Grimaldi’s fleet keep growing: five eco-friendly ships ordered in China

Genova – The order signed less than two months ago commissioned five car carriers from Chinese shipyards. Yesterday Emanuele Grimaldi doubled the investment, asking the Beijing shipbuilding sector to build another five.

The Italian shipping group has thus put 630 million dollars on the plate to expand the fleet of ships that will transport the vehicles from the production factories - including Italian and European ones - to the destination markets. Car carriers are a particular type of unit for transporting cars and Grimaldi is one of the main world operators in this sector.

GREEN CHALLENGE 
The new order for the Grimaldi fleet was awarded to Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company and China Shipbuilding Trading Company: these are two companies that are part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the main shipyard of the Dragon, the one which signed an agreement with Fincantieri and Carnival for the construction of the first cruise ships made in China.

Grimaldi has decided to order five PCTCs (the Pure Car & Truck Carriers), also adding the option for two more units which would bring the total investment to more than 630 million dollars.

The ships are giants in their category: they are 200 meters long, 38 meters wide and have a load capacity of 9,000 ceu (Car Equivalent Unit, the unit of measurement which is roughly equivalent to the number of vehicles that can be transported on board).

The new units have also been designed for the transport of electric vehicles (cars, SUVs and vans) as well as those powered by fossil fuels and for "other types of heavy rolling goods up to 250 tons” explains the shipping company.

The transport of new electric vehicles is one of the great challenges of shipping: the level of attention for this particular type of goods is very high because some recent accidents have shown that continuous training and effective systems are needed to prevent battery fires from breaking out on board of vehicles.

Grimaldi's ships will be super-technological and equipped with a new version "of an electronic engine characterized by specific consumption among the lowest in the category - explains the company - Equipped with emission abatement systems, the new units will comply with the most stringent limits established internationally".


NEW FUELS
New fuels The new ships will also be prepared for the use of ammonia, the new green fuel in which a part of shipping has decided to invest: they will therefore be able to be converted in a subsequent phase, to the use of ammonia as an alternative fuel with zero emissions of carbon.

The ships will also be equipped for the supply of electricity from shore during mooring, i.e. capable of exploiting cold ironing "which, where available, constitutes a green alternative to the consumption of fossil fuels during stops in port".

THE FLEET EVOLVES
The ships ordered represent an evolution of the 6,700-vehicle units delivered to the group between 2016 and 2018 (such as the “Grande Baltimora”, “Grande New York” and “Grande Halifax”): “In addition to the significant increase in capacity, thanks to design innovations and engines and latest generation systems - the group explains - the new ships will be characterized by an index of CO2 emissions per cargo transported which is 27% lower than that of the ships of the previous generation".

The units will be delivered between 2025 and 2026 and will be used to enhance the group's services between Europe, North Africa, the Near and Far East: "The new order is a sign of the trust that the company places in the growth of the international car market, with particular reference to the electric car segment," explains Grimaldi.

The agreement with the shipyards "also comes at a very important time for the Chinese maritime industry, in light of the recent entry of the China Shipowners' Association (the association representing Chinese shipowners and naval operators) into the International Chamber of Shipping, the body that represents over 80% of the world's merchant tonnage".