State-of-the-art Aero Catamaran vessels to serve the Saronic islands
Attica Group, member of Marfin Investment Group, announced the signing of an agreement with Brødrene Aa shipyard of Norway, for the construction of three (3) state-of-the-art Aero Catamaran vessels to serve the Saronic islands, in replacement of existing capacity in the market. The total investment amounts to Euro 21mln and will be covered by own funds and bank financing. The construction of the three new vessels will begin immediately after the signing of the loan agreement, and the delivery of all three vessels is expected within the first four months of 2022.
The new, state-of-the-art vessels boast an ultra-modern design and innovative features that will upgrade significantly the travel experience for the over 3 million passengers travelling annually on the Saronic routes. The introduction of the new AEROs will increase the transport capacity of the market, will reduce the overall travel time, and will contribute to the further economic development of the Saronic islands and their local communities.
Each vessel will have a maximum speed of 34 knots, a total length of 36 meters, a width of 9.7 meters and carrying capacity for 150 passengers, while the innovative interior layout guarantees a high level of comfort and upgraded services for the passengers. The vessels will offer:
-a comfortable trip even in rough seas, resulting from the innovative hull form and upgraded ride control system,
-spacious passenger accommodation areas with large windows providing ample seaside view,
-digital facilities for uninterrupted communications during the trip,
-overhead luggage bins, as well as specially designated luggage areas,
-special provisions for the facilitation of passengers with reduced mobility,
-dedicated areas for bicycle transportation,
-dedicated air-conditioned kennels for pets.
The new aerodynamic Aero vessels represent the culmination of pioneer and innovative design in the highspeed vessels category, for which the Brødrene Aa shipyard is internationally renowned. The extremely light construction with carbon fiber contributes to the reduction of fuel consumption and air emissions, and consequently to the mitigation of the carbon footprint and to the gradual transition to a greener economy. In line with this goal, and in an effort to further improve the energy efficiency of the vessels, they will be equipped with solar panels that will generate the energy required for all lighting and energy consumption of the accommodation areas.
With this investment, Attica Group carefully implements its business plan, in order to strengthen its market leading position in line with international requirements of the ferry industry. Moreover, in a period of intense financial difficulties due to the global pandemic, this investment strongly reaffirms Attica Group’s long-term commitment to sustainable development and to the continuous improvement of the services provided to the Greek islands, to their local communities and to the growth of the Greek economy.
Attica Group is active in passenger shipping through SUPERFAST FERRIES, BLUE STAR FERRIES, HELLENIC SEAWAYS, and AFRICA MOROCCO LINK, operating 32 vessels in total, which provide modern and high quality transportation services in Greece and abroad. The Group’s vessels travel in 4 countries, to 60 unique destinations, connect 71 ports and transport over 7 million passengers, 1 million private vehicles and 400,000 freight units annually (2019 data).
