Moby Lines ferry service

Moby Lines, originally known as Navigazione Arcipelago Maddalenino (NAVARMA), was founded in 1959 by Achille Onorato. The company began by operating ferry services between Sardinia and the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago, using a single ferry, the M/S Maria Maddalena, purchased from Denmark. Over the years, NAVARMA expanded its fleet and services, introducing new routes to the Italian mainland and acquiring additional ferries. In 1992, the company rebranded as Moby Lines, signaling its intent to expand beyond regional archipelago services into broader Mediterranean ferry operations. The company is primarily owned by the Onorato family through Onorato Armatori, with Vincenzo Onorato serving as Chairman and his son, Achille Onorato, acting as CEO. In 2022, the MSC Group acquired a 49% stake in Moby for €150 million as part of a rescue package, followed by a €243 million loan in 2023 to support restructuring efforts. However, due to an Italian antitrust probe into potential market dominance in ferry services, MSC's subsidiary SAS agreed in October 2025 to divest its stake back to Onorato Armatori free of charge, restoring full family control. Moby operates through subsidiaries, including the now-defunct St. Peter Line, which handled Russian Baltic Sea routes until ceasing operations around 2022 due to geopolitical factors. Additionally, Moby integrates with Tirrenia, acquired in 2015, to manage shared routes and public service obligations under the Onorato Group umbrella.