The Grimaldi Group further strengthens its presence in the Adriatic routes between Italy and Greece by announcing the launch of a new direct service between the ports of Ravenna, Igoumenitsa and Patras. The new line, dedicated for the transport of rolling freight and passengers, will start as from next 19th December.
The ro-pax ferry Euroferry Olympia will be deployed on the route. With a length of 183 meters and a beam of 28.50 meters, she has a loading capacity of 200 trailers and 600 passengers, accommodated in cabins and reclining seats.
The new motorway of the sea will have a bi-weekly frequency: departures from the Italian port of Ravenna will be on Wednesdays at 12.00 p.m. and Saturdays at 6.00 p.m, with arrival in Igoumenitsa respectively at 3.00 p.m of Thursdays and at 9.30 p.m. on Sundays, and in Patras at 10.30 p.m. on Thursdays and at 5.00 a.m on Mondays. The departures from the Greek port of Patras will be on Mondays at 10.00 p.m. and on Thursdays at 11.59 p.m, while from Igoumenitsa on Tuesdays at 6.00 a.m. and Fridays at 9.30 a.m. with arrival in Ravenna on Wednesdays at 7.00 a.m. and Saturdays at 12.00 p.m.
The new maritime link will be added to those already offered by the Grimaldi Group between Italy and Greece, through the Grimaldi Lines and Minoan Lines brands. Currently, Grimaldi Lines offers daily departures between Brindisi, Igoumenitsa and Patras for the transport of goods and passengers as well as a weekly departure from Genoa, Livorno, Catania to Patras for rolling cargo only.
Moreover, the Greek subsidiary Minoan Lines offers direct services from Ancona and Trieste to Igoumenitsa and Patras, respectively six and three times a week, by deploying three modern ferries, two of which, the Cruise Europa and Cruise Olympia, are the biggest cruise ferries in the Mediterranean with a loading capacity of 3.000 linear metres of rolling freight and 3.000 passengers each.
Finally, through transhipment in the ports of Brindisi and Catania, freight transporters will be able to use the other regular services of the Grimaldi Group connecting Sicily, Malta and Libya. Currently, the Neapolitan Group offers three weekly departures from Brindisi to Catania, four weekly departures from Catania to Malta and weekly departures from Malta to Libya (Tripoli, Al Khoms).