Mega X as Mega Express Five in Nice
History
Name	1993–2006: Phoenix Express 2006–2025: Mega Express Five 2025–present: Mega X
Owner	1993–2005: Marine Express 2005–2006: Miyazaki Car Ferry 2006–2024: Forship S.p.A. / Corsica Ferries SAS 2024–2025: Caroline 71 SASU 2025–present: Bridgemans Services Group
Operator	1993–2005: Marine Express 2005–2006: Miyazaki Car Ferry 2006–2025: Corsica Ferries 2025–present: Bridgemans Services Group
Port of registry	1993–2006: Osaka, Japan 2006–2022: Genoa, Italy 2022–2025: Bastia, France 2025–present: St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
Route	Floatel workforce accommodation (at Pemba, Mozambique) Former: Toulon / Nice / Livorno / Savona – Bastia / Ajaccio / Golfo Aranci Former: Kawasaki – Miyazaki
Ordered	1991
Builder	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shimonoseki, Japan
Yard number	1001
Laid down	1992
Launched	1992
Completed	June 1993
Acquired	late 2025 (by Bridgemans Services Group)
Maiden voyage	June 1993
In service	1993
Identification	IMO number: 9035101 Call sign: V2A2013 MMSI number: 305013100
Status	in service (as floatel)
General characteristics
Class & type	Custom Mitsubishi Ro-Pax / Floatel
Tonnage	28,338 GT (originally 11,578 GT) 5,802 DWT
Length	177.70 m (583 ft 0 in)
Beam	25.00 m (82 ft 0 in)
Draught	6.60 m (21 ft 8 in)
Depth	9.30 m (30 ft 6 in)
Decks	9
Ramps	Aft and bow vehicle loading ramps
Installed power	2 × NKK-SMC-Pielstick 14PC4-2V main diesel engines (total 28,260 kW / 37,898 hp)
Propulsion	2 × controllable pitch propellers
Speed	26.0 knots (48.2 km/h; 29.9 mph) (service) / 29.0 knots (53.7 km/h; 33.4 mph) (max)
Capacity	275 cabins (workforce accommodation as floatel) Formerly 1,800 passengers / 600 cars
Crew	40–80
Notes	Sister ship to Rigel V

Mega X is a floating hotel operated by Bridgemans Services. Originally built as a ferry from 1992 to 1993 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Shimonoseki for Marine Express under the name Phoenix Express (フェニックス エキスプレス, Fenikkusu ekisupuresu), it entered service in June 1993 on inter-island routes between Honshu and Kyushu. Transferred in 2005 to Miyazaki Car Ferry following the bankruptcy of Marine Express, it was nevertheless withdrawn from service in 2006 due to its high operating costs. Sold to the Franco-Italian company Corsica Ferries, it was renamed Mega Express Five and underwent extensive renovations for almost three years in Messina, then in Genoa. Introduced in April 2009 on the service to Corsica and Sardinia from French and Italian ports, it remained operated by the company until its withdrawal in September 2025. Sold to the Canadian company Bridgemans Services, it will be used as a mobile floating hotel to house workers from spring 2026.

In 1990, the financially troubled Japanese company Nippon Car Ferry was acquired by Seacom. The new company, initially renamed Seacom Ferry, then decided to invest in the construction of new vessels to replace the ships currently in service between the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū, most of which dated from the 1970s. The order for two twin fast ferries intended to replace the Takachiho Maru and Mimitsu Maru between Kawasaki and Hyūga was therefore placed with the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyards.^[1]

Planned to measure 170 meters in length and have a gross tonnage of 11,500 GT, the future ships are significantly larger than their predecessors. Inspired by the model established by companies such as Taiheiyō Ferry and Higashi Nihon Ferry in the late 1980s, the Seacom ships' configuration is more oriented towards freight transport, with a spacious two-level garage occupying a total of four decks and a capacity of 100 trailers. Despite a reduction in passenger capacity to 600, the passenger areas are designed to be far more comfortable than those of other ships in the fleet, with corridors offering panoramic views. First class cabins with balconies are even planned, a feature few ferries offer today. However, the most notable characteristic of these ships lies in their propulsion system, designed to reach speeds of 26 knots.^[1]

