GNV Partners with Moroccan National Tourism Office to Enhance Maritime Connectivity
In a significant development aimed at bolstering its presence in the Moroccan market, GNV has officially inked a strategic partnership with the Moroccan National Tourism Office. This collaboration, which spans from 2027 to 2029, is designed to support GNV's growth within Morocco while enhancing maritime connections and passenger flow between Morocco and Europe. The announcement was made during the seventh edition of the GNV Awards, held in Marrakech last weekend, marking a pivotal moment for the company.
The partnership is poised to launch joint initiatives to promote Morocco as a prime destination, implementing integrated communication campaigns across GNV’s channels and the Moroccan National Tourism Office in key European markets. Additionally, it aims to develop travel offerings that combine maritime transit with Moroccan tourism experiences, specifically targeting European travelers and the Moroccan diaspora residing in Europe.
This collaboration will also support institutional initiatives and events organized by GNV in Morocco in partnership with national tourism stakeholders, reinforcing the kingdom's role as a gateway between Europe and Africa. Given that the Moroccan market is one of GNV's most dynamic and significant markets—both in terms of tourism and trade movements, as well as connections with the Moroccan community in Europe—the partnership is seen as a strategic move towards further growth.
GNV Fleet Expansion with Four New Vessels Set for 2027
In conjunction with this announcement, GNV revealed the names of four new vessels that will join its fleet: GNV Jupiter, GNV Mars, GNV Venus, and GNV Mercury. Each of these vessels is designed to operate on liquefied natural gas, representing a commitment to sustainability within the maritime industry. This new generation of ships draws its names from celestial bodies, following a previous naming convention based on stars, which included names like Polaris, Orion, Virgo, and Aurora.
The GNV Jupiter will be the first of this quartet to enter service, currently under construction at Guangzhou Shipyard International in China. This ship will have the capacity to accommodate 2,500 passengers and 3,500 linear meters of cargo, featuring 500 cabins, and is expected to join the fleet by the end of 2027. This announcement is part of a broader plan to renew and expand GNV’s fleet, supported by the MSC Group, which has already seen four advanced ships introduced into service over the past eighteen months.
Matteo Catani, the CEO of GNV, emphasized Morocco's growing importance as one of the company’s most dynamic markets, asserting that the partnership with the Moroccan National Tourism Office aligns naturally with GNV’s growth trajectory alongside local institutions and partners. He highlighted the essential role maritime connections play in supporting mobility, tourism, and economic exchanges between the shores of the Mediterranean, reiterating the company’s commitment to continued investment to enhance this role.
Additionally, Matteo Della Valle, GNV's commercial director, noted that the GNV Awards represent a crucial annual opportunity for the company to engage with tourism and travel professionals, expressing gratitude for the partnerships that have contributed to transporting approximately 2.2 million passengers in the first nine months of 2026. This positive performance reflects the value of collaborative efforts with commercial partners and sets promising expectations for the 2027 season, bolstered by an expanding network and a continually evolving fleet.
As for the operational statistics, GNV reported transporting around 2.2 million passengers and 1.84 million linear meters of cargo from January to September 2026, marking a 2% increase in passenger numbers and a 5% rise in cargo volumes compared to the same period in 2025. These results indicate a positive trend and steady growth in volume over the medium term, despite varying demand dynamics across different markets.
In North Africa, passenger volumes have continued on a positive trajectory, with Algeria solidifying its outcomes from the previous year, while Morocco and Tunisia have maintained performance levels similar to 2025. Furthermore, routes to the Italian islands have shown positive results, with an 8% increase in passenger and cargo movement to Sicily and a 6% rise towards Sardinia, while volumes associated with the Balearic Islands and Albania remained largely stable.
As reported by ar.telquel.ma.
