Grimaldi welcomes new ammonia-ready car carrier Grande Shanghai to fleet
Italian shipping company the Grimaldi Group took delivery of its newest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) in a ceremony on Wednesday, August 27.
Grande Shanghai is the first vessel in a series of five PCTCs built by China Merchants Heavy Industry Haimen to be capable of transporting 9,000 CEUs. Design work on the ships was undertaken by naval architecture firm Knud E Hansen of Denmark.
The PCTC has a length of 220 metres, a beam of 38 metres, a gross tonnage of 93,145, a cruising speed of 18 knots, and 14 vehicle decks. Grimaldi said the vehicle decks are capable of accommodating both electric vehicles and those powered by traditional fuels.
Grande Shanghai is also the first vessel in the Grimaldi fleet to obtain the "ammonia ready" class notation from classification society RINA. This certifies that she may be converted for the use of ammonia as an alternative fuel.
The PCTC has also obtained additional class notations from RINA including "green plus," "green star 3," "comfort vibration," and "comfort noise port."
The vessel also boasts a 5MWh lithium battery pack, 2,500 square metres of solar panels, a shore power connection, and silicon-based hull coatings to help reduce drag. The main engine is electronically controlled and is fitted with exhaust gas aftertreatment and selective catalytic reduction systems to reduce SOx, NOx and particulate matter emissions.
Additional innovations further minimising her environmental impact include an air lubrication system, an optimised hull design, and an innovative gate rudder, which Grimaldi said is installed for the first time on a PCTC. This rudder features two foil blades positioned on either side of the propeller to improve propulsion efficiency and manoeuvrability.
Grande Shanghai will make her maiden voyage on the East Asia–East Africa service, which was launched by the Grimaldi Group last June and now on its third departure.
Loaded with 7,000 linear metres of new rolling cargo units (including trucks, trailers, buses, tractors and agricultural machinery), the vessel will depart from the Chinese port of Taicang in early September and will subsequently call at Mombasa in Kenya and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
