Rendering of La Méridionales new cruise ferries © La Méridionale

Bookings open for La Méridionale’s new cruise ferries

FerryLa Méridionale is now promoting its two forthcoming cruise ferries, ALBANOVA and AZURA, on its website, with the two newbuildings also integrated into the online booking system for routes between Marseille and Corsica. According to the French ferry operator, ALBANOVA will serve the Marseille–Ajaccio route, while AZURA will be deployed between Marseille and Porto-Vecchio.

The order for the two 180-metre-long and 30.8-metre-wide cruise ferries, offering capacity for 932 passengers and 2,181 lane metres, was placed with CMI Jinling Weihai in 2023, with delivery scheduled for the first half of 2027.

Each ship will feature a 13-MWh battery pack combined with dual-fuel LNG propulsion, based on Wärtsilä V31DF engines in 12- and eight-cylinder configurations. Propulsion for the dual-fuel LNG/battery-hybrid powertrain will be provided by Azipods. La Méridionale therefore promises that ALBANOVA and AZURA will emit up to 50% less CO2 than the company’s current newest RoPax, the 2011-built PIANA, which has a similar capacity.

La Méridionale, which was acquired by French container shipping giant CMA CGM in 2023, is embracing the “cruise ferry concept” with the introduction of ALBANOVA and AZURA. This means passenger accommodation of a very high standard, including a category of balcony cabins and a wide range of onboard facilities.

The interior design has been created by Jean-Philippe Nuel, who was also involved in developing the passenger concept aboard the icebreaking cruise vessel LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT for French operator Ponant.