Since the beginning of 2016 the ferry operator Grimaldi Lines have continually recorded positive profit margins, resulting in an increased awareness that new Freight routes have emerged. In order to capitalise on this opportunity (as well as meet these new customer requirements) they have announced a plethora of new routes, as well as established a number of key new partnerships.

A Large, Environmentally Friendly Fleet

At present Grimaldi Lines maintains a fleet of 130 vessels, 112 of those being directly owned by the ferry company. In 2015 Grimaldi Lines added 10% more vessels to their fleet, however they also produced 10% less CO2. This is as a direct result of the investment in environmental technology solutions including the introduction of scrubbers, new propellers, low-sulphur containing fuels, silicone coating on the vessels hull and Intelligent “slow steaming”, a process whereby the vessels burn less fuel by sailing at reduced speeds whilst at sea.

5th Generation Ferries

2017 will see the construction process for a new 5^th Generation of Ferries. The four vessels themselves will be the largest, most modern seagoing vessels in the world and will incorporate the very latest in “green technologies”.

The new vessels will offer space for up to 500 trailers, or the equivalent of 7000 lane metres. There are also further plans to modify six of the existing fleet of Grimaldi Lines sister company, Finnlines. These modifications include the lengthening of the vessels by up to 30 metres. This will result in an even greater freight carrying capacity and in some cases by as much as 1000 additional lane metres. Excellent news for freight customers!

The Head of Grimaldi Lines, Emanuele Grimaldi said:

“The consolidation within the RoRo/RoPax sector relies on dynamics, only the biggest companies, with the most modern and efficient fleets which offer quality are competitive.”

An example of this is the share portion of the Greek Ferry company, Hellenic Seaways, of which Grimaldi Lines owns. It increased from 33% to 48% as well as a 50% share in the Italien Ferry Company TTT Lines.

Shifting Logistics from Road to Ferry

The primary focus of Grimaldi Lines is targeting the twin coasts either side of the Apennine peninsula: Venice/Ravenna – Bari/Brindisi, Genoa – Salerno. On the new Genoa – Salerno route approximately 1000 freight units are shipped on this route every week. According to projections from Grimaldi Lines this number will only double throughout 2017.

With the introduction of the “Sea Bonus” as an incentive for logistics and transport companies, it seems only logical that this estimation will prove correct. Ultimately, it is hoped that it will culminate in further growth within the ferry industry.

Since the beginning of the year Grimaldi lines have also begun offering “Sea-bridge tickets” which are tickets that link multiple ports and routes together. This enables drivers to spend less time on the road, easing both congestion and emissions. The tickets have already shown great promise in Italy and it is hoped that this model can be replicated for further development elsewhere in Europe.

What is abundantly clear to see is that with results as previously mentioned, it appears that Grimaldi Lines is well positioned to experience even greater success in 2017.

If you have any questions in regards to the routes that Grimaldi Lines offers, please do not hesitate to contact our customer services team, either via email or via phone on: 0844 847 9000.