As previously announced by SHIPPING ITALY, the ferry La Superba of GNV (MSC Group) has left the port of Palermo for its final voyage.
It is currently being towed by the tugboat MSC Dragon toward the coast of Aliaga, Turkey, where it will be delivered to a shipbreaking yard for its final disposal.
After falling victim to a fire in early 2023 while docked in the port of Palermo, the Port Authority of the Sicilian capital had published the company’s request dated July 7 in recent weeks, seeking approval for the voluntary demolition of the vessel. Any objections could be submitted by the first week of September.
Following the incident, GNV’s intention was to declare a ‘constructive total loss,’ a step that will transfer ownership to the insurance company (SIAT), which had provided hull & machinery coverage. SIAT will then handle the vessel’s end-of-life process. For some time, the Genoese ferry company appeared to consider recovering and repairing the ship, but the estimated costs evidently made this option unviable.
Built by Nuovi Cantieri Apuania in Marina di Carrara and entering service in 2022, the ferry La Superba has a capacity for nearly 3,000 passengers, features 567 cabins, 940 reclining seats, and—like its sister vessel (La Suprema)—boasts 2,800 linear meters of garage space for cargo (approximately 1,000 cars).
