MSC Group & Onorato Armatori (Moby Line), Bygg nr. 18121002/04/?/? ved Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., RoPax "Moby Fantasy/Legacy/TBN/TBN"

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MSC Group to Build Mega Cruise Ferries in China

MSC Group and Onorato Armatori signed a contract today with Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. GSI and China Shipbuilding Trading Co., CSTC to build four 2,500-passenger, 3,765-lane meter luxury roll-on/roll-off luxury cruise ferries. The contract includes an option for four additional vessels.

GSI and CSTC are subsidiaries of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).

Of the initial order for four: GNV, MSC Group’s Genoa, Italy-based ferry business and the leading operator in the Mediterranean, will receive the delivery of the first and third vessel, a statement said.

Onorato Armatori will receive the second and fourth. Additionally, the two companies will hold options for an additional two vessels each. The first vessel will come into service in 2020.

The official signing ceremony, which took place eon Sunday at CSSC headquarters in Beijing, was attended by Dong Qiang, chairman of CSSC, Pierfrancesco Vago on behalf of MSC Group, Achille Onorato of OnoratoArmatori and ship owner, Matteo Catani, CEO of GNV, HAN Guangde, chairman of GSI, and LI Hongtao, general manager of CSTC.

The luxury roll-on/roll-off passenger cruise ferries are 229.50 meters in length and 32 meters wide with 534 cabins for up to 2,500 people, and can travel at a speed of 23.5 knots. They have been classed by RINA.

Additionally, the vessels will feature a variety of environmentally friendly features including LNG-ready engines.

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Foto: Ukjent
 
Delivery 01.21 & 04.21 for MSC Group (SNAV), and 07.21 & 10.21 for Moby Lines
 
"Moby TBN"
onorato_gsi_ufs.jpg


moby.jpeg

Begge illustrasjoner: OSK
 
Den første av desse fire blir "Moby Fantasy"
Moby Fantasy 01.jpg

Moby Fantasy 02.jpg
Begge illustrasjoner: OSK
 
"Moby Fantasy" blir bygg nr. 18121002 ved Guangzhou Shipyard International Co
 
Den andre, "Moby Magic" blir bygg nr. 18121004 ved Guangzhou Shipyard International Co
 
I think the Chinese yard has financed the entire order anyway, so they will only have to find a new operator if the worst happens
 
Mobys big financial problems are since some years already... - i was wondering from the beginning of this order here how especially Moby could order this extremly big new ferries - Moby Fantasy and Magic will be with nearly 70.000 GT, 237m x 32m, 2500 Pax, 534 cabins, 1300 cars and 3765 lm number 3 and 4 (!) in the size-ranking worldwide of ferries - just behind Color Fantasy and Magic... .
And the rest of the fleet is nearly worthless. Moby has 2 "Ok-ferries" with Moby Wonder and Aki from 2001 and 2005 (for sale for 75 Mio. Euro "prisforslag" each - between 40 and 50 Mio is realistic) but then the fleet is 13 (!) old ferries built between 1969 (!) and 1982 and 1 freighter (12 pax) from 1991. So in worst case the 2 newbuildings and the 2 from 2001/2005 will go to other ferry-companies and all other ships scrapped... .

3765 lm would be attractive for many other ferry-companies - but 2500 Pax in 534 cabins ? For the most to much - and for Silja Line and Viking Line to less cabins (they need ca. 900-1000) and maybe to small Ice-class. And the length of 237m could be a problem in many ports. Possible is Stena Line - they need 2 more XXL-ferries for to replace the very old Stena Vision and Spirit on Karlskrona-Gdynia normally. Or Irish Ferries needs still a new "FSG 777"... . Or in south-europe maybe Grimaldi or GNV.
 
Mobys big financial problems are since some years already... - i was wondering from the beginning of this order here how especially Moby could order this extremly big new ferries - Moby Fantasy and Magic will be with nearly 70.000 GT, 237m x 32m, 2500 Pax, 534 cabins, 1300 cars and 3765 lm number 3 and 4 (!) in the size-ranking worldwide of ferries - just behind Color Fantasy and Magic... .
And the rest of the fleet is nearly worthless. Moby has 2 "Ok-ferries" with Moby Wonder and Aki from 2001 and 2005 (for sale for 75 Mio. Euro "prisforslag" each - between 40 and 50 Mio is realistic) but then the fleet is 13 (!) old ferries built between 1969 (!) and 1982 and 1 freighter (12 pax) from 1991. So in worst case the 2 newbuildings and the 2 from 2001/2005 will go to other ferry-companies and all other ships scrapped... .

3765 lm would be attractive for many other ferry-companies - but 2500 Pax in 534 cabins ? For the most to much - and for Silja Line and Viking Line to less cabins (they need ca. 900-1000) and maybe to small Ice-class. And the length of 237m could be a problem in many ports. Possible is Stena Line - they need 2 more XXL-ferries for to replace the very old Stena Vision and Spirit on Karlskrona-Gdynia normally. Or Irish Ferries needs still a new "FSG 777"... . Or in south-europe maybe Grimaldi or GNV.
Moby file for bankruptcy in US under Chapter 15:

 
Here is really the question what happens with Moby in the future. I have checked today the complete fleet of Moby - actually in use are only MOBY AKI and MOBY WONDER (built in 2005 and 2001, sisterships of Eckerös FINLANDIA). All other ferries of the Moby fleet are longtime parked in ports in Italy and Tunesia - and these (often former scandinavian) ferries are very very old = it is really time for scrap now. Only MOBY TOMMY is from 2002. All these 3 "still modern" ferries (TOMMY, AKI, WONDER) are officially for sale since ca. 3 years but there are big differences for the price to pay between the banks of Moby and potentially buyers.

And how can Moby now pay the number 3 + 4 biggest ferries of the world (MOBY FANTASY and MOBY MAGIC) if the ships are finished in the yard later this year ? Only 2 ferries can earn money every day actually - but ca. 12 parked ferries means a lot of costs for minimum-crew onboard and port-fees daily.
 
As I mentioned before, it is highly likely that the newbuilds are fully financed by the Chinese and Onorato is just leasing them
 
So Moby is continue as ferry-company in the future with only these 2 newbuildings and the route Livorno-Olbia ?
 
New picture with the whale painted on the side from 8.sept.:

Delivery in nov. ... . Then operation on Livorno-Olbia.
Now is said 550 cabins onboard and 1300 cars capacity... .
Will be the 3rd and 4th biggest ferries of the world. The standard onboard shall be very high, similar cruise-ships... .
4 older ferries shall be replaced with the 2 newbuildings.

 
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