(AGI) Rome, Feb 17 - A direct maritime line from the port ofCivitavecchia to Halifax in Canada and Baltimore in the UnitedStates has been launched by Naples' Grimaldi Group - one of themost important in the European shipping industry. The new lineis one result of the recovery in the automotive market. "Wewill transport automobiles built in FCA's Melfi plant,including the Renegade, the first Jeep built outside the U.S.,and the 500X. From Melfi the vehicles will go by rail to theport, whence four ships, with a total capacity of 25,000vehicles, will make a 13-day Atlantic crossing," explainedGuido Grimaldi, in a MediTelegraph interview. "There was a bitof a debate as we were originally supposed to sail fromSalerno, but the port there lacks multi-storey car parks andcould not guarantee us enough space." These, the firstcar-carrier ships to cross the ocean, are not the onlyinnovation offered by Grimaldi. There will also be connectionsbetween Savona and Barcelona for cargo and passengers. "Eighthundred kilometres separate Savona from Barcelona, and the shiptakes 18 hours to cover that distance. It is within the 24-hourlimit required by the perishable goods sector, and preventsdrivers from exceeding the maximum legal times at the wheel. Itis also less expensive: 1.20 euro per kilometre is the all-roadfreight cost, whilst our inclusive charge is 0.40." (AGI) . .