Italy-based shipping company Grimaldi Group has taken delivery of Grande Melbourne, the third of a series of seven ammonia-ready PCTC vessels on order at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) and China Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC).
Grande Melbourne has a loading capacity of 9,241 ceu and has been designed for efficient transport of both electric and traditional vehicles, along with any other type of rolling cargo. It has four decks and is capable of handling heavy loads of up to 250 tonnes and as high as 6.5 m.
A special ceremony for the official naming and delivery of the vessel took place at the port of Shanghai, China. Grande Melbourne is the third in line after the Grande Tianjin and Grande Auckland.
Signifying the strong cooperation between Grimaldi and Shanghai Haitong International Automotive Terminal, the latter’s director Xu Huayan acted as the godmother at the official naming and delivery ceremony of the Grande Melbourne.
“Our new-generation PCTCs are setting a new standard in the global transport of vehicles across key global routes, especially those connecting Asia to the rest of the world”, said Grimaldi Group managing director Emanuele Grimaldi. “Once again, we thank SWS for the excellent job made in the construction of the Grande Melbourne and her sister vessels.”
As part of her maiden voyage on the Grimaldi Group’s Asia-Europe service, the Grande Melbourne is scheduled to depart from Asia following cargo operations in China – at the ports of Taicang and Xiaomo – and in Thailand, at Laem Chabang. It will carry around 5,900 cars and 800 linear m of rolling cargo which is intended for Northern Europe. Following stops at the likes of Southampton, Antwerp and Bremerhaven, the vessel will continue towards Réunion, India and the Persian Gulf, before heading to Taiwan and back to China.
