MSC Group and Onorato Armatori signed a contract with Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd (GSI) and China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd (CSTC) for 4 large ro-pax ferries, with an option for another two + two.
GNV, an MSC Group company, will receive the delivery of the first and third vessel.
Onorato Armatori (Moby, Tirrenia..) will receive the second and fourth.
Additionally, the two companies will hold options for an additional two vessels each. The first vessel will come into service in 2020.
What do we know about these ferries?
- Ro-pax ferry described by the companies as cruise ferry.
- Passenger capacity of 2,500, with 534 cabins available.
- Lane meter capacity of 3,765. (in combination with pax capacity quite impressive)
- LNG-ready engines.
- Designed by OSK-Shiptech.
- First ready end of 2020.
Photo MSC Group
The official signing ceremony, which took place on February 11 at CSSC headquarters in Beijing, was attended by Mr Dong Qiang, chairman of CSSC, Mr Pierfrancesco Vago on behalf of MSC Group, Mr Achille Onorato of Onorato Armatori and ship owner, Mr Matteo Catani, CEO of GNV, Mr Han Guangde, chairman of GSI, as well as Mr LI Hongtao, general manager of CSTC.