In the port of Messina has arrived Athena, the new ship of the Bluferries, company of the Logistic Pole of the group Italian Railways of the State active in the marine transport of the Strait of Messina. 105 metres long and 18 metres wide, Athena has a bridge dedicated to the transit of vehicles and one for passengers and can carry up to 22 Tir or 125 vehicles and 393 people between passengers and crew members. The ship, built by the Greek ship yard Kanellos and launched last July in the Hellenic capital, and is ready to enter service this summer between Messina and Villa San Giovanni for the ferrying of commercial means, cars, caravans, campers and motorcycles.

Athena - it has emphasized the managing director of Bluferries, Giuseppe Sciumè - "signs a significant step forward in the field of sustainable marine technology. It is a hybrid ro-ro passenger ship, characterized by a hybrid system of last generation, which testifies our commitment to environmental protection". the company has specified that the hybrid drive will allow a reduction of 56% of the emissions of CO2 regarding the most vetuste ships of the fleet and of 13% regarding the twin ships not hybridTrinacria and Sikania, thanks to the technology "zero emissions" during the operations of approach to port, load and exhaust, through the use of the only electric motors whose batteries are loaded in phase of navigation through the electric motors. In addition, the solar panels installed on board provide 25kW of energy, feeding all vessel accommodation services. Athena presents additional qualitative environmental parameters: The main motors, for example, are able to operate with diesel mixture with biodiesel up to 20% and on board there is a system for the production of fresh water, resulting in a reduction of water consumption greater than 70%.

The new ship is the result of an investment of 26 million euros, partly financed with the funds of the National Plan of Complementary Investments to the PNRR. Athena joins the two-way naval units Enotria, Fata Morgana,Trinacria and Sikania of the fleet of Bluferries.