The first of these, named Pacific Express, entered service in November 1992. That same year, Seacom Ferry severed ties with its parent company, resulting in its name change to Marine Express. The second ship, named Phoenix Express, was laid down at Shimonoseki on August 21, 1992, and launched on January 29, 1993. The finishing work continued until June, after which the ship was delivered to Marine Express on June 3, 1993.^[2]

The Phoenix Express entered service on June 20, 1993, between Kawasaki and Hyūga. It replaced the Takachiho Maru on this route and joined its sister ship, the Pacific Express, which had been launched a year earlier. Sailing at over 26 knots, the ship and its twin were the fastest in Japan. The following year, the two ferries also began operating trips to Miyazaki following the development of the port's infrastructure. On May 9, 2000, the car ferry struck a Kawasaki port beacon from the rear while maneuvering to depart, causing minor damage.^[3]

Starting in 2002, the Phoenix Express made a stop on the island of Shikoku during its crossings to Kyushu. The ship thus served Kōchi, in the south of the island, on its trips to Miyazaki, and also served Nachikatsuura in Wakayama Prefecture when sailing to Hyūga.^[1]

On June 15, 2005, Marine Express's operations were suspended and the company was placed into liquidation following severe financial difficulties. A large part of its assets and fleet, including the Phoenix Express, were transferred to the new company Miyazaki Car Ferry. The ship resumed service on June 20, between Osaka and Hyuga.^[1]

With rising fuel prices, operating the ship became increasingly expensive, as its mid-range engines consumed significantly more fuel than average. Faced with these high operating costs, the Phoenix Express was withdrawn from service on April 30, 2006, leading to the closure of the Hyūga line. In September, the ship was sold to the Italian company Forship SpA, a subsidiary of the Franco-Italian group Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries.^[1]

Received by its new owner on September 29, 2006, the ship was renamed Mega Express Five and left Japan that same day for the Mediterranean. Approximately three weeks after its departure, it arrived in Sicily and entered the Palumbo shipyard in Messina on October 22. While the technical specifications of this new ferry, particularly its size and speed, are similar to those of other Corsica Ferries vessels operating on the Corsica and Sardinia routes, its interior layout, and especially its cabins, are not up to the company's standards. Therefore, significant modifications are being made. More than just a rearrangement of the existing spaces, the work involves a major overhaul of the superstructure, including the addition of several blocks at the bow and stern, as well as two new openings on each side of the hull to house safety equipment. The project also includes the refurbishment of the bulbous bow and the addition of a ducktail stabilizer at the stern. This has radically altered the ship's silhouette, giving it a more massive appearance. Of the original Phoenix Express , only the lower hull, housing the garages and propulsion system, the funnel, and the bridge will be retained, although the latter will have its wings lengthened and the upper garage will be shortened to allow for the creation of a new deck, primarily housing new cabins. In the autumn of 2007, approximately one year after the ship's arrival in Messina, the reconstruction of the superstructure was already complete, but a financial disagreement between Corsica Ferries and the shipyard resulted in a work stoppage during negotiations. Following these negotiations, the company had the ferry towed to Genoa in August 2008, where the final finishing touches are being carried out. The transformations are finally completed in April 2009, this was almost three years after the car ferry was acquired. The modifications were so extensive that the Mega Express Five was reclassified as a new vessel upon leaving the shipyard, although the hull and machinery were still original.^[4]

On April 7, 2009, the new Corsica Ferries ship leaves Savona in the evening for its first commercial crossing to Bastia. The ship arrives in Corsica for the first time the following morning^[5] and departs that same evening for Toulon where it is presented to the public on April 9.^[6] The Mega Express Five subsequently began its regular service on Corsica Ferries' routes between Corsica and the French and Italian mainland. The arrival of this new Mega Express allowed the company to permanently base four ships in Toulon, thus ensuring a departure every evening to and from Ajaccio and Bastia. Also operating on other routes, the addition of this ship increased crossings by 17% during the summer season.^[7][8]

