Ferries from Italy to Sicily
across the Strait of Messina
Special thanks to Enzo Annuario for his help & "Messina"
knowledge
Sicily:
- largest region of Italy
- capital: Palermo
- climate: minimum 10°C winter, 30°-35°°C summer
Sicily is the largest
island in the Mediterranean, splashed by three seas, the Ionian, the Tyrrhenian
and the Mediterranean Sea, it took its name from the Siculi. It is the
point of junction between the West-Mediterranean basin and the
East-Mediterranean basin, that Sicily divides. Its coastline, which is 1039 Km
long, presents a varied morphology, as does its conformation that's green and
mountainous on the north coast and dry in the centre and the south.
Mount Etna rises isolated
next to East coast, the volcano was named, during the Arabic domination,
Mongibello which has the Sicilian word "Mon" for mount and the Arabic
suffix "Gebel" which also means mount. Its climate is typically
Mediterranean, with elevated temperatures in summer and mild in winter, and
scarce precipitations. The flora is Mediterranean too: it consists of
profitable crops such as vegetables, citrus and other fruit, cereals, olives
and wine. The variety of fish and seafood is notable because the sea around
Sicily is rich in different species.
Sicily's historical past
starts with the Greek colonization. In fact from these colonies Sicily, having
a triangular form, was called "Trinacria" (meaning three angles in
the Greek language). Over the following centuries Sicily was invaded by many
peoples such as: Cartheyinans, Romans and Arabs. In fact Sicily was always a
theatre of bloody wars among its various conquerors, for example between the
Angevins and the Aragonesis or the struggle for independence from Neapolitan
kingdom. Thanks to the great number of diverse colonisations, which happened
over the centuries, Sicily has a rich variety of popular traditions. For this
reason Sicily, in addition to its climatic and natural attractions, is always a
tourist attraction
Strait of Messina:
Channel, approx. 32 km.
long and from 3.2-16 km. wide, separating the Italian peninsula from Sicily and
connecting the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas. The nearest point in the Strait of
Messina is almost 3˝ km. wide.
Reggio di Calabria, in S.W.
Italy, and Messina, in N.E. Sicily, are the main ports. Ferries are crossing
the dangerous waters of the Strait of Messina from Messina to Villa San
Giovanni. There is much spear-fishing, the currents, whirlpools, and winds of
the Strait, which still hamper navigation, gave rise in ancient times to many
legends about its dangers to navigators.
Ferries:
Previously, all the ferry
services across the Strait of Messina were between Villa San Giovanni -
Messina, plied for over 30 years on that crossing route by three companies:
- Ferrovie dello Stato
- Tourist and
- Caronte.
Following the market entry
of Diano Ferries (Meridiano Shipping Spa) in 1998, the Tourist-Caronte group
also began in October 1998 to operate on the Reggio Calabria - Messina route
through their subsidiary company, Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI).
The Tourist-Caronte Group hold a dominant position on the ferry services market
across the Strait of Messina, with a market share of around 80% and is the only
operator on both routes, the Caronte company is controlled by the family Elio
Matacena.
Sicily is attainable by
car, originating from the highway that it spends through Calabria and, crossing
the Stretto, on the the ferries of:
- Caronte & Tourist
S.p.A., Villa St. Giovanni – Messina, Tremestieri – Acciarello (end 2005)
- Ferrovie dello Stato,
Villa St. Giovanni – Messina
- Meridiano Shipping
S.p.A., Reggio Calabria - Messina
- Matacena Lines, Villa St.
Giovanni - Messina
Ferrovie dello
Stato/ Rete Ferrovaria Italiana SpA (RFI)
The history of train-ferry
services of Ferrovie dello Stato goes back to the years between 1893 and 1899
when it starts the train-ferry service across the Street of Messina.
Nowadays Bluvia is the
company which employs the ferry-fleet of R.F.I. Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, the
infrastructure group of the Italian Railways, Ferrovie dello Stato.
Bluvia employs ferry-services for passengers and cars to Reggio Calabria, Villa
San Giovanni and Messina.
The total fleet of Bluvia
exists of 12 modern and comfortable vessels, with a frequency of 150 trips/ day
between Villa San Giovanni – Messina (15 minutes).
4 ferries are special
dedicated for the transport of trains, 3 high-speed ferries are dedicated only
for passengers to the airport of the Street "'Tito Minniti".
Ferrovie dello Stato exploit
also train-ferry services between Sardinia and the mainland of Italy, some of
the ferries can be used on both routes.
Routes:
Villa San Giovanni – Messina,
Reggio Calabria - Messina.
