The Grimaldi Group boosts its freight and passenger transport connections between Central Italy and Sicily thanks to the introduction of additional tonnage. As from tomorrow 15th September, the Company will deploy an additional ro/pax ship between the ports of Livorno and Palermo and double the frequency of departures, thus guaranteeing a daily service.

The additional ship deployed on the route will be the ro/pax Cruise Smeralda, which can carry 2,000 linear meters of rolling freight (vans, trucks, trailers, special vehicles), about 1,500 passengers and 100 accompanying cars. The unit will join the ro/pax Zeus Palace, currently deployed on the line, whose loading capacity is 2,000 linear meters, about 1,700 passengers and 100 cars.

Both ferries have cosy internal and external cabins, superior cabins, pet cabins and cabins for RMP, all with air conditioning and en suite facilities, as well as a lounge with comfortable reclining seats. Other services on board both ships include a self-service and an à la carte restaurant, different bars, an outdoor swimming pool with solarium, a slot machine room and a play area for children.

The arrival of the Cruise Smeralda will allow the Grimaldi Group to offer daily departures in both directions, thus meeting the needs of customers – both passengers and transport companies – on a primary route between the ports of Livorno and Palermo. Departures from both the Tuscan and Sicilian ports will take place in the late evening, while the arrival at the port of destination is scheduled for the afternoon of the following day.

“With the upgrade of the Livorno-Palermo connection, the Grimaldi Group confirms its strong commitment to offering fast and efficient services to and from Sicily. A greater loading capacity and faster handling of semi-trailers will be offered to intermodal transport, in order to better meet the needs and delivery times of those companies engaged in the traffic between the port of Livorno and Sicily,” says Eugenio Grimaldi, Executive Manager of the Neapolitan company. “Moreover, with the use of two ro/pax vessels, our Group aims to further support passenger traffic by offering the possibility to those traveling on the Continent-Sicily route to enjoy a safe journey on board modern, comfortable ships”, concludes Eugenio Grimaldi.

Thanks to this investment, the Grimaldi Group consolidates its leadership position in freight and passenger transport between Italy’s mainland and Sicily. The Group offers, in fact, an extensive network of short-sea connections from the Tyrrhenian ports of Genoa, Livorno, Salerno to Palermo and Catania; from the Adriatic ports of Ravenna and Brindisi to Catania.