GNV Altair

GNV Altair in La Spezia
History
Name	2002–2026: Janas 2026–present: GNV Altair
Owner	2002–2012: Tirrenia di Navigazione 2012–2025: Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione (Moby Group) 2025–present: Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) (MSC Group)
Operator	2002–2025: Tirrenia di Navigazione / Moby Lines 2026–present: Grandi Navi Veloci
Port of registry	2002–present: Cagliari / Genova, Italy
Route	Genoa – Olbia Sète – Algiers / Béjaïa Former: Genoa – Porto Torres Former: Civitavecchia – Cagliari
Ordered	2000
Builder	Fincantieri Castellammare di Stabia, Italy
Yard number	6066
Laid down	2000
Launched	2001
Completed	2002
Acquired	2025 (by GNV)
Maiden voyage	2002
In service	2002
Identification	IMO number: 9222534 Call sign: IBVB MMSI number: 247057100
Status	in service
General characteristics
Class & type	Bithia-class Fast Ro-Pax Cruise Ferry
Tonnage	35,736 GT 4,700 DWT
Length	213.96 m (702 ft 0 in)
Beam	26.40 m (86 ft 7 in)
Draught	6.50 m (21 ft 4 in)
Depth	9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
Decks	9
Ramps	Stern loading ramps
Installed power	4 × Wärtsilä-Sulzer 12V46C main diesel engines (total 50,400 kW / 67,587 hp)
Propulsion	2 × controllable pitch propellers
Speed	28.5 knots (52.8 km/h; 32.8 mph) (max) / 26.0 knots (48.2 km/h; 29.9 mph) (service)
Capacity	2,700 passengers (356 cabins / 1,212 berths) 915 vehicles / 2,000 lane metres for freight
Crew	50–70

GNV Altair is a 213.96-metre Fast Ro-Pax cruise ferry owned and operated by Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV). Built in 2002 by Fincantieri in Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, as Janas for Tirrenia di Navigazione (later Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione / Moby Group), she was acquired by GNV at auction and renamed GNV Altair. Powered by four Wärtsilä-Sulzer diesel engines producing 50,400 kW, she reaches speeds of up to 28.5 knots, operating routes connecting mainland Italy and France with Sardinia and North Africa.

History

Origins and construction

In the late 1990s, the state-owned company Tirrenia di Navigazione, the main concessionaire for maritime routes between mainland Italy, Sardinia, and Sicily, launched a major program to renew its fleet in service of territorial continuity. This followed a decision made by the Italian government in September 1998, to dismantle the state-owned holding company Finmare, which notably owns Tirrenia, and eventually privatize all of its subsidiaries. Taking advantage of its final years under state control, the company then planned to put into service several large-capacity vessels to replace the Strade Romane-class ferries on its main routes. It was thus decided to design two new classes of ships, financed by substantial subsidies received under the territorial continuity scheme. Of these two classes, one would be used in Sicily while the other would serve Sardinia.

Regarding the ships intended for service to Sardinia, Tirrenia will opt for the design of semi-fast car ferries inspired by the vessels operated in the Adriatic Sea by the Greek companies Superfast Ferries and Minoan Lines. This type of ship, combining size, capacity, and high speeds, is currently favored by many shipowners in the Mediterranean, and in particular by private competitors such as Moby Lines and Sardinia Ferries, which have already placed orders for fast ferries. In addition to protecting itself against competition from these future ships, the choice of fast car ferries is also consistent with Tirrenia's strategy, which throughout the 1990s focused on speed, notably with the introduction in the Western Mediterranean of the first high-speed ships capable of transporting vehicles in 1993. Initially, the company's project envisioned ships with a very large towing capacity, aiming to capture a portion of the freight traffic transiting to Sardinia. However, the Grimaldi Group, already present in this sector through its subsidiary Grimaldi Ferries, took legal action, alleging unfair competition. Since the public service specifications did not justify the increased towing capacity, Tirrenia's future ships were subject to a limited garage area, equivalent to that of the Strade Romane class ferries, which impacted their design. Despite this constraint, Tirrenia's new ferries boasted particularly impressive dimensions, with a length of 214 meters and a tonnage exceeding 35,000 gross tons. Because of these dimensions, Tirrenia's new units surpass those of Moby or Sardinia Ferries, whose length has been deliberately limited to allow for more versatile operation, particularly in Corsica.

With a passenger capacity of 2,700 people, including over 1,200 in berths, they are the largest ships ever to sail to Sardinia. Thanks to their length, the amenities can be concentrated on a single deck. These include two bars, two restaurants, and entertainment options such as a cinema, game rooms, a library, and a shop, all presented with elegant décor. Despite the limit of approximately 830 linear meters for hauling, they are still capable of transporting 900 vehicles spread across the equivalent of three levels. The main characteristic impacted by this restriction is that freight capacity will be limited to 70 units. Finally, to enable these ships to reach high speeds, their propulsion system will be four Wärtsilä high-speed engines, which at the time were the most sophisticated on the market and were also used by competing vessels. These machines, combined with the hull design incorporating a narrow width relative to the length, will give the ships speeds approaching 30 knots.

Shortly after ordering its first ship from the Fincantieri shipyards in Castellammare di Stabia, Tirrenia placed an order for a second identical vessel from the same builder, which had already constructed the majority of the company's ships in the past. Named Janas after the prehistoric Sardinian tombs known as Domus de Janas, the second ship of the Bithia class was laid down on February 15, 2001 and launched on September 22 of the same year. After six and a half months of finishing work, Tirrenia took delivery of its new car ferry on April 9, 2002.

