ITALY’s Grimaldi has taken delivery of the third in a series of ammonia-ready PCTCs from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding and named it Grande Melbourne.
The ship has a loading capacity of 9,241 CEU, with four decks also capable of carrying other rolling cargo, including heavy loads of up to 250 tonnes and 6.5 metres in height.
With dimensions of 200 x 38 metres and a gross tonnage of approximately 77,500 tons, Grimaldi