-ro ships: JOLLY DIAMANTE, JOLLY PERLA, JOLLY TITANIO and JOLLY COBALTO.

Messina had a financial exposure of over €500m –mainly with Banca Carige– related to fleet renovation plan completed in the last few years, with 8 new con-ro ships built in South Korea.

Large part of these non-performing loans (€324m) was offloaded to Amco while the remaining part went to the new vehicle RoRo Italia.

The Messina family will also put €5m on the table to re-launch the business which will benefit from several operative synergies between the Italian and the Swiss firms.

The agreement also obtained all the relevant approvals.

Apr 30
2

MSC Deal with Ignazio Messina Postponed Again

By | 2020 Newsletter week 18 | No Comments

The closing of the deal which should make MSC a49% shareholder of the Genoa-based Ignazio Messina & C. has been postponed again. It will not take place before the end of April as previously announced. The previous deadline was March 31, and was already postponed due to some details still to be defined between the banks and the companies involved.

This time it seems that the cause may refers to the coronavirus emergency as MSC, apart from the malware attack to its website, is sailing in stormy waters both in the container and in the cruise business segments. MSC Cruises for instance announced that all the investments scheduled for the next 18 months would be stopped where possible.

Several market observers in Italy suggest that Gianluigi Aponte may have decided to take some more time before signing this new investment in the roro and conro vessels operator.

Through the Italian holding Marinvest, MSC should invest EUR 25 million for a 49% stake in the Ignazio Messina & C. group and a 52% stake in a new-co called Ro-Ro Italia controlling four of Messina’s eight modern conro ships. All eight vessels are linked to a EUR 487 millions debt with the local Banca Carige and classified as unlikely to pay.

Jun 20
0

MSC Enters Messina Group With a 49% Stake and Takes Four Con-Ro Ships

By | 2019 Newsletter week 25 | No Comments

MSC Enters Messina Group With a 49% Stake and Takes Four Con-Ro Ships

Gianluigi Aponte’s Italian holding Marinvest and Ignazio Messina & C. Group have formally signed the agreement which makes MSC new owner of four ships and of a minority stake in the shipping company.

Aponte will invest €25m for a 49% stake in the Genoa-based group and for a 52% stake in a new single purpose vehicle controlling four of the eight modern con-ro ships. More specifically the units set to be 52% controlled by MSC will be JOLLY DIAMANTE, JOLLY PERLA, JOLLY TITANIO and JOLLY COBALTO.

Messina has a financial exposure of over €450m mainly with Banca Carige, related to the fleet renovation plan completed in the last few years with 8 new con-ro ships built in South Korea by Daewoo and STX shipyards from 2011 to 2015.

Besides the fresh capital Gianluigi Aponte will put in the Genoa-based shipping company, also the Messina family will put €5m on the table to re-launch the business which will be possible also through several operative synergies between the Italian and the Swiss firms.

The agreement is subject to the approval of the competent antitrust and port authorities.