Italy-based Grimaldi Group has held a naming ceremony for Grande Shanghai, the first of 10 next-generation PCTCs on order at China Merchants Heavy Industries. The new delivery is Grimaldi’s first ammonia-ready car carrier.
The first five vessels will be capable of transporting 9,000 ceu, with the remaining five offering an increased capacity of 9,800 ceu. Compared to previous car carrier generations, the Grande Shanghai reduces fuel consumption per cargo unit transported by 50 percent, according to Grimaldi.
Measuring 220 m in length and 38 m in beam and with a gorss tonnage of 93,145 tonnes, the ship’s design developed by Grimaldi and Danish naval architecture firm Knud E. Hansen. With 14 decks, Grande Shanghai can transport both electric vehicles and those powered by traditional fuels.
The vessel is the first in Grimaldi’s fleet to obtain the ammonia-ready class notation from the Italian Shipping Registry (RINA), which certifies that it may be converted for the use of ammonia as an alternative, zero-carbon fuel. Grande Shanghai has various energy efficient technologies fitted aboard, including lithium batteries with a total power of 5 MWh, 2,500 sq m of solar panels, and cold ironing with shoreside supply of electricity where available.
Grande Shanghai also has silicon-based hull coatings to reduce drag, 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. Moreover, the vessel has a gate rudder which features two foil blades positioned on either side of the propeller, which improves propulsion efficiency and movability.
Earlier this year, Grimaldi took delivery of Eco Napoli, the last of its 14 ships in the Grimaldi Green 5th Generation (GG5G) class.
