Marseilles sailings to Africa

The service resumed with two newbuilds delivered this year, Jolly Perla and Jolly Diamante, and is due to be augmented by two further ships currently under construction. The ships are among the world’s largest of their kind and the biggest that Messina has ever run out of the French cargo port.

At 249m long, they have container capacity of 3,000 TEU and 6,350 lane/metres for ro-ro cargo, including cars, trucks and outsize loads. The vessels feature an unusually high 6m tall stern door and a loading ramp capable of supporting 350 tonnes, accommodating loads such as cranes, rail carriages and aircraft fuselages.

Messina is the only line to offer a direct service between Marseilles and the east and southern regions of Africa. The Marseilles Fos port authority welcomed the decision to relaunch with extra capacity and said the service would notably enhance the port’s maritime transport network.