On May 31, 2014, while leaving the port of L'Île-Rousse, the ship struck a shoal. An abnormal vibration was felt by the crew, who nevertheless paid little attention to it. The Mega Express Five then made four more crossings until the leak caused by the collision was detected and plugged using onboard equipment before the vessel set sail for La Spezia for repairs, as the hull had been dented over a length of 50 mètres and cracked. This incident provoked strong reactions, and an investigation was opened. The report concluded that there had been negligence in the ship's operation by the captain and a failure to provide information by the company's management.^[9]

On February 4, 2021, he ship was immobilized in Toulon due to the discovery of four positive COVID-19 cases among the crew. In accordance with procedure, the other sailors were placed in isolation, and the car ferry was immediately disinfected and temporarily laid up in Vado Ligure to avoid congesting the Var port. Tests carried out on the other crew members revealed no new cases.^[10]

On September 5, 2025, the Mega Express Five, which departed from Sardinia in the morning, docked in Piombino and completed what would be its last voyage for Corsica Ferries. Withdrawn from service due to engine trouble, it joined on October 8 the shipyards of La Spezia. This new breakdown adds to a long list of repeated failures suffered by the ferry in recent years, some during the peak summer season,^[11] leading Corsica Ferries to decide to decommission it. In 16 years of operation, the vessel, despite being fully renovated, never fully satisfied its owners due to its disappointing performance compared to the other semi-fast ferries operated by the company. After reaching Naples on December 12, the Mega Express Five is withdrawn from the fleet and sold to the Canadian company Bridgemans Services.^[12][13]

On 9 January 2026, about a month after the transfer to Campania, it was announced by the company Bridgemans Services Group that it was the buyer of the unit, unlike what was reported by the Italian media, which considered it sold to the Arab company. The Canadian company also announced that, upon completion of the works the ferry is undergoing, which will adapt it to a new service as a floating hotel to be used on a charter basis at construction sites of large-scale LNG and energy plants around the world, the unit will be renamed Mega X.^[14][15] On 28 January, upon completion of the works, the ferry was officially renamed with the new name and three days later it sailed from Campania to Afungi, Mozambique, where it began service as a floating hotel to house workers engaged in the construction of an LNG plant.^[16]

Originally, the Phoenix Express had eight decks. While the ship actually spanned ten decks, two were omitted as garage decks to allow the ship to carry cargo. Commercially, the deck numbering began with the first upper garage deck (corresponding to deck 3). Passenger quarters occupied decks 4 and 5, while deck 6 was reserved for the crew. Decks 0, 1, and 2 housed the garages.^[4]

Following the ship's acquisition and the renovations undertaken by the Corsica Ferries group in 2006, the interior layout was significantly altered. Two decks were added, and the commercial numbering now corresponds to the total number of floors. Passengers now occupy decks 6, 7, 8, and 9, while the crew is housed in almost all of deck 9. Regarding the car deck, a removable car deck was added (creating deck 4, which had not previously existed), and the upper car deck was shortened to allow for the creation of deck 6.^[4]

During the ship's Japanese period, passengers had access to a 138 places restaurant, a 131 places lounge bar and a small forward lounge located on deck 5, as well as a shop, game rooms and two sentō on deck 4. Truck drivers had facilities specifically dedicated to them such as a dining room on deck 5 and sentō on deck 4.^[4]

During the transformations of 2006–2009, the layout of the facilities was completely reorganized, passengers now have three dining areas, a lounge bar and a lido bar with a swimming pool.^[4]

During the ship's 2017 technical stop, the facilities now bear a name common to all ships in the fleet.^[4]

Since then, the car ferry facilities have been organized as follows:^[4]

• Riviera Lounge, a comfortable lounge bar located in the middle of deck 7;
• Lido Beach Bar, outdoor bar with pool at the stern on deck 9;
• Dolce Vita, an à la carte restaurant located on deck 7 towards the rear of the ship;
• Yellow's, a self-service restaurant located at the stern on deck 7 offering classic cuisine;
• Gusto, a self-service restaurant offering Italian-inspired cuisine on deck 8;
• Sweet Cafe, a retail outlet located near Yellow's offering hot and cold drinks as well as various pastries;

In addition to these facilities, there is a shop located on deck 7, as well as a children's playroom and an arcade area nearby.

