The Grimaldi Group has held a naming ceremony in Jiangsu, China, for the ‘Grande Shanghai’, the first of ten next-generation PCTC (Pure Car and Truck Carrier) vessels commissioned from China Merchants Heavy Industries.
The first five vessels in the series will be capable of transporting 9,000 CEU (Car Equivalent Units), while the remaining five will offer an increased capacity of 9,800 CEU.
The Grande Shanghai is designed to combine high cargo capacity and environmental sustainability. Compared to the previous car carrier generation, fuel consumption per cargo unit transported is reduced by about 50%.
The design is the result of close collaboration between the Grimaldi Group and Danish naval architecture firm Knud E Hansen. At 220m in length and 38m beam, Grande Shanghai has a tonnage of 93,145gt and a cruise speed of 18 knots. Across 14 decks, the vessel is built to accommodate both electric vehicles and those powered by traditional fuels.
The Grande Shanghai is the first vessel in the Grimaldi fleet to obtain the ammonia ready class notation from the Italian Shipping Registry (RINA), which prepares for conversion for the use of ammonia as an alternative, zero-carbon fuel: considered a key step toward energy transition and efficient, carbon-free maritime transport. Grande Shanghai has obtained additional class notations including green plus, green star 3, comfort vibration, and comfort noise port.
The vessel integrates various green technologies including lithium batteries with a total power of 5MWh, 2,500m2 of solar panels, and cold ironing with shoreside supply of electricity where available. Advanced energy optimisation systems feature silicon-based hull coatings to reduce drag, smart ventilation and air conditioning controls, an electronically controlled engine with an exhaust gas cleaning system to reduce SOx and particulate matter emissions, and selective catalytic reduction to limit NOx emissions below IMO Tier III levels.
Additional environmental innovations include an air lubrication system, optimised hull design, and a novel gate rudder installed for the first time on a PCTC vessel. This rudder, featuring two foil blades positioned on either side of the propeller, improves propulsion efficiency and manoeuvrability.
Image: Grimaldi’s first ammonia-ready green PCTC (credit: Grimaldi Group)
