GNV Phoenix as Athara in Civitavecchia
History
Name	2003–2026: Athara 2026–present: GNV Phoenix
Owner	2003–2012: Tirrenia di Navigazione 2012–2025: Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione (Moby Group) 2025–present: Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) (MSC Group)
Operator	2003–2025: Tirrenia di Navigazione 2026–present: Grandi Navi Veloci
Port of registry	2003–present: Cagliari / Genova, Italy
Route	Genoa – Porto Torres Genoa – Palermo Civitavecchia – Olbia
Ordered	2000
Builder	Fincantieri Castellammare di Stabia, Italy
Yard number	6067
Laid down	2001
Launched	2002
Completed	June 2003
Acquired	2025 (by GNV)
Maiden voyage	29 June 2003
In service	2003
Identification	IMO number: 9263655 Call sign: IBDI MMSI number: 247086200
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	7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
Depth	9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
Decks	8
Ramps	Stern loading ramps
Installed power	4 × Wärtsilä-Sulzer 12V46C main diesel engines (total 51,360 kW / 68,875 hp)
Propulsion	2 × controllable pitch propellers
Speed	28.9 knots (53.5 km/h; 33.3 mph) (max) / 26.0 knots (48.2 km/h; 29.9 mph) (service)
Capacity	2,700 passengers (320 cabins / 1,212 berths) 820 vehicles / 915 lane metres for freight
Crew	50–70

GNV Phoenix is a 213.96-metre Fast Ro-Pax cruise ferry owned and operated by Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV). Originally built in 2003 by Fincantieri in Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, as Athara for Tirrenia di Navigazione, she was acquired by GNV as part of their major fleet modernization and officially renamed GNV Phoenix. Powered by four Wärtsilä-Sulzer diesel engines producing over 51,000 kW, she reaches service speeds up to 28.9 knots, serving core Western Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian ferry routes connecting mainland Italy with Sardinia, Sicily, and North Africa.

The ferry, with a length of 214 metres and a width of approximately 26, reaches a gross tonnage of 36,500 tons,^[1] becoming one of the largest ferries in Italy. However, these dimensions have created many problems in some ports of Sardinia such as Arbatax and Porto Torres, which have required adaptation works to accommodate the ferry and its other sister units.^[2]

It can accommodate 2,700 passengers and approximately 900 cars on board and has a cargo capacity of 915 linear meters, equivalent to approximately 70 semi-trailers. The ferry, like its sister ships, can be classified as a cruise ferry: this type of vessel, introduced in Italy by Grandi Navi Veloci in the early 1990s, provides high levels of onboard comfort for passengers, guaranteeing numerous services typical of cruise ships. In fact, the Bithia-class ferries are equipped with shops, bars, cinemas and restaurants, while the interior furnishings are quite luxurious. The ships are structured on eight decks, namely:

• Bridge 8 Command Bridge: Infirmary, kennel, solarium
• Deck 7 Rainbow Bridge: children's area, 648 second class seats and 68 cabins^[3]
• Deck 6 Boat Deck: Reception, central bar, party room bar, cinema, restaurant, self-service, shop
• Deck 5 Aurora Deck: 257 cabins
• Deck 4 Upper Garage: 373 cars
• Bridge 3 Car-Deck: 80 cars
• Bridge 3 Main Garage: 335 cars or 69 semi-trailers
• Bridge 2 Lower Garage 2: 60 cars
• Bridge 1 Lower Garage 1: 52 cars

Cabins are accessed using smart cards and dedicated readers. This system replaces standard locks to ensure greater passenger safety. The electronic system prevents break-ins. Each cabin has a dedicated bathroom with a sink, shower, and toilet. Given the relatively slow speed and large size of the ferry, passengers can remain outdoors toward the stern or on the two side decks of the Boat Deck (where the lifeboats are also located). In favorable weather conditions, passengers are permitted access above the Bridge Deck , where there is a helicopter landing area and a kennel where animals can sleep in special kennels. Boarding and disembarking takes place through the two stern doors, and foot passengers can board via escalators or elevators that lead directly to the Boat Deck.^[4]

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.^[5]

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.^[6] 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.^[7]

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.^[5]

