en.Wedoany.com Reported - Italian ferry operator GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci, part of the MSC Group) has held a naming ceremony for its newest vessel and expanded services to Morocco. This is part of the company's fleet renewal plan valued at over €1.3 billion (approximately $1.5 billion).

To underscore its commitment to Morocco and cross-Mediterranean traffic, GNV has deployed its two newest ferries, GNV Aurora and GNV Virgo, on this route. These two vessels are the company's first LNG dual-fuel ships, built in China by Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI). GNV Vigo was delivered in October 2025, and GNV Aurora was delivered at the end of January 2026.

The 53,000-gross-ton GNV Aurora arrived in Genoa in early March and operated on domestic routes to Palermo. The ship held its naming ceremony in Tangier on June 1, marking the expansion of services to Morocco. GNV Vigo will join the route on July 1.

The two sister ships are 218 meters (715 feet) long, feature 426 cabins, can accommodate over 1,700 passengers, and offer 2,780 linear meters of cargo space. In addition to using LNG fuel, they are also prepared for bio-LNG and synthetic LNG, equipped with shore power capability, advanced emission reduction systems, and environmental features such as heat recovery units for power generation. Both ferries can reach a speed of 25 knots.

GNV stated that it has been operating in Morocco for nearly 20 years, transporting over 6 million passengers. Last year, the company carried more than 465,000 passengers on its Morocco routes. The new ships will operate between the Port of Tangier Med, Barcelona, and Genoa.

The company noted that this expansion is part of its 2030 strategy. Morocco will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, which is expected to generate strong demand for ferry services.

GNV Aurora is the fourth new ferry delivered by GSI. The total cost of the two LNG dual-fuel sister ships is approximately €360 million ($419 million). The company, which began operations in 1992, now operates a fleet of 26 ferries across 33 routes in 8 countries.

Following the completion of the first phase of its fleet renewal plan, GNV has ordered an additional four ferries. All are LNG-powered vessels built by GSI. The first is expected to be delivered around the end of 2027, with subsequent ships delivered approximately every six months thereafter.

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