Corsica Linea

Corsica Linea
Company typePrivate company
IndustryMaritime Transport
(passengers and freight)
FoundedJanuary 5, 2016; 8 years ago (2016-01-05)
FounderFrançois Padrona
Pascal Trojani
Headquarters
Ajaccio
,
France
RevenueIncrease €158 million (2021)
OwnerCM Holding
Number of employees
1104 employees (2021)
Website[1]

Corsica Linea is a French shipping company that operates passenger, vehicle and cargo ferries in the Mediterranean Sea.

The company's nine vessels serve routes connecting Marseille with Corsica, Algeria and Tunisia.

History

On 20 November 2015, the SNCM, a previous ferry operator operating similar routes, was placed into receivership, having been in financial difficulties for more than a year. The assets of this company subsequently passed to Maritime Corse Méditerranée (MCM). Following this, a consortium of companies known as Corsica Marittima founded a new company named Corsica Linea, which commenced operations on 5 January 2016.[1]

The first route was started between Marseille and Bastia, initially using the vessel Stena Carrier,[2] hired from Stena Lines, then using Corsica Linea Dui, hired from Transfennica.[3]

On 17 February 2016, Corsica Linea and MCM announced their merger, with all MCM property moving to Corsica Linea and Patrick Rocca, the owner, becoming a member of Corsica Marittima, the operating consortium.[4][5]

During the next year, the former SNCM fleet was repainted into a new red, white and black livery. The only former SNCM vessel not to move into the Corsica Linea fleet was Corse, which was sold in spring 2016.[6]

During the 2016 financial year, Corsica Linea estimated €170 million in revenue, a 40% increase compared to SNCM's operations in the previous year.[7]

In 2019, Corsica Linea announced an order for their first new RoPax ferry from Cantiere Navale Visentini in Porto Viro. A Galeotta entered service in 2023 on the Marseille-Bastia route and is the first ferry to serve Corsica that is powered by LNG,[8] demonstrating Corsica Linea's commitment to improving the energy performance and emissions of their vessels.[9]

On 8 January 2024, Corsica Linea announced the signing of a contract with Stena RoRo for a second new vessel, this time an E-Flexer powered by LNG. It will enter service in March 2026 on the Marseille-Ajaccio and Bastia routes, being chartered from Stena with an option for it to be purchased at a later date. It will be constructed at the AVIC Weihai Shipyard, Weihai, China.[10] The vessel is expected to transition to operate with either Bio-LNG or e-LNG at a later date in line with the company's objective to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.[11]

Fleet

Image Ship Flag Built Entered Service Gross tonnage Length Beam Passengers Vehicles Service speed Current status
Danielle Casanova France 2002 2016 41,447 GT 176 m 30.4 m 2800 700 24 knots In service
Jean Nicoli France 1998 2016 29,968 GT 200.65 m 25 m 1500 1000 26.4 knots In service
Pascal Paoli France 2003 2016 35,760 GT 176 m 30.5 m 550 130 23 knots Laid up
Paglia Orba France 1994 2016 29,718 GT 165.8 m 29 m 600 120 23 knots In service
Monte d'Oro France 1991 2016 22,070 GT 145 m 25.7 m 528 130 20.7 knots In service
Méditerranée France 1989 2016 30,985 GT 165.8 m 27.4 m 2780 800 24 knots Laid up
Vizzavona France 1999 2018 30,114 GT 188 m 28.7 m 800 130 23 knots In service
A Nepita France 2002 2020 30,551 GT 203 m 25 m 1200 500 22 knots In service
A Galeotta France 2022 2023 37,599 GT 206 m 28.2 m 1000 149 22 knots In service

Routes

The Corsica Linea fleet makes round trips between Marseille and the ports of Ajaccio, Bastia, Ile Rousse, Propriano on Corsica. In addition, there are weekly departures from Marseille to the Algerian ports of Algiers and Béjaïa, as well as to Tunis.[12][13][14][15] Seasonal connections to Skikda operate from June to September.[16]

Lines Duration Vessel Frequency
Marseille ↔ Bastia 13 hours on average Pascal Paoli
A Galeotta
Vizzavona
Paglia Orba 		Daily
Marseille ↔ Ajaccio 12 hours on average Vizzavona
A Galeotta 		On alternate day
Marseille ↔ Ile Rousse 12 hours on average Monte d'Oro 3x weekly
Marseille ↔ Propriano 13 hours on average A Nepita
Paglia Orba 		3x weekly
Marseille ↔ Tunis 22 hours on average Jean Nicoli
Danielle Casanova 		1x weekly ; 3x weekly (June–September)
Marseille ↔ Algiers 22 hours on average Jean Nicoli
Méditerranée 		1x weekly ; 3x weekly (June–September)
Marseille ↔ Béjaïa 22 hours on average Jean Nicoli 1x weekly
Marseille ↔ Skikda 22 hours on average Jean Nicoli Seasonal (June–September)
Sète ↔ Béjaïa 22 hours on average Jean Nicoli Seasonal (June–September)
Sète ↔ Skikda 22 hours on average Jean Nicoli Seasonal (June–September)

Other companies

References

  1. ^ "Corsica Linea". Direct Ferries. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Ro-pax blocked in Marseille". Tradewinds News. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  3. ^ "M/F Caroline Russ". The Ferry Site. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Corse : Rocca va céder 100 % de MCM à Corsica Maritima (in French)". Le Marin. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Ferries and Linéa Corsica plan the fusion". Informare. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  6. ^ "M/F Grand Ferry". The Ferry Site. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  7. ^ "On brand identity, strategies and performance - a conversation with Pierre-Antoine Villanova of Corsica Linea". Shippax. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Corsica Linea to take delivery of first LNG ferry in 2022". LNGPrime. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  9. ^ "A Galeotta - Corsica Linea's newest ship boasts extensive passenger and freight capabilities". Baird Maritime. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Corsica Linea signs a contract with Stena RoRo for E-Flexer". Shippax. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Stena orders a thirteenth E-Flexer ferry for Mediterranean service". NI Ferry Site. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Your ferry crossing between Marseille and Corsica". Corsica Linea. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Travel to Maghreb by ferry from Marseille". Corsica Linea. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Marseille-Algiers by ferry". Corsica Linea. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Direction Bejaia from Marseille with CORSICA linea". Corsica Linea. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Direction Skikda from Marseille with CORSICA linea". Corsica Linea. Retrieved 13 January 2024.

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