THE FERRY WAS DEPLOYED ON THE GENOA – PORTO TORRES ROUTE BETWEEN LIGURIA AND SARDINIA
Change of flag on the ship Eurocargo Sicilia, which was purchased from the Grimaldi Group by the Spanish Shipping Company
Balearia
. Although the official figures of the purchase and sale are not yet known, the deal has already been concluded. The ship, a ro- ro ferry, moored in the port of La Spezia at the Garibaldi Pier, is reportedly already undergoing restoration, taking on the typical blue livery with the Balearia insignia.
The formula decided on for the transfer of Eurocargo Sicilia from Grimaldi to Balearia would be that of a loan with an obligation to redeem after a predetermined time. In essence, Eurocargo, will be used immediately on routes operated by the Balearia Shipping Company, which will pay for it to Grimaldi only after a few years of service.
Eurocargo Sicily
It is a 154-meter-long and 23-meter-wide ro-ro ship capable of carrying 12 passengers and a garage of no less than 1775 linear meters. It was made in the facilities of the Norwegian Fosen Mek shipyards in 1998.
What ro-ro ferries? Roll on/roll offs, called ro-ro for convenience, are those vessels built to embark and disembark means of transport by road. Common ferries suitable for vehicle transport.
Changes of Shipping Company
This is not the first time Eurocargo Sicilia has changed flag and Ship Operator, until 2023, in fact the ro-ro belonged to Finnlines Company and sailed between Finland and Great Britain under the name Finnmaster. In the past year, purchased by Grimaldi Group, it has plied the Genoa – Porto Torres route between Liguria and Sardinia. At the moment we do not know on which route it will be employed by the new owners of Balearia.
The domino effect of buying and selling
Ferry ownership changes between different Shipping Companies are a very common phenomenon in the shipping world. Vessels change ownership for various reasons is usually these exchanges cause a domino effect.
Balearia’s purchase of Eurocargo Sicilia will not be the only change of flag that will affect our Shipping Companies’ ferries. According to Shipping Italy rumors, in fact, the ownership of the Europalink and AF Claudia vessels should also change soon:
- Europalink, supposedly expected to move from Finnlines Company to Grimaldi Euromed Company
- AF Claudia, owned by Adria Ferries is expected to be purchased by Danish Dfds.