Gnv, two new LNG ferries operational in Morocco
With the ships Aurora and Virgo, the company strengthens its presence in North Africa. It also aims to support trade
Ferry company Gnv (Msc group) is focusing on routes to and from Morocco, allocating the two newest and most technologically advanced ships in its fleet to the country: Gnv Aurora and Gnv Virgo. Both are powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and are capable of sailing on transitional fuels such as bioGnl and synthetic LNG. The choice, explained the company's top management, at the celebrations for the christening of Aurora, in Tangier, 'confirms the centrality of intra-Mediterranean connections in the company's development strategies and the increasingly important role of the North African market within our network'.
In almost 20 years of activity in Morocco, Gnv has transported a total of around 6 million passengers, consolidating a stable and continuous link with the country and the Moroccan communities living in Europe. In 2025, the company carried more than 465,000 passengers on Moroccan lines, confirming Morocco as a strategic reference market of primary importance within the Gnv network.
Connections between Tanger Med, Barcelona and Genoa
Aurora and Virgo will be operational from yesterday (1 June) and 1 July respectively on the routes between Tanger Med, Barcelona and Genoa. The Catalan capital will act as a transit hub for the entire network of connections between Morocco, Spain and Italia, while Genoa will be the main LNG bunkering port for the two vessels, which will refuel, on average, every 4-5 days.
At the same time, the company, they stress, "is strengthening its role in supporting trade between Italia and Morocco, through the port of Tanger Med, North Africa's main logistical hub and strategic gateway to the African continent". Both ships, which are twins, have a gross tonnage of about 53 thousand tons, a length of 218 metres and a maximum speed of 25 knots. They can accommodate 1,700 passengers in 426 cabins and carry up to 2,780 linear metres of cargo (equal to about 600 vehicles).
Baptism in Tangier for Aurora
"Our presence in Morocco," said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of Msc's cruise division and President of Gnv, "has been consolidated and strengthened over time thanks to constant collaboration and a solid relationship of mutual trust. The christening of Aurora in Tangier represents a new and significant step in our historical partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco. The country plays a key role in strengthening the Mediterranean maritime network, which is why we will continue to support the Kingdom's vision of maritime connectivity, trade development and tourism growth."
