Italian Ro-Pax Design Attracts Polish Deal

As a lengthened, modified version of the iteration of the Visentini design employed for Corsica Linea’s 2022-delivered A.Galeotta, the ship to be traded by PZB is the largest produced to date at the independent, Italian riverside yard. The Polish company has entered into a 10-year charter agreement with the shipbuilder’s owning group, and the deal includes an option to purchase after six years.

The A.Galeotta has LNG dual-fuel propulsion, care of two Wartsila 50DF medium-speed engines, and the current newbuild is described as diesel-powered and LNG-ready. The incorporation of two Type C LNG fuel tanks in the French vessel trimmed ro-ro capacity to 2,563 lane-metres from the 2,750 l-m obtainable using conventionally-fuelled main machinery. It is understood that the arrangements adopted with the PZB-destined ferry, plus the somewhat longer hull, offers a vehicular payload approaching 3,000 l-m. The passenger complement will be in the order of 1,000, accommodated in 230 cabins.

Visentini-built ro-ros and ro-pax ferries, prominent throughout the European intra-regional traffic, derive from a concept continuously refined and updated since the mid 1990s by the yard and Trieste consultancy NAOS Ship & Boat Design. A distinctive feature of the current generation is the FlexBow 2.0 design form, a contributor to the well-proven cost-efficiency of the Visentini ‘product’. The twin-engine, twin controllable pitch propeller vessel type is also attributed with a comparatively high service speed of 23 knots in laden condition.

PZB’s project in Italy, for which funding support has been authorised from the Polish State Treasury, is set to be realised before the commencement of deliveries under the ro-pax newbuild programme implemented by Polish owners at Remontowa Shipbuilding’s Gdansk yard. A trio of 196m vessels has been booked through Polskie Promy, whereby two of the ships will sail under the colours of Polsteam subsidiary Unity Line and one will be to PZB’s account.

Each of the Remontowa series will incorporate a hybrid powering system and electric propulsion, comprising four LNG dual-fuel prime movers of the Wartsila 31DF type plus a battery pack, with twin 7.5MW Azipod azimuthing propulsion units. The 195m vessels, laid out for up to 200 trucks and 400 passengers, are due between 2025 and 2027. Steel cutting for the first-of-class, assigned to Unity Line, was initiated last October.