THE ENHANCES ITS SERVICES TO

A fourth ro/ro vessel due to be deployed in May between , and

Naples, 27th April 2015 – The Grimaldi Group announces improvements in its offer of maritime services between mainland and Sicily. Starting from May, an additional ro/ro vessel will be deployed on the direct line that currently links the ports of Genoa, Livorno and Catania (Eastern Sicily), thus increasing both the loading capacity and frequency of the service.

Currently the connection between the ports of Livorno, Genoa and Catania is performed by three modern ro/ro vessels of the latest generation of the "Eurocargo" class, with a loading capacity of 4,000 linear meters of rolling cargo each. A fourth vessel, the " Eurocargo ", with a cargo capacity of 2,800 linear meters of rolling cargo and 500 cars, will be added to the fleet and will perform two additional weekly voyages both ways between Genoa, Livorno and Catania. Thanks to this investment, the Grimaldi Group enhances the Motorways of the between Central/Northern Italy and Catania, offering transport companies an additional annual transport capacity for 40,000 trucks and 50,000 cars and an almost daily service.

"With the decision to further strengthen the services to Sicily, the Grimaldi Group reaffirms its commitment to meet the current needs of the market " - said Emanuele Grimaldi, Managing Director of the Grimaldi Group, - "Without the extensive network of Motorways of the Sea offered by the Group to Catania and , transporters involved in trades between mainland Italy and Sicily would have faced higher difficulties caused by the current dramatic road conditions in Sicily ", concludes Emanuele Grimaldi.

To complete the range of services offered to Eastern Sicily, the Grimaldi Group operates the daily Motorway of the Sea between Salerno and Catania while on the Adriatic coast it offers a three times a week connection between the ports of Ravenna, and Catania.

Western Sicily is instead served four times a week by a service connecting Palermo, Genoa and Livorno. Finally, the Grimaldi Group also offers a biweekly service for both passengers and rolling freight between Palermo and Salerno.

"In an Island already seriously affected by the lack of infrastructure, the closure of the Motorway between Palermo and Catania threatens to lead to the closure of transport OMUNICATOcompanies STAMPA which have been struggling for many years to survive in such a competitive sector ." - comments Cinzia Franchini, president of the Truckers Association CNA Fita - "It is with great C satisfaction that we learn the decision of the Grimaldi Group to strengthen the connection PRESS between RELEASE Sicily and the North Eastern Italian mainland ," said the entrepreneur at the head of the Association since June 2011.

For further information: Grimaldi Group, External Relations: Paul Kyprianou Ph: +39 081496246, Email: [email protected] ______The Grimaldi Group operates a fleet of more than 100 ships and is a world leading operator in the transport of cars and ro/ro cargo. Established in 1947, the Group is headquartered in and has about 10,000 employees. In the passenger sector, the Group controls , leader in ro/ro transport in the Baltic Sea and , the Greek ferry operator leader in the and on the route between Piraeus and .