The Grimaldi Group has taken delivery of the ‘Grande Auckland’, the second of seven PCTC (Pure Car & Truck Carrier) units commissioned by the Group from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company (SWS) and China Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC) – both part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
With a length of 200m, a beam of 38m, and around 77,500gt, the Grande Auckland has been designed for the transport of vehicles — cars, SUVs, vans, both electric and powered by traditional fuels — as well as other types of rolling cargo. The vessel offers a loading capacity of 9,241 CEU and is equipped with four decks suitable for the transport of large rolling units, including heavy loads of up to 250t and a maximum height of 6.5m.
The MAN B&W 7S60 ME-C10.6-HPSCR electronically controlled main engine ensures one of the lowest specific fuel consumption rates in its class and complies with environmental regulations regarding CO₂, NOx, and SOx emissions. In particular, thanks to the optimised dimensions that maximise loading capacity, proven ship design, new technologies and next-generation systems, the Grande Auckland significantly reduces the CO₂ emission index per transported cargo; by up to 50% compared to previous-generation PCTC vessels.
Furthermore, the vessel has been awarded the Ammonia Ready class notation by RINA, certifying that it can be converted in the future to use ammonia as a zero-carbon alternative fuel. Grande Auckland is designed for connection to shore-side electricity while docked — a green alternative to using traditional marine fuels, where such infrastructure is available.
The name of this new ship is a tribute to the city of Auckland, New Zealand, which since 2023 has been regularly served, on a monthly basis, by Grimaldi vessels arriving from Europe.
The Grande Auckland’s maiden voyage will be on the Asia–Europe service, where it will remain deployed throughout 2025. The vessel will depart from Shanghai and Lianyungang carrying 4,900 vehicles and 3,300 linear meters of rolling cargo (buses, trucks, excavators, trailers) and will call at Agadir and Tanger Med (Morocco), Vigo (Spain), Antwerp (Belgium), and Southampton (UK). The return voyage from Northern Europe to Asia will include calls in La Réunion (French overseas department in the Indian Ocean), then Yokohama and Toyohashi (Japan), and finally Masan (South Korea).
The Grimaldi Group still has 14 more Ammonia Ready PCTC vessels on order, to be delivered between 2025 and 2027, which will further strengthen maritime connections with the Asian market.
Image: ‘Grande Auckland’ and sister vessel ‘Grande Melbourne’ (source: Grimaldi Group)
