By
Rebecca Gibson |
Fincantieri is to lengthen and refurbish two cruise ferries for Italian operator Grimaldi Group at its shipyard in Palermo, Italy.
Originally built by Fincantieri at its Castellammare di Stabia yard and delivered in 2007 and 2008, the 54,000gt Cruise Barcelona and Cruise Roma provide daily services on the route between Civitavecchia, Porto Torres and Barcelona. The cruise ferries are currently 225 metres long and each have capacity for 3,000 passengers, as well as a 2,400-square-metre car deck and around 3,000 linear metres for transporting heavy vehicles.
During the first part of the project in 2018, Fincantieri’s Ship Repair and Conversion division will build two 29-metre-long blocks, which will be inserted into the mid-sections of Cruise Barcelona and Cruise Roma in summer 2019. Each of the 29-metre sections will be fitted with 80 passenger cabins; two new public spaces, including a 270-seat self-service restaurant for families; and around 600 additional linear metres for heavy vehicles. After they are lengthened, each vessel will be around 254 metres long, weigh 63,000gt, a 3,000-square-metre car deck and more than 3,700 linear metres for heavy vehicles. They will also be able to accommodate 3,500 passengers.
Renovation work will also be carried out in the vessels’ existing public spaces to improve the onboard experience for passengers. In addition, both ferries will also be fitted with new safety equipment, a gas exhaust cleaning system (scrubber) to reduce harmful emissions, as well as mega-lithium batteries so they no longer have to use diesel-powered generators while in port. This will help Grimaldi Group achieve its zero port emissions goal.