Service

Tirrenia di Navigazione (2002-2026)

The Janas was put into service during the month of April 2002, between Genoa and Porto Torres. On this route, it rejoins its sister ship, the Bithia, launched in July of the previous year. Periodically, the ship is also used on the Civitavecchia - Olbia route. On September 2, 2003, at approximately 6:30 a.m., while maneuvering to dock in Genoa, the Janas struck the jetty of the Andrea Doria quay. While the impact caused only minor damage to the ship, which sustained a dent in its bow bulb, the port infrastructure suffered more significant damage, estimated at over one million euros. None of the passengers on the ship, which was full that day, were injured, while four vehicles sustained minor damage inside the garage. The Janas was able to return to sea that same evening after being inspected by the authorities. A few weeks later, the ship would be involved in a second incident, on October 15, as it was leaving the port of Civitavecchia in strong winds, a 35-knot gust drove the car ferry against the port breakwater. The collision caused some damage to the starboard side, all located above the waterline. None of the 500 passengers on board were injured, and the Janas was able to complete its crossing to Olbia. On its return journey, however, it was taken to Palermo for repairs.

In 2012, as part of its privatization, Tirrenia was placed under the control of Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione (CIN), in which its competitor Moby Lines held a majority stake. Following the sale, the historical entity Tirrenia di Navigazione was dissolved in favor of a new entity called Tirrenia-CIN, which acquired the assets of the former company. Thus, the Janas and the other ships in the fleet became the property of this new entity.

In 2015, Moby Lines finally acquired the remaining shares of CIN and became the sole owner of Tirrenia. This change was further marked a few years later, in 2018, when most of the former state-owned company's ships were repainted with liveries featuring DC Comics characters. However, unlike much of the fleet, the Janas still retains Tirrenia's original livery.

As the 2010s drew to a close, Moby Lines faced significant financial difficulties stemming from the acquisition of Tirrenia and the disruptions to maritime traffic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation, however, took a positive turn with the acquisition of a stake in Moby by the MSC Group in 2022. The company's restructuring plan nevertheless included the short-term sale of the Bithia-class vessels, whose limited roll-on/roll-off capacity made them unsuitable for maritime traffic between the mainland and Sardinia.

Starting in the month of June 2023, the ship was chartered by the Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) company to replace La Superba in the fleet, which was out of service due to a fire. The Janas was then used throughout the summer on the Genoese shipowner's routes, particularly to Sicily on the Genoa- Palermo line. At the end of the charter, October 1st, it is returned to Tirrenia and resumes its usual assignment towards Sardinia.

Grandi Navi Veloci (since 2026)

On 3 December 2025, at the end of the auction in which the ferry was on sale together with four other units of the fleet, its sale to the MSC group was announced, by which it will be used under the banner of its subsidiary Grandi Navi Veloci. On 15 January 2026, a few days after the actual transfer of ownership of the ferry to the new company, it was then announced that it would be renamed GNV Altair and subsequently introduced into the connections between Sète, Algiers and Béjaïa, initially scheduled for 21 February. On 4 April, at the end of the technical stop in La Spezia, the ferry then returned to Genoa, where it will take up service for GNV. On 11 April it was finally moved to Barcelona, which on the evening of 13 April started connecting to Ibiza and Mahón, replacing the Golden Bridge. On 25 April, after about ten days of service in the Balearic Sea, the ferry was replaced by the Golden Bridge and moved, as initially planned, to the connections between Sète, Algiers and Béjaïa, replacing the Excellent. In June it was finally moved to the connections between Genoa and Olbia, where it replaced the sister ship GNV Pegasus, scheduled on the route.

Facilities

The GNV Altair has 9 decks. While the ship actually spans 10 decks, one is missing in the garage area to allow for the transport of trailers. Passenger quarters occupy all of decks 5 and 6, as well as a large part of deck 7, while crew quarters are located forward on deck 7 and on deck 8. Decks 3 and 4, as well as the forward sections of decks 2 and 1, house the garages.

Common areas

The GNV Altair is equipped with a wide variety of facilities all located on deck 6. Among them are a lounge bar and piano bar located towards the rear, an à la carte restaurant and a self-service restaurant located at the front, as well as a cinema, a card room, a library and a shop in the center.

Cabins

The GNV Altair has 326 cabins, mostly located on deck 5 and at the rear of deck 7. These cabins, both inside and outside, are generally equipped with two to four berths and private bathrooms including a shower, toilet, and sink. In addition to these cabins, the ship offers 952 Pullman seats in two lounges located on deck 7.

Features

The GNV Altair is 214 meters long and 26.40 meters wide, with a tonnage of 35,736 GT. The ship has a passenger capacity of 2,700 and a garage with space for 900 vehicles on four levels. The garage is accessible via two ramp doors located at the stern. Propulsion is provided by four Wärtsilä 12V46C diesel engines, producing 51,364 kW of power, driving two controllable-pitch propellers, giving the vessel a speed of 29.5 knots. The GNV Altair carries six large, enclosed lifeboats, three located on each side near the midships. These are complemented by two rigid inflatable boats and several liferafts with automatic inflators. The ship is equipped with two bow thrusters to facilitate docking and undocking maneuvers.

Routes served

Since its commissioning, the Janas had been operating year-round on the route between mainland Italy and Sardinia. It primarily sailed between Genoa and Porto Torres and also operated on other Tirrenia routes such as Genoa - Olbia, Civitavecchia - Olbia, and Civitavecchia - Arbatax - Cagliari before losing its concession in 2021.

After being acquired by GNV, the GNV Altair mainly serves the Sète - Algiers - Béjaïa route.

Sister ships

• GNV Pegasus
• GNV Phoenix