Ferry News Archive
Corsica snaps up Spirit of Tasmania III
Date: 17 Jul 2006 00:00 Source: Lloyds ListFrench Mediterranean ferry operator Corsica Ferries has announced that it has paid Australian operator TT Lines E65m ($82.12m) to complete acquisition of the ferry vessel Spirit of Tasmania III.
Although there were reports a little over a week ago that Norwegian company Norferries was ready to cap the French company’s price, Corsica Ferries, which belong to the Lota family group, said that it had now bought the vessel and renamed it Mega Express IV.
The company said that the vessel, which has capacity for 1,500 passengers and 650 tourist vehicles, would bring the number of ships in its fleet to 12 and would be brought into service in November.
A spokesman added that the vessel was being acquired to support the company’s bid for the public service concession for the operation of ro-pax services between the port of Marseilles and the island of Corsica.
Bids have been invited for the new concession, which is due to begin on January 1 2007, and Corsica Ferries can expect to be bidding against the current concession holders, SNCM and Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation.
The results of the bidding are due to be announced by the Corsica Assembly in the early autumn.
Corsica Ferries said that the Spirit of Tasmania was similar to the three other Mega Express ferries operated by Corsica Ferries on lines between Toulon in France and Corsica and between Italy and Sardinia.
The 176m, 2001-built Mega Express and Mega Express II, which have capacity for 1,756 passengers and 550 cars, were both built by the Orlando shipyard in Livorno, Italy.
The 212m, 2001-built Mega Express III was built in South Korea and required from Minoan Lines in 2003. It was brought into service in April 2004 after modifications to increase passenger space and the number of cabins.
Travelling to Corsica or Sardinia? If so, visit our Corsica Ferries page.
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