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Naples, 21 February 2022
With regards to recent allegations from the Greek Union of Professional Truck Drivers (SEOFAE) concerning the poor conditions of travelling of their members onboard the Euroferry Olympia, which took fire on the night of the 18th of February, the Grimaldi Group wishes to make the following statement.
Like other vessels of the Grimaldi Group, the Euroferry Olympia undergoes regular cleaning and sanitation of both cabins and common areas while maintenance works are commonplace. The good conditions of the vessel were, in fact, confirmed last 16th of February in Igoumenitsa, where the Euroferry Olympia underwent a Port State Control inspection (smoke detection and firefighting systems included) by Greek authorities, which ended with satisfactory results.
According to international regulations (SOLAS Convention, etc.), access to the garage decks by passengers is absolutely forbidden, while the vessel is in navigation. This safety rule is strictly applied by Grimaldi Group vessels. Moreover, in order to make sure that such rule is observed by all passengers onboard, particularly by truck drivers, the cargo area evacuation is checked before departure and designated crew teams regularly patrol the garage decks during navigation.
If any truck driver decides fraudulently to hide himself in his truck, this behaviour is a flagrant offense against International Regulations and Grimaldi rules which can put at risk his own and the ship's safety.
With regards to allegations by SEOFAE of an overbooking of the Euroferry Olympia in Igoumenitsa on the night of the 18th of February, this is another inaccurate statement, as the electronic booking system (for freight and passengers) of the Grimaldi Group does not allow any overbooking. In the particular case of passengers, only 42% of the passenger capacity was occupied during the voyage of the Euroferry Olympia of last 18th of February.
In terms of passenger accommodation, the 77 cabins (equivalent to 308 beds) and 409 reclining seats of the vessel could easily and comfortably accommodate the 239 passengers (159 of which drivers) that were travelling onboard (for a journey of 9 hours and not 25 hours as wrongly stated by the Union).
It is important to mention that, as in all vessels of the Grimaldi Group, a certain number of cabins were allocated to truck drivers in order to satisfy their needs. In this respect, all 159 drivers present onboard had a cabin accommodation as well as 26 other passengers.
Finally, allegations that the Euroferry Olympia transporting trucks carrying hazardous freight could not transport passengers too, this is once again an inaccurate statement as the said vessel is a ro/pax unit, certified to carry both passengers and freight, including IMO cargo.
Two Passengers Rescued From The Vessel Euroferry Olympia
Naples, 18 February 2022
The Grimaldi Group informs that, in the late afternoon today, the Greek search and rescue teams managed to find and take two passengers out from the Euroferry Olympia, where they had been stuck up to that moment.
They are a Bulgarian citizen and an Afghan citizen, who were both evacuated and promptly transported to the hospital of Corfu for a medical check-up.
Regarding the vessel's state, thanks to the continuous work of the firefighting teams, the fire on board the Euroferry Olympia is currently under control, while the ship cooling activities continue.
The top management of the Grimaldi Group wishes to express its deep gratitude to all the Italian and Greek authorities involved in the rescue operations, in particular to the Italian Guardia di Finanza and the Greek Coast Guard for their prompt intervention.
New update about the incident on board the vessel Euroferry Olympia
Naples, 18 February 2022
Passengers and crew members evacuated from the vessel Euroferry Olympia, on which a fire broke out last night off the Greek island, disembarked safely in Corfu at the end of the morning.
After undergoing checks by Greek authorities, evacuees have been offered complete assistance and hotel accommodation by the Grimaldi Group, while waiting to receive green light from the competent authorities to proceed with their transfer to their places of residence.
Following a check of the passengers and crew members evacuated in Corfu, 13 people would be missing. Meanwhile, five of these passengers have been traced down on board and their recovery and evacuation operations immediately started with any means available on site.
In addition, ship recovery operations continue with the use of specialized tugs. There are currently no fuel spills or other types of environmental damage.
For the rescue operations, the Grimaldi Group promptly appointed the Dutch company SMIT Salvage, a global leader in the rescue sector.
Last February 16, in Igoumenitsa, the Euroferry Olympia underwent a Port State Control visit, which ended with a positive outcome. The ship is subject to regular checks by the competent authorities as required by international legislation on navigation safety.
Update about the incident on board the vessel Euroferry Olympia
Naples, 18 February 2022
The Grimaldi Group reports that last night a fire occurred on board its ro-pax vessel Euroferry Olympia while she was about 10 miles north of the island of Corfu.
At 04:12 a.m. (local time) the ship's Master contacted the Group's headquarters informing that a fire had broken out in deck No. 3. The ship's crew immediately intervened to put out the fire with on board equipment. Meanwhile, the Master and the Group's staff, through the "emergency response team", promptly notified the incident to the competent Italian and Greek authorities and took all necessary measures to manage the accident in the best possible way.
For the safety of the people on board, the Master decided that everyone should abandon the ship. According to preliminary information, the evacuated people were rescued by a vessel of the Italian Guardia di Finanza and one of the Greek Coast Guard who were in the area. These units are heading to the port of Corfu where the Group is organizing assistance for the evacuees.
On board the ship there were 239 passengers of various nationalities, as well as 51 (Italian and Greek) crew members. In addition, the ship carries 153 commercial vehicles (trucks and trailers), as well as 32 passenger vehicles. No fuel spill has been detected at sea, nor does the stability of the ship appear to be compromised.
Tugboats have been hired and are heading towards the Euroferry Olympia to give prompt support and manage the emergency.
The vessel Euroferry Olympia (built in 1995) flies the Italian flag and is deployed by the Grimaldi Group company Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. on the daily Brindisi-Igoumenitsa maritime connection; she had left the port of Igoumenitsa at 01:20 a.m. (local time) last night and was scheduled to arrive in Brindisi this morning at 09:00 a.m..
The top management of the Grimaldi Group expresses its regret for the incident and will fully cooperate with the competent authorities to shed light on the incident.
The Grimaldi Group, headquartered in Naples, operates a fleet of over 130 vessels and employs approximately 15,000 people. Wholly owned by the Grimaldi family, it is a multinational logistics Group specialised in the operation of roll-on/roll- off vessels, car carriers and ferries. It comprises seven shipping companies, namely: Grimaldi Deep Sea, operating in the transport of rolling cargo and container on the Atlantic routes and between the Mediterranean and West Africa; Grimaldi Euromed, specialized in the transport of rolling freight in Europe, in the Motorways of the Sea and in the transport of passengers in the Mediterranean with the Grimaldi Lines brand; Atlantic Container Line, which offers transport services for containers and rolling cargo between North America and North Europe; Malta Motorways of the Sea, shipowning company; Minoan Lines, operating in Greek cabotage for the transport of freight and passengers; Finnlines, operating in freight and passengers transport in the North and Baltic Sea; Trasmed GLE, active in the transport of freight and passengers between mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands.
The maritime connections are the core of an advanced logistics chain, which includes port terminals and road transport companies. The over 20 port terminals owned/operated by the Grimaldi Group are located in 12 countries around the world: Italy, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin. Most of these terminals are fitted with Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) facilities, warehouses and workshops.
Grimaldi Group press release
