Liberty Lines’ first new HSC named VITTORIO MORACE to be launched this month by Armon shipyard

By | 2023 Newsletter week 45 | No Comments

Liberty Lines, a ferry company based in Trapani, has announced an upcoming milestone in collaboration with the Spanish shipyard Armon. The first of a series of 12 hybrid high-speed crafts, named in honor of the company’s founder, Vittorio Morace, is set to be launched between 2023 and 2026.

Earlier this year, the Morace family-controlled shipping company expanded their order, exercising an option for three additional vessels, bringing the total order to 12. Furthermore, the company still retains options for the construction of an additional 6 vessels, scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2030.

This impressive endeavor has been significantly supported, with the initial 12 units receiving EUR 23.4 million in public subsidies from the Italian fleet renewal plan, a component of the EU Next Gen program, approved by the European Commission.

The innovation doesn’t end with the number of vessels; these new high-speed ferries will boast an integrated propulsion system featuring MTU Series 4000 engines by Rolls-Royce. This system will supply both traditional and electric propulsion, a testament to the collaborative efforts between Liberty Lines, Armon shipyard, Rolls-Royce, RINA, and Incat Crowther.

This groundbreaking model of hybrid HSC ferries was recently unveiled at the Interferry annual conference in Hobart, Tasmania, showcasing the culmination of intensive collaboration and cutting-edge technology.

Majority of voting creditors said yes to Tirrenia Cin’s debt restructuring plan

By | 2022 Newsletter week 29 | No Comments

Moby Spa announced that “following the agreements reached with the main creditor of its

subsidiary CIN Spa, Tirrenia di Navigazione in Extraordinary Administration (Tirrenia in

A.S.), the Paraconcordatario Agreement was signed on July 14, 2022, the effectiveness of which is subject to the homologation by the Court of Milan.”

With the vote favourable expressed by Tirrenia in AS on the CIN Composition Plan both the

majority of voting creditors up to 96% and the majority of the voting classes of creditors were obtained, Moby specified.

Farewell to Vittorio Morace, founder of Ustica Lines (today Liberty Lines)

By | 2022 Newsletter week 29 | No Comments

Vittorio Morace, founder, and former chairman of the ferry company Liberty Lines (ex Ustica Lines), died at the age of 81.

He was born on May 21st, 1941, and during his career he has been probably the most important shipowner of highspeed vessels.

He started buying his first cargo ship in the 70’s and few years later was appointed managing director of Alilauro. In the 80’s he moved to Spain and there inaugurated the highspeed link to and from the Canary Islands. In the last decade of the past century, he was called from Carlo Rodriquez to take the helm of SNAV.

At the end of the ‘90s, Vittorio Morace founded Ustica Lines which is today the largest company in Italy active with highspeed craft to and from Sicily but also on the routes linking Italy to Croatia and Greece.

His sons Ettore Morace is CEO of the Spanish company Transmed Gle (part of Grimaldi Group) while Gianluca Morace heads BluNavy in Italy.