During the Phoenix Express era, passengers were divided into two classes based on the level of comfort of their accommodations. First-class passengers were housed in twelve two-bed cabins located at the front of pont 5 All had private bathrooms and balconies, and two of them were superior suites.^[4]

Second-class passengers had a choice of four Japanese-style rooms on deck 5, ten Western-style rooms on deck 4, eighteen 18-bed dormitories, one 12-bed dormitory, three 16-bed dormitories and one 75-bed dormitory, also on deck Drivers were accommodated in 11 six-bed rooms.^[4]

During the renovations undertaken by the Corsica Ferries group, the type and layout of the cabins were completely redesigned. All second-class cabins and dormitories were removed and replaced by 266 private four-berth cabins with private bathrooms, located on decks 6, 7, and 8. Ten cabins with a double bed were also added on pont 8 Only the original first-class cabins from the Japanese era were retained, although their decor was modernized. The two largest cabins were converted into luxury apartments accommodating up to five people. A lounge area with armchairs was also added at the rear of deck 6.^[4]

The Phoenix Express was 170 meters long and 25 meters wide, with a tonnage of 11,578 GT. It could carry 662 passengers and 90 vehicles in a spacious 1,400 linear meter freight garage accessible by two side ramp doors, one located at the bow on the port side and the other at the stern on the starboard side, as well as a rear door.^[4]

The Mega Express Five is now 177.7 meters long and has a tonnage of 28,338 GT. The ship can accommodate 1,965 passengers and has a garage with space for 560 vehicles spread over four levels. The garage is accessible via two ramp doors located at the stern; a third, smaller door, also located at the stern, allows foot passengers to directly access the ship's reception area on deck 6.^[4]

The Mega Express Five is powered by two Pielstick-Nippon Kokan 14PC4-2V diesel engines, each producing 33,980 kW and driving two propellers, propelling the vessel at a speed of 26 knots. The ship carries four large lifeboats, one rigid inflatable rescue boat (RIB), and several liferafts. Originally, the Phoenix Express only had liferafts and one RIB; the large lifeboats were added during its refit in Messina.^[4]

On behalf of Marine Express, from 1993 to 2005, the Phoenix Express connected the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū on the Kawasaki - Hyūga, Kawasaki - Miyazaki (from 1994), Kawasaki - Kōchi - Miyazaki and Kawasaki - Nachikatsuura - Hyūga (from 2002) routes. Transferred to Miyazaki Car Ferry in 2005, it was used between Ōsaka and Miyazaki until 2006.^[1]

From 2009, the vessel operated on Corsica Ferries routes between mainland France and Italy to Corsica and Sardinia, offering both overnight and daytime crossings. It primarily sailed from Toulon to Bastia, Ajaccio, and L'Île-Rousse, as well as Porto-Vecchio since 2016, but also from Nice, Savona, Livorno, and more recently, Piombino. The vessel occasionally sailed to Golfo Aranci and Porto Torres from Livorno, Piombino, Toulon, or Nice. In 2019, the car ferry occasionally sailed to Sicily between Toulon and Trapani. From the 2020s onward, the ferry has been more frequently deployed on routes departing from Italy during the summer season.^[1]

On May 9, 2000, while sailing, the ship struck a lighthouse in Kawasaki harbor with its stern, suffering minor damage.

On 31 May 2014, it ran aground on a shoal near L'Île Rousse, causing a breach in the hull. However, the ferry, which had already suffered a blackout in Bastia that morning, still set sail for Toulon. Nonetheless, once all passengers had been disembarked at the Provençal port, the ferry was transferred to the Muggiano shipyards, where it was repaired.^[17]

On the morning of July 14, 2021, a generator exploded in the port of Livorno. After various checks and safety measures, the Coast Guard allowed departure for Golfo Aranci.^[18]