Extended deadlines for the MIT procedure for the renewal of naval fleets dedicated to local public transport. Near the natural deadline, set for today, September 1st, the ministry has in fact announced that it has set a new deadline for October 7th, in order to “allow for the maximum participation of economic operators”.
The reason for the postponement is the volume of clarification requests received at its address, relating to both lots of the procedure.
As is known, this procedure, with a total value of 339 million euros and managed precisely by the General Command of the Harbour Offices (Comando Generale delle Capitanerie di Porto), aims to stipulate framework agreements with the interested parties (shipyards), regarding the construction of up to two ro-ro vessels with a length of 71 meters) and five Hsc (high speed craft) vessels, both of class B. The agreements will then have to be followed by the signing of specific contracts between the awardees and the Regions involved in the plan.
In the documentation published at the start of the process, the MIT had already provided technical specifications for the vessels in question, referring for both lots to some documents drawn up by Rina in 2022. For the first, it was clarified that the ship – a “modern class B passenger ro-ro unit” –, made of steel, must have a gross tonnage of 1,650 tonnes, an overall length of 71.15 meters, a maximum width of 14, and be able to accommodate 650 passengers plus 17 crew members. The ferry, also equipped with a 240 linear meter garage, must also be able to reach a speed of at least 18 knots at full load.
For the second lot, it was highlighted that the unit, with a gross tonnage of 237 tonnes, must be “of the hydrofoil type with a V-wing configuration”, with an overall length of 31.5 meters and a width between the wings of 14.5, be able to reach a speed of 35 knots at full load, and be able to accommodate 249 passengers and 8 crew members.
The responses from the ministry’s technicians have now more clearly defined the perimeter of the characteristics for both types of vessels. Regarding the ro-ro vessels, the MIT has in fact specified that the dimensions “may be subject to changes by the proposer” and that those reported are “indicative in nature”. At the same time, the indicated speed of 18 knots at full load (according to one operator “very high for a ship of this size”) is not modifiable. Finally, the linear meters of loading are to be understood as total (trailers plus cars). An interesting point then concerns the ship’s compliance with the Certificate of Conformity to Res. MEPC.203 (62) and subsequent amendments (EEDI and EEXI): in this regard, the MIT itself clarified that “the regulations do not provide for this type of certification for units of this size employed in national navigation”, but that in order to reduce emissions “it was deemed appropriate to include these requirements also in consideration of the actual operational life of these vessels”.
Also regarding the high-speed units, the MIT explained in its responses to the questions that “the dimensional parameters (length, height, draft, and width between the wings) are to be understood as reference values” and can therefore be subject to changes, always however in compliance with “the functional, operational, and safety requirements”. The requirement that the vessels be class B Hsc hydrofoils remains firm, meaning that monohull vessel proposals are not admissible.
F.M.
