Just last month, the Grimaldi Group added the new car carrier “Grande Pacifico” to its fleet. Now its sister ship, the “Grande Egitto”, is set to join the fleet.
The China Merchants Heavy Industries Jiangsu shipyard was commissioned to build the Pure Car & Truck Carrier (PCTC). The “Grande Egitto” is the shipping group’s fourteenth ammonia-ready vessel .
The “Grande Egitto” is 220 m long and 38 m wide, has a gross tonnage of 95,534 GT and achieves a service speed of 18 kn. Thanks to the layout of its 15 decks, its cargo capacity is 9,800 CEU. In addition to electric vehicles and conventionally powered vehicles, the ship is also designed to carry vehicles powered by compressed natural gas (CNG).
The “Grande Egitto” consumes up to 50% less fuel
The “Grande Egitto” has been awarded the “Ammonia Ready” class notation by the Italian classification society RINA. This confirms that the vessel can be retrofitted to operate using ammonia as a carbon-free alternative fuel. In addition, the newbuild has been awarded several other classification notations, including ‘Green Plus’, ‘Green Star 3’, ‘Comfort Vibration’ and ‘Comfort Noise Port’.
Thanks to numerous environmentally friendly technologies installed on board, the “Grande Egitto” can reduce fuel consumption by 50% compared with earlier-generation car carriers, according to Grimaldi.
The vessel is fitted with lithium batteries with a total capacity of 5 MWh and is designed for shore power supply (cold ironing) in suitably equipped ports. This enables it to operate emission-free whilst berthed in port.
In addition, there are solutions to improve energy efficiency, including 2,500 m² of solar panels, intelligent energy management systems, a silicone coating on the hull to reduce drag, an air lubrication system, an optimised hull design, and the innovative Gate Rudder, which improves both propulsion efficiency and manoeuvrability.
Furthermore, the electronically controlled main engine is fitted with exhaust gas after-treatment systems that reduce emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). According to the shipping company, NOx emissions are well below the IMO Tier III limits.
Grimaldi calls at Egypt regularly
The name of the new car carrier reflects Egypt’s strategic importance for the Grimaldi Group’s global and regional maritime connections. The Italian company has had a presence in the country for several decades and regularly calls at the port of Alexandria as part of its Euro-Med network.
The maiden voyage of the “Grande Egitto” begins next week on the Asia–East Africa service, which connects markets in the Far East with the key trading centres of East Africa. At the Asian ports of Taicang (China), Yokohama and Nagoya (Japan), the vessel will load a total of 4,150 cars and 6,200 running metres of roll-on/roll-off cargo – including excavators, buses and lorries – bound for Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Mombasa (Kenya).
“With the ‘Grande Egitto’ entering service, we are giving a further significant boost to the expansion and modernisation of our vehicle transport fleet,” explained Emanuele Grimaldi, Managing Director of the Grimaldi Group. “This new vessel, with a capacity of 9,800 CEU, combines commercial efficiency with environmental sustainability. By deploying it on the Asia–East Africa route, we aim to respond specifically to the demands of an increasingly dynamic market and offer our customers regular, flexible sea links with the lowest possible environmental impact.”
Grimaldi adds the largest new-build PCTC vessel to its fleet
