Construction Begins on the Second Ferry of the Second Series of Four Ro-Pax Vessels for GNV

The Chinese shipyard Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) has held the steel cutting ceremony for the second ferry of the second series of four ro-pax vessels commissioned by the MSC Group for GNV.

This officially marks the beginning of the construction of the sixth unit out of a total of eight to expand the fleet of the Italian shipping company. The construction of the first ferry of this new series began last January and is expected to be ready by 2028. The subsequent vessels will be added to the fleet approximately every six months.

These new units will measure 237 meters in length and 33 meters in beam. Each vessel will be able to carry up to 2,500 passengers, will have 527 cabins, and will feature approximately 3,500 linear meters of capacity for vehicles and rolling cargo.

The four new vessels of the second series will be equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will allow for a reduction of CO₂ emissions per unit transported by more than 50% compared to the previous generation of vessels.

The exact amount of the operation has not been officially disclosed, but it is estimated that the construction of the four additional ferries could be around 600 million euros.

The purchase will be made directly by the MSC Group, which will subsequently lease the vessels to GNV without crew. These vessels will operate in the Mediterranean region.

Photo: GNV