A new Pure Car & Truck Carrier (PCTC) ‘Grande Manila’ has been delivered to the Grimaldi Group and christened in Shanghai.
Built by SWS (Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company Limited) and CSTC (China Shipbuilding Trading Company Limited) – both part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC) – the vessel is the Italian group’s seventh ammonia-ready unit, being prepared for the future use of ammonia as an alternative, zero-carbon fuel.
With a length of 200m, a beam of 38m, and around 77,500gt, the Grande Manila has been designed for the efficient transport of vehicles, both electric and powered by traditional fuels, as well as other types of rolling cargo. The vessel has a loading capacity of 9,241 CEU (Car Equivalent Units), with four decks capable of carrying heavy loads of up to 250t and as high as 6.5m.
The Grande Manila pays tribute not only to the capital of the Philippines, but to the entire maritime community of the country for the contribution it makes to the global shipping industry. The vessel’s name reflects the growing importance of the Asian nation within the Group’s commercial network: following the recent launch of a new service connecting China with the port of Batangas with two sailings per month, Grimaldi aims to expand its presence in other Philippine ports including Manila.
Grimaldi Group MD Emanuele Grimaldi said: “With the arrival of Grande Manila we are celebrating, on the one hand, a new and important milestone in the expansion and modernisation of our fleet, and on the other, our increasingly strong ties with the Philippines, a country with a great seafaring tradition. Filipino seafarers represent a fundamental resource for our fleet: their professionalism, dedication and reliability are values that contribute every day to the safety and efficiency of our operations. For our part, also through the partnership with the Ho family and Magsaysay Group, we reaffirm our commitment to the growth and well-being of this extraordinary human capital. At the same time, by adding Philippine ports to our network of services, operated regularly by state-of-the-art vessels, we will further contribute to the sustainable growth of the country’s economy.”
The maiden voyage of the Grande Manila will begin with departure from Taicang (China) carrying over 5,800 cars and 1,300 linear metres of other rolling cargo (buses, trucks, excavators, wheel loaders), which will be delivered to the United Kingdom, Spain and Belgium and, via transhipment at Grimaldi’s Antwerp hub, to other Northern European and Mediterranean destinations. From Europe, the vessel will sail back to East Asia, with the return to China scheduled for the end of April.
The Grande Manila is equipped with an electronic engine, which offers one of the lowest specific fuel consumptions in its class and complies with the most stringent international limits for CO₂, NOx, and SOx emissions. In particular, thanks to its size – which maximises loading capacity – proven ship design, innovative features, and up-to-date systems, the Grande Manila reduces the CO₂ emissions index per transported cargo by up to 50% compared to previous-generation PCTC vessels.
Additionally, the Grande Manila has received the ‘Ammonia Ready’ class notation from RINA (Italian Naval Register), certifying that it can be converted in the future to use ammonia as a zero-carbon alternative fuel. The ship is equipped for shore power supply during berthing (cold ironing), which, where available, provides a green alternative to the use of traditional fuels while docked in port.
Image: ‘Grande Manila’ delivery (source: Grimaldi Group)
