The Grimaldi Group announced a significant enhancement of its ferry service between Italy and Greece: on February 29, 2024, the Brindisi-Igoumenitsa line welcomed the ro-pax Europalink, the vessel with the largest cargo capacity in the Adriatic Sea, promising an increase in transportation capacity and comfort for travelers.
This ship, joining the Kydon Palace, flies the Italian flag and boasts a capacity of 3,900 linear meters for wheeled cargo, equivalent to about 220 commercial vehicles. Compared to the Igoumenitsa, which it replaced, the Europalink offers a twenty percent increase in passenger capacity and a fifty percent increase in truck transport per voyage.
The vessel is equipped with 201 cabins, including interior, exterior, and junior suites, all featuring private facilities and air conditioning, with some cabins specially designed to accommodate passengers with reduced mobility. Onboard amenities include two lounges with 75 reclining seats, a self-service restaurant, two bars, a large shop, a children's play area, a sauna, and a slot machine area.
Grimaldi provides two trips a day from both ports. Ugo Patroni Griffi, president of the Southern Adriatic Sea Port Authority, emphasized the strategic importance of the innovation brought by the Grimaldi Group, acknowledging the crucial role the company has played in the development of the Port of Brindisi and, more broadly, in the maritime highways, through a constant commitment to sustainability and efficiency.
Emanuele Grimaldi, CEO of the Group, reiterated the significance of introducing the Europalink as part of a broader investment strategy in Greece, which has seen the company acquire a majority stake in the Port of Igoumenitsa over the last year. This move not only enhances port services but also promotes the use of increasingly larger and more modern ships, thus amplifying the Greek port's potential.
