FSG launch second new ferry for Onorato subsidiary Tirrenia

By: Steven Tarbox
Date:
Last updated:
The freshly launched hull of MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO seen from the covered slipway at FSG. Gruppo Onorato Armatori.
The freshly launched hull of MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO seen from the covered slipway at FSG. Gruppo Onorato Armatori.

Launch clears the covered slipway for the assembly of HONFLEUR’s hull to begin

Update: 06.08.18. PM:  The first blocks of HONFLEUR were laid earlier today as expected.

Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) yesterday launched yard number 776, MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO, a new RoRo ferry for Gruppo Onorato Armatori subsidiary Tirrenia. The almost 210m long vessel is the second of two sister-ships originally ordered speculatively by FSG’s parent company Siem group for chartering out.  Along with her sister ALF POLLAK, which was launched from the same slipway just under 3 months ago, she will enter service for Onorato subsidiary Tirrenia.  With a capacity of 4,076 lane metres they are billed as both the largest and greenest RoRo vessels in the Mediterranean. Both vessels will be based at Catania primarily for transporting fruit and vegetables as well as industrial traffic to and from Sicily.  The vessels have been optimised for efficiency with the twin MAN main engines controlled by automated systems which optimise the amount of power used according to the load and sea conditions. State-of-the-art exhaust scrubbers supplied by Langhtech will reduce CO2 emissions to just 0.1%.

The launch of the hull of MARIA GRAZIA HONORED at FSG.  Group Honored Owners.
The launch of the hull of MARIA GRAZIA HONORED at FSG. Group Honored Owners.

In common with other FSG builds, only the hull was constructed and assembled on-site at their own facility.  The superstructure will arrive by barge from Poland to be lifted onto the hull for welding together in the coming days, before fitting out takes place.  ALF POLLAK is due to enter service in October, while MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO is expected to be in service early in 2019.

The freshly Launched hull of MARIA GRAZIA HONORED.  Group Honored Owners.
The freshly launched hull of MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO. The slogan on the hull roughly translates to “Onorato for Italian Seafarers”. Onorato means honour in Italian as well as being the name of the parent company of Tirrenia. Sister-ship ALF POLLAK and Irish Ferries W. B. YEATS can be seen in the background. Gruppo Onorato Armatori.

MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO is named after the mother of Vinceno Onorato, chairman of Onorato Armatori S.p.A, and was christened by his wife.  Rather than carrying the standard Tirrenia livery, the new vessel was launched with the slogan “Onorato per i marittimi Italiani” painted on her side between a large Italian flag and the Onorato Armatori logo.  The slogan loosely translates to “Honour for Italian Seafarers” (Onorato has a double meaning as the Italian word for honour, as well as the name of the parent company of Tirrenia) and references an ongoing campaign by Onorato and others against wage dumping in the Mediterranean.

Yesterday’s launch clears the way for the assembly of the hull of Brittany Ferries’ HONFLEUR (yard no 774) to start on the covered slipway, with construction of the individual hull sections already well underway.  Like Irish Ferries delayed W.B. YEATS the superstructure of HONFLEUR is also being constructed in Poland and is well underway.  As reported recently by NI Ferry Site, HONFLEUR is due to enter service next July.  Her keel is scheduled to be laid on Monday, 6th August.

MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO, W.B. YEATS, and ALF POLLAK at the outfitting pier at FSG. Copyright Frank Jensen.
MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO, W.B. YEATS, and ALF POLLAK at the outfitting pier at FSG. Copyright Frank Jensen.

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