Civitavecchia - Golfo
Arranci
Fleet:
M/v "Iginia" * 1969
M/v "Sibari" * 1970
M/v "Agata" 1973
M/v "Rosalia" * 1973
M/v "Pace" 1974
M/v "Garibaldi" 1982
M/v "Riace" 1983
M/v "Scilla" * 1985
M/v "Villa" * 1985
M/v "Fata Morgana" 1988
M/v "Logudoro" * 1988
M/v "Enotria" 2002
HSC "Segesta Jet" 1999
HSC "Selinunte Jet" 1999
HSC "Tindari Jet" 1999
* Trainferries.
Caronte&Tourst
S.p.A.
Caronte Shipping
S.p.A.
Stretto di Messina
On the 1st july 2003,
Caronte & Tourist S.p.A. was created from partners Caronte S.p.A. and
Tourist Ferry Boat, they merged the activiteis of their Societies.
Tourist Ferry-Boat S.p.A.
was founded in March 1966, Tourist Shipping S.p.a. (part of Tourist Ferry Boat
S.p.a.) was founded in December 1992, both the companies plus Navigazione
Generale Italiana (N.G.I., Milazzo - Eolian Islands) were part of the Franza
group. The Franza Group are working in the ship-owners sector and were
dominating the ferry services to Sicily, they also works in different sectors:
ship-owners, tourist-hotels, building, industry, finance, computers and energy:
Tourist Shipping S.p.a.
assured until 1st july 2003 the connections from Messina to Villa
St. Giovanni in cooperarion with Caronte Shipping S.p.a., which was founded in
1965, Caronte S.p.a. (Caronte Shipping S.p.a.) is controlled by the Matacena
family (Elio Matacena).
The combination
Caronte-Tourist S.p.a., departure every quarter of an hour from Messina and
Villa San Giovanni.
Crossing in less than half an hour, certainty of a speedy, reliable and
continuous service.
On the whole the Caronte & Tourist S.p.A. carry a share of 80% of the
transit traffic in Messina Strait, transporting annually 2.300.000 cars and 800.000
commercial trucks.
Route:
Messina - Villa San
Giovanni
Fleet:
M/v "Acciarello" 1997
M/v "Archimede" 1988
M/v "Bridge" 1979
M/v "Caronte" 1974
M/v "Giano" 1985
M/v "Helga" 1974
M/v "Ostfold" 1979
M/v "Robur" 1989
M/v "Tourist Ferry Boat 1" 1968
M/v "Tremestieri" 1993
M/v "Ulisse" 1978
M/v "Vestfold" 1991
M/v "Zancle" 1993
Autostrade
d'Amare
Following the indications
of a new study on the expected traffic increases along the by that time full
North- South direction, to bypass Salerno-Reggio Calabria motorway subjected to
endless works of renovation and in agreement with the new regulations on driving
times for commercial truck drivers, are inaugurated new coastal shipping routes
significantly denominated “Autostrade d’amare”, connecting sicilian
ports of Messina and Catania with Salerno.
On 7 octo 2001 is
inaugurated the first service with the last generation fast ship"
Cartour” with a 24 knots speed connecting Messina to Salerno
in no more than 7 hours and half. The new ship is able to load 600 cars or 105
commercial trucks and 90 cars. Besides it can embark 900 passengers, with cabin
and chair accomodations, this guarantees a complete transport of goods,
containers and heavy vehicles by offering a valid alternative to the highway
transport on the Salerno-Reggio calabria highway(A3).
The first link between
Salerno and Messina directly without stops, managed by STT (Salerno Traghetti
Terminal) and Caronte & Tourist every day, the m/v "Cartour"
departs and arrives from/to Salerno.
Salerno - Messina - Salerno is the best solution for who wants to go to Sicily
directly from Salerno without drive to the A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria that is
full trafficated on summer.
Routes:
Messina - Salerno
Catania - Livorno (service
stopped)
Fleet:
M/v "Cartour" 2001
M/v "Prometheus" 2001 sold in 2004
Navigazione Generale
Italiana, N.G.I., (subsidiary of Caronte & Tourist S.p.A.) was founded in
January 1990, it assures the connections from Milazzo to the Eolian Islands.
Crossing in real time,
certainty of a speedy, reliable and continuous service.
A company at tourist's, commuter's, haulier's and his work disposal, onboard
comforts and services.
Route:
Milazzo-Eolian Islands
Fleet:
M/v "Bridge"
1979
M/v "Helga" 1974
M/v "Tourist Ferry Boat 1" 1968
On charter:
M/v “Razzoli” 1989
Meridiano
Shipping Spa
Meridiano Shipping Spa.
