ferry

Container traffic at the port is also up 2.8% so far in 2019

This January, Grimaldi, the multinational logistics group specialised in maritime transport for major vehicle manufacturers’ world suppliers, has launched a new ferry called the “Florencia” to connect the Catalan capital and Savona, an Italian port located about 50km west of Genoa. This investment allows the company to double the frequency between the two harbours. The brand new “Florencia” is 186m long and can carry 1,000 passengers and 170 cars. It makes three trips per week: at midnight every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, reaching its destination the next day at 6pm.

The Italian ferry company has built a 63,000 square metre terminal at the Costa dock, with an investment of €20 million and a capacity of 3,600 passengers per day. The new terminal will allow the city of Barcelona to gain a new urban area, since the space accessing and surrounding the terminal will be integrated into the city for the first time. Urban planning work will be concluded by the end of the year, announced the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias. The terminal has restaurants, bars, shops and free Wi-fi, and will allow the boarding of passengers and goods.

Grimaldi will build a new short-distance terminal in Barcelona Port and run it for a 15-year period, which has the possibility to be extended for a further seven and a half years. The Italian company wants to increase its presence in the Catalan capital, from where it currently runs four regular ferry lines linking Barcelona to Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Florence), Porto Torres (Sardinia) and Tanger (Morocco). The new building will be ready by next summer and will be able to serve 1,800 passengers. It will cover 3,750 m2, have three stories and three boarding bridges, and it will be surrounded by a large esplanade where cars can wait before they board the ferry.