On January 29, China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) delivered the GNV Aurora — the fourth vessel in the luxury ro-pax series for GNV, a subsidiary of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) — at Nansha, Guangzhou. Built to GNV’s custom specifications, this large, modern green dual-fuel ro-pax vessel features a capacity of 1,800 passengers and 2,800 lane metres, and was officially named at a dedicated delivery ceremony.
This vessel is a large export ro-pax vessel independently developed, designed, and constructed by GSI, featuring fully proprietary intellectual property rights. It measures 218 meters in overall length, 29.6 meters in beam, with a design draft of 6.45 meters. The vessel has a gross tonnage of approximately 52,900 tons, a deadweight capacity of about 8,000 tons, and a design speed of 25 knots. The vessel features 12 decks and is equipped with facilities including a buffet restaurant, coffee shop, observation lounge, pizzeria, duty-free shop, airline seating area, children’s play area, and open-air bar. Seven elevators ensure efficient movement throughout the ship. Its 2,800-meter lane capacity can accommodate over 550 passenger cars or 150 40-foot container trailers.
The vessel’s propulsion system employs four 9-cylinder medium-speed dual-fuel diesel engines, achieving a speed of 25 knots at 83.5% rated power with a range of 3,300 nautical miles. Equipped with a low-pressure SCR denitrification system, it complies with IMO Tier III nitrogen oxide emission standards and meets RINA’s “Green Plus” certification requirements. The vessel incorporates a domestically produced steam turbine generator set (900kW), enabling recovery and utilization of waste heat from the main engines, significantly enhancing its energy efficiency index.
The noise level in the living areas is below 55 decibels, and in the public areas it is below 60 decibels, meeting RINA’s “COMF-VIB-B” vibration and “COMF-NOISE-B” noise comfort standards. The hull is coated with 7,200 square meters of a new type of silicone antifouling paint, which reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Separate isolation wards and epidemic prevention areas are provided, and the air conditioning system has obtained the “BIOSAFE” biosafety classification mark. All interior materials are 100% domestically sourced.
It is understood that GSI and MSC have jointly signed orders for the construction of four luxury ro-pax vessels in the same series. The first vessel, GNV Polaris, was delivered for operation in October 2024. The second vessel, GNV Orion, is scheduled for delivery in April 2025, while the third vessel, GNV Virgo, is scheduled for delivery in October 2025.
The naming and delivery of GNV Aurora marks the successful completion of two core projects jointly initiated by GSI and MSC: the 16,000 TEU container ships and the ro-pax vessels. This also represents the 12th vessel delivered by GSI to MSC.
Notably, on January 15, both parties held a groundbreaking ceremony for the first vessel in a newly contracted series of four 2,500-passenger/3,500-lane metres luxury ro-pax vessels.