GNV Polaris, a new large Ro-Pax ferry ordered by Italian shipping company Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV), departed for Hong Kong for its maiden voyage on Wednesday, October 30.
GNV Polaris was designed and built by China's Guangzhou Shipyard International in compliance with RINA class rules. It will commence operational sailings in January 2025 and will be deployed on GNV's Eastern Mediterranean routes.
The newbuild has an LOA of 218 metres, a beam of 29.6 metres, a design draught of 6.45 metres, a depth of 10 metres, and a gross tonnage of 46,000. There are 12 decks with 298 cabins in various classes for up to 1,500 passengers and a total of 3,100 lane metres for 600 cars or 200 trailers.
Onboard facilities include restaurants, duty-free shops, bars, children's play areas, a passenger space with airline-style seating, and an isolation ward to help prevent the spread of airborne diseases. Passenger access between the different decks is via five lifts and two escalators.
The ferry's design also promises low noise levels. Even when underway, the outside noise heard from within the passenger cabins is limited to 55 dB while the noise level in the other public areas does not exceed 60 dB.