(MENAFN - Arab News) Jolly Diamante, Italian group Ignazio Messina's biggest ro-ro or roll on/roll off container vessel in the world, has just reached Jeddah's Islamic Port with a cargo of 163 vehicles and 524 containers carrying sugar, fruit juices, rice, bitumen, tiles, marble and various machinery.
Built in 2011 by South Korean Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Company (DSME), the new jewel of the company is the first of 4 twin units to be delivered by DSME in the period between Dec. 2011 and Feb. 2013 at the total cost of 300 million.
The company - already owning 14 ro-ro multipurpose ships named Jolly because of their high commercial operation flexibility - designed in-house the technological advanced systems and ensured Diamante and other vessels in the fleet were environmentally friendly.
Among various recognitions from the Italian Naval Register (RINA) and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Jolly Diamante also received from RINA the prestigious "Green Plus" award, certifying the ship's very high safety and environmentally friendly system.
The boat weighs 19,876 tons and has a 46,634.6 dead weight, 240 meters overall length, 37.5 meters beam, 49.9 meters ramp length, 11.5 meters maximum summer draft and a 2,273 car deck capacity.
Chairman Paolo Messina, his managerial staff, Chairman of Al-Takamul group (Messina lines' general agent in Saudi Arabia) Prince Turki bin Mohammed Al-Abdullah, lead President of the Saudi Ports Authority Abdul Aziz Bin Mohamed Al-Teujry and Italian authorities visited the ship on Jan. 28.
Al-Teujry admired the view from the ship's ramp and control cabin of the amazing view of the port.
"I'm deeply impressed by the excellence I have seen today. This is the biggest ship that has visited the Jeddah Islamic Port and it will be an honor for us to host more and more Messina vessels," he said.
Consul General of Italy Simone Petroni was proud to observe a clear example of Italian distinction and competency in a critical period for the eurozone.
"This new born vessel and its arrival at Jeddah's Islamic port testifies the inner strength of our economy, the vigor of our maritime tradition and the special bond between the Messina group and Saudi Arabia that can boast 75 years of history," said Petroni.
"Messina group is also responsible for the transportation of 22 metro convoys built by Italian company AnsaldoBreda for Princess Noura University.
The metro is another recent product of our engineering and proves that despite the economic crisis, Italy is still one of the main characters of the European economy," he added.