(Diano Spa, Meridiano Lines Spa), was raised in 1998 as an independent company
by Cesare Diano & Amedeo Matacena jr. to have more competition in the
traffic transport in the Strait of Messina (after Amedeo Matacena jr. had left
the management of Caronte Shipping).
Route:
Messina - Reggio Calabria
Fleet:
M/v "Caronte" 1974
M/v "Holger" 1970
M/v "Portoferraio" 1972
M/v "Ulisse" 1978
M/v "Vira" 1965
Former ships:
M/v "Kalmar" 1951 demolished in 2004
Matacena
Lines
When the three oldest
ferries of the Dutch provincial ferry operator P.S.D. (Provinciale Stoomboot
Diensten in Zeeland) were sold in March 2003 to the Italian ferry operator
Amadeus Spa. in Reggio di Calabria, the Matacena family of Amedeo Matacena sr.
& jr. created a new company called Matacena Lines, to employ the ships on
the route between the mainland of Italy and Sicily.
In Holland the ships were
employed on the routes between Vlissingen-Breskens and Kruiningen-Perkpolder.
The three ferries were sold for a total amount of 2,1 Mio Euros and will sail
in Italy under the flag of Portugal with homeport Madeira. The three ferries
should be used to cover the periode for building a bridge between Sicily and
the mainland of Italy (plans from Italian company Stretto di Messina Spa.).
Amadeus Spa. had plans to
buy also the remaining other two ferries of the P.S.D. when those ferries,
which were still on the service Vlissingen-Breskens, would be available in
spring 2004. But they were sold to another company of the Elio Matacena family
, namely Caronte Spa., according the fam. Amedeo Matacena it should be possible
to use six ferries on the route between Sicily and the mainland of Italy in the
nearest future.
The three former
PSD-ferries left Vlissingen on Wednesday 25 June to Italy, they arrived on 3
July in the port of Gioia Tauro near Reggio Calabria where they were adapted
for their new service.
The "Athos
Matacena" (ex-"Prins Wllem Alexander" 1970) made trail-crossings
in the Strait of Messina on 21 December 2003 on the route Messina-Reggio
Calabria, she had completely been painted white and a special ramp for the
loading/ unloading of cars was installed.
On the side the logo and
the new name of the company MATACENA LINES is painted, the logo consists of two
blue dolphins which forms a capital M on a yellow background. According the
first messages the service Messina - Reggio Calabria of Matacena Lines should
start on 27 December 2003, but still a lot of problems had to be solved, the
ships should cross the Strait of Messina in approximately 20 minutes, with a
speed of 13 knots.
Another ship of the new
company, the "Amedeo Matacena" (ex-"Prinses Juliana" 1986)
arrived 24 Januari in Reggio di Calabria, also equipped with special ramps for
loading and unloading cars. On 6 February the Amedeo Matacena made trial
crossings from Reggio di Calabria to Messina, she arrived in the morning in the
harbour of Messina to load fuel and to carry out some mooring tests. Now the
final route was announced, the new service will sail from Messina - Villa
S.Giovanni. Finally also the "Ladies Matacena" (ex-"Prinses
Christina" 1968) arrived in Reggio on Monday 16 February.
The
new service of Matacena Lines was also in april 2004 not started because of administrative problems with the
Portugese Shipping authorities, according director Amedeo Matacena of Matacena Lines.
Matacena
denied that the crew of the ships had manoeuvring problems with of the ships to
enter the harbour, the company has sixteen experienced captains to manage
the ships under all circumstances he declared.
Matacena Lines had also plans to ask for support from former PSD-employees to
give instruction to the Italian crew, but this was not necessary anymore
because of the delay of the start of the new service.
It was now expected that
when the problems are solved Matacena Lines would start its service in June
2004, finally on 15 October 2004 the “Athos Matacena” was taken into a
temporarily service on the line Messina – Villa San Giovanni. In Messina the
“Athos Matacena” is using the berths of Meridiano Lines and in Villa San
Giovanni the berths of the state controlled company Bluvia (the former
Ferrovie). After a few weeks the service was stopped because of intervention of
Caronte S.p.A. as a shareholder of the Bluvia company.
Now Matacena Lines has
started again with the service from Messina – Villa San Giovanni with the help
of the Italian law on 29 June 2005, the “Amedeo Matacena” departs every two
hours.
The
start of the Matacena Lines service brings a lot of tension between the
different companies in the Strait of Messina, because the use of the Bluvia
berths in Villa San Giovanni by Matacena causes big delays for the ships of
Bluvia and therefore it can be possible that many persons will loose their job
if Bluvia should decide to reduce theire service by two 2 ships.
Route:
Messina - Villa San
Giovanni
Fleet:
M/v "Athos Matacena" 1970