Corsica Linea is a French shipping company that operates passenger, vehicle and cargo ferries in the Mediterranean Sea.
The company's nine vessels serve routes connecting Marseille with Corsica, Algeria and Tunisia.
History On 20 November 2015, the SNCM, a previous ferry operator operating similar routes, was placed into receivership, having been in financial difficulties for more than a year. The assets of this company subsequently passed to Maritime Corse Méditerranée (MCM). Following this, a consortium of companies known as Corsica Marittima founded a new company named Corsica Linea, which commenced operations on 5 January 2016.
The first route was started between Marseille and Bastia, initially using the vessel Stena Carrier, hired from Stena Lines, then using Corsica Linea Dui, hired from Transfennica.
On 17 February 2016, Corsica Linea and MCM announced their merger, with all MCM property moving to Corsica Linea and Patrick Rocca, the owner, becoming a member of Corsica Marittima, the operating consortium.
During the next year, the former SNCM fleet was repainted into a new red, white and black livery. The only former SNCM vessel not to move into the Corsica Linea fleet was Corse, which was sold in spring 2016.
During the 2016 financial year, Corsica Linea estimated €170 million in revenue, a 40% increase compared to SNCM's operations in the previous year.
In 2019, Corsica Linea announced an order for their first new RoPax ferry from Cantiere Navale Visentini in Porto Viro. A Galeotta entered service in 2023 on the Marseille-Bastia route and is the first ferry to serve Corsica that is powered by LNG, demonstrating Corsica Linea's commitment to improving the energy performance and emissions of their vessels. The entry into the fleet of this new vessel will also allow the full-time transfer of the Jean Nicoli to the Maghreb lines and thus develop the service to Algeria with the reinforcement of the Marseille - Béjaïa line and the opening of a new link to Skikda. Other investments will be made to improve the quality of the service such as the renovation of the Mediterranean ferry. Also on this network, Corsica Linea will experiment before and after the season with new connections from Sète to Béjaïa and Skikda using the cargo ship Kalliste, chartered from La Méridionale.
On 8 January 2024, Corsica Linea announced the signing of a contract with Stena RoRo for a second new vessel, this time an E-Flexer powered by LNG. It will enter service in March 2026 on the Marseille-Ajaccio and Bastia routes, being chartered from Stena with an option for it to be purchased at a later date. It will be constructed at the AVIC Weihai Shipyard, Weihai, China. The vessel is expected to transition to operate with either Bio-LNG or e-LNG at a later date in line with the company's objective to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.
Fleet Image Ship Flag Built Entered service Gross tonnage Length Beam Passengers Vehicles Service speed Current status Danielle Casanova 2002 2016 176 m 30.4 m 2800 700 24 knots In service Jean Nicoli 1998 2016 200.65 m 25 m 1500 1000 26.4 knots In service Pascal Paoli 2003 2016 176 m 30.5 m 550 130 23 knots In service Paglia Orba 1994 2016 165.8 m 29 m 600 120 19 knots In serviceCapu di Muru19932026165 m29 m66516019 knotsIn service Méditerranée 1989 2016 165.8 m 27.4 m 2780 800 24 knots In service Vizzavona 1999 2018 188 m 28.7 m 800 130 23 knots In service A Galeotta 2022 2023 206 m 28.2 m 1000 149 22 knots In service Capu Rossu 2025 2026 203 m 27.8 m 1035 180 23 knots In service
Routes The Corsica Linea fleet makes round trips between Marseille and the ports of Ajaccio, Bastia, Ile Rousse, Propriano on Corsica. In addition, there are weekly departures from Marseille to the Algerian ports of Algiers and Béjaïa, as well as to Tunis. Seasonal connections to Skikda operate from June to September.
LinesDurationVesselFrequencyMarseille ↔ Bastia13 hours on averagePascal PaoliA GaleottaVizzavonaPaglia OrbaDailyMarseille ↔ Ajaccio12 hours on averageVizzavonaA GaleottaOn alternate dayMarseille ↔ Ile Rousse12 hours on averageMonte d'Oro3x weeklyMarseille ↔ Propriano13 hours on averageA NepitaPaglia Orba3x weeklyMarseille ↔ Tunis22 hours on averageJean NicoliDanielle Casanova1x weekly; 3x weekly (June–September)Marseille ↔ Algiers22 hours on averageJean NicoliMéditerranée1x weekly; 3x weekly (June–September)Marseille ↔ Béjaïa22 hours on averageJean Nicoli1x weekly Marseille ↔ Skikda22 hours on averageJean NicoliSeasonal (June–September)Sète ↔ Béjaïa22 hours on averageJean NicoliSeasonal (June–September)Sète ↔ Skikda22 hours on averageJean NicoliSeasonal (June–September)
Other companies Corsica Ferries La Méridionale Moby Lines
References
External links Site officiel