The third ship in the series, the Athara, like its two sister ships, was commissioned from the Fincantieri shipyards in Castellammare di Stabia. Its construction began on August 2, 2002 and continues with its launch on January 1, 2003. Following the completion of the finishing work, Tirrenia took delivery of its third fast ship on June 18, 2003.^[5]

The ferry, the last of a series of three sister units commissioned between 1999 and 2000 by Tirrenia di Navigazione from Fincantieri, was launched on 14 January 2003 at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard with the name Athara and delivered on 18 June to the state-owned company, which on 29 June introduced it to the routes between Genoa, Olbia and Arbatax, also operating occasionally on the connections between the Ligurian port and Porto Torres, in rotation with the twins Bithia and Janas and with the Sharden and the Nuraghes. ^[5]

On 19 June 2012, the ferry was replaced by the latter two on the connections to Porto Torres and was returned to its original route, replacing the Nomentana.^{[8][9][10][11]} Subsequently, the ferry was transferred to the connections between Civitavecchia and Olbia,^[12] still in rotation with the other high-speed units of the fleet, where it operated until the summer of 2019, when, after a short period on the connections between Genoa and Olbia, it was placed on the connections between the Lazio port, Arbatax and Cagliari, where it joined the Moby Dada. At the end of the season it then returned to the Genoa and Porto Torres connections, where it operated until 17 December 2020, when, during navigation towards the Sardinian port, a semi-trailer in the ferry's garage caught fire, which forced the crew to return to Genoa, where the fire was put out.^{[13][14][15][16][17][18]} Following this, the ferry was stopped by the Italian authorities and transferred to Naples, where she remained under repair until May, when she was granted permission by RINA to resume passenger service.^[5]

On 3 December 2025, at the conclusion 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.^[19][20] On 18 February, after about a month of service on the connections between Genoa and Porto Torres, the ferry then set sail from the Sardinian port to Naples, which from the following day began to connect to Palermo, replacing the GNV Sirio. On 14 April, after two months of service, still under the banner of Tirrenia CIN, the ferry was transferred to the Naples shipyards, where it was renamed GNV Phoenix. However, despite the passage under the banner of the new company, on 28 April the ferry was chartered to Adria Ferries, GNV 's Adriatic partner, by which it was supposed to be used from 15 June on the connections between Bari and Durrës, replacing the 'Francesca and to cover the AF Marina crossings, operating under the commercial name of AF Phoenix.^[21][22] However, after the fire that broke out during the technical stop in the Naples port, the charter contract was terminated and the ferry replaced by the GNV sister ship Pegasus.^[5]

On 3 January 2004, the Athara, while docking at pier 4 in the port of Olbia, hit the bow of the Moby Freedom with its stern. The damage amounted to 300,000 Euro. The accident was due to human error as, despite the strong presence of the north-east wind, the Tirrenia operators did not ask for support from the tugboat Vincenzo Onorato. No damage was suffered by the 800 passengers and 400 vehicles.^[23]

On 29 January 2009, a fire broke out on board the Athara, around 9.30 pm. The ship had just left the port of Genoa, heading for Olbia. On board there were 49 crew members, 124 passengers and 40 vehicles in the garage. The on-board command alerted the Genoa Harbour Master's Office, confirming that dense smoke was coming from the garage without any visible flames. Blocked approximately seven miles from the port of Genoa, the Athara was reached by the fire brigade and the coast guard and then towed to port. The emergency services were also present at the dock, along with the fire brigade and the personnel of the Harbour Master's Office, as well as 118. The ship arrived at the mooring at 11.25 pm, where smoke clearance operations began. The fire was probably caused by the combustion of a refrigerated cell of a vehicle.^[24]

On January 24, 2019, in the port of Olbia, the Athara, docked in the harbor, collided with the Grimaldi Lines Cruise Bonaria, which was departing from the port. The ship suffered minor damage to the bridge, where two windows were broken, while the Cruise Bonaria's fencing was missing. The collision was caused by high winds, and the assistance of the tugboat was insufficient to prevent the accident.^[25]

On 27 May 2026, during the technical stop in the Naples shipyards, in view of the summer charter to Adria Ferries, a fire broke out on board the ferry, which quickly spread to the passenger rooms, burning them to death. Following this, the ferry, promptly assisted by the Italian authorities, was made safe.^{[26][27][28][29]}

• GNV Altair
• GNV Pegasus