TRIESTE – Actv’s Marco Polo 1 ferry is returning to Venice after a refit lasting around a year and a half at the S&Y yard in Brindisi. The vessel, assigned to the routes linking Venice, Lido and Pellestrina, will be completed at Actv’s yards in Pellestrina and Tronchetto, with service resumption scheduled for February 2026.
The investment totals almost €5 million and covers a full overhaul: removal of the upper ramps, a new automation system, and a complete refurbishment of structures, mechanical systems and onboard furnishings. The goal is to provide greater comfort and more functional spaces, with a slightly lower car capacity than the sister ships San Nicolò and Metamauco.
Marco Polo 1’s return will also make it possible to start scheduled maintenance on Metamauco, already assigned to the Adriatic Shipyard yards in Chioggia, with a return expected in October 2026. The next vessel will be Lido di Venezia, for which the tender process is under way.
Once onboard works are completed, the crew familiarisation phase will begin. In recent weeks, the chief engineers of the motor vessels Altino and Acquileia have already tested part of the new automation system, easing the transition towards Marco Polo 1’s full operation. As for fleet renewal, Actv is awaiting expressions of interest for the purchase of a second-hand ferry to be adapted to lagoon regulations. Construction also continues on the new flagship of the ferry fleet at San Giorgio del Porto’s Piombino yard, with delivery expected in summer 2027.
The renewal of Actv’s waterborne fleet continues. After the entry into service of the new out-of-lagoon motobattelli Cannaregio and Dorsoduro, “Castello”, the third unit in the series dedicated to Venice’s sestieri, has also been in service in recent days. Like Castello, Cannaregio and Dorsoduro, the new out-of-lagoon units—built with a total investment of more than €2 million each—recall the traditional design of Actv’s “caffettiere” and reintroduce an important feature: fully functional and accessible toilets on board.
Each unit is 31 metres long, over 5.5 metres wide and can carry up to 400 passengers. Gross tonnage is 140 tonnes, while maximum displacement is 125 tonnes with a maximum draught of 1.5 metres. The vessels are equipped with two diesel propulsion engines and gearboxes with Stage V emissions class (equivalent to Euro 6), air conditioning, an audio-video system, four spaces for passengers with disabilities and security cameras. More motobattelli of the same type will follow. The introduction of additional units (hybrid or diesel) is also planned over the coming years, gradually bringing the total number of new out-of-lagoon vessels to around fifteen.
These craft will complement the other new vessels and related infrastructure included in the investment plan which, for waterborne services, amounts to €177 million, partly also self-financed by Actv.
