The famous Mega Express Five ferry, until recently operating for Corsica Ferries, has been sold and will have a completely new destiny. The Canadian Bridgemans Services Group will turn it into a floathel, a floating structure designed to provide temporary accommodation. The ship, renamed Mega X, is already being refurbished and will be ready for its new use by spring 2026.
What are floatels
Floathels are essentially floating hotels: ships adapted to provide temporary accommodation at sea, with all the amenities of a traditional hotel. They can include guest cabins, common areas, relaxation areas, gyms and offices, transforming an old passenger ship into a truly mobile accommodation facility.
This type of ship is increasingly in demand in the industrial, energy and offshore sectors, where personnel need to be housed near construction sites or installations without having to build fixed structures on land.
What the new floatel Mega X will be used for.
Mega X will be used primarily as accommodation for technical teams and workers engaged in offshore construction sites or large industrial projects. With about 275 cabins and large common areas, it will provide comfort and safety for personnel who must work far from the coast, reducing travel time and logistics.
In practice, Mega Express Five will continue to sail, but its role will be that of a floating hotel, ready to support large industrial operations offshore.
The conversion of the Mega Express Five to floathel is a concrete example of how passenger ships can be converted and given a “second life.” While traditional ferries continue to serve passengers and cargo, floathels become indispensable tools for offshore work, combining mobility, convenience and functionality at sea.
Other examples of floating structures/hotels in the Mediterranean area
Boat Haus – tourist flotel near Gibraltar
Just a few minutes from Gibraltar and the South Spanish coast, there is a project where houses or boat houses float on a marina and offer accommodations submerged on the water with all amenities (terrace, full bathroom, kitchen, Wi-Fi, tourist activities). This facility is designed for tourism and is located right on the border between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
Houseboats and floating homes in the Mediterranean in Italy
In some Italian cities or resorts, such as Darsena di Porto Levante in the Po Delta, it is possible to stay in anchored floating houses or boats, which offer a vacation experience right on the water.
Yachts and boats converted into floating suites
In several tourist destinations in Campania such as Ischia, Capri and Procida and other stretches of Mediterranean coastline, luxury floating hotels based on yachts or boats moored in marinas can be found: these are accommodation formulas that combine a hotel facility and the experience of lodging on the water.
