The Grimaldi Group has taken delivery of MV Grande Pacifico, its largest Pure Car & Truck Carrier (PCTC). The vessel is the first of five sister ships built by China Merchants Heavy Industries Jiangsu.
The 220-metre vessel is now the largest PCTC in Grimaldi’s fleet by cargo capacity. It can carry up to 9,800 CEU. The ship has 15 decks, compared with 9,000 CEU and fewer decks on the previous five-vessel series from the same shipyard. The new design builds on that earlier series.
MV Grande Pacifico has a beam of 38 metres, a gross tonnage of 95,534 and a service speed of 18 knots. It can carry electric and conventional vehicles, as well as CNG-powered vehicles.
The vessel has been designed to allow future conversion to ammonia operation. It uses several technologies to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. These include a 5 MWh lithium-ion battery system, 2,500 square metres of solar panels and an air-lubrication system. The ship also has shore-power capability and a gate rudder designed to improve propulsion efficiency and manoeuvrability. Its main engine features exhaust-gas treatment systems.
MV Grande Pacifico will enter commercial service on Grimaldi’s Asia-Europe route. Its maiden voyage will depart Taicang, China, carrying more than 6,900 vehicles and over 900 linear metres of rolling cargo. The cargo will be delivered to Antwerp, Belgium, and Southampton, UK.
The vessel is part of Grimaldi’s wider fleet renewal programme. The group ordered 17 new PCTCs between 2022 and 2023, with a total investment of more than $1.6 billion. The new generation combines higher cargo capacity with lower energy consumption.
