Naples, 27 June 2011: In the framework of its policy to further strengthen and expand its presence in the Western Mediterranean, the Grimaldi Group announces the inauguration, as from the 2nd of July, of a new motorway of the sea between the ports of Genoa, Livorno, Palermo and Tunis.

Serving this link, dedicated to the transport of trucks, trailers, cars and rolling freight, will be the two sister vessels Eurocargo Genova and Eurocargo Alexandria, designed and built by the Korean Hyundai Mipo shipyards to meet the specific needs of this line. The other two sisterships Eurocargo Malta and Eurocargo Venezia, deployed on the Genoa-Catania-Malta route, have been already appreciated by the customers of the Group.

The two vessels Eurocargo Genova and Eurocargo Alexandria have a length of 200 metres, a gross tonnage of 32,700 tonnes, and are able to transport each about 4,000 linear metres of rolling cargo, equal to 280 trailers, and 200 cars, at a service speed of 23 knots. Their wide six decks, two of which hoistable dedicated to the trasport of cars, were conceived to minimize any potential damage to the freight transported. Furthermore, thanks to their ramp able to load units with a weight up to 120 tonnes, these vessels are suitable also for the transport of project cargo.

"This initiative proves once more the commitment of the Group to further strengthen the maritime links between North Italy, Sicily and Tunisia" states Emanuele Grimaldi, managing director of the Grimaldi Group. "With the launch of this new motorway of the sea between the two shores of the Mediterranean, the Group will offer an even more reliable service, satisfying the market's requirements by deploying two high performance vessels, both in economical and environmental terms: the beneficiaries will be not only the Italian and foreign logistics operators, but also the Sicilian exporters who will have a further enhanced access to the Western Mediterranean and Tunisia" concludes Emanuele Grimaldi.

The new motorway of the sea will have a three-times-a-week frequency from and to all the ports served. Southbound departures will be every:
- Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from Genoa to Palermo and Tunis;
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Livorno to Palermo e Tunis;
- Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from Palermo to Tunis.

Northbound departures will be scheduled every:
- Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from Tunis to Palermo, Livorno and Genoa;
- Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from Palermo to Livorno and Genoa

Thanks to the new link, the Grimaldi Group will offer a daily service between Genoa, Livorno and Sicily, alternating the calls at the ports of Catania and Palermo.

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The Grimaldi Group operates a fleet of more than 100 ships and is a world leading operator in the transport of cars and ro/ro cargo. Established in 1947, the Group is headquartered in Naples and has 8,000 employees. In 2010, it registered a turnover of € 2.2 billion and transported about 2.8 million cars, 1.4 million trailers and TEUs and more than 2.7 million
passengers. In the passenger sector, the Group controls Finnlines, leader in ro/ro transport in the Baltic Sea and Minoan Lines, the Greek ferry operator leader in the Adriatic Sea and on the route between Piraeus and Crete.

For further information:
Grimaldi Group, External Relations: Paul Kyprianou 081/496246 kyprianou.paul@grimaldi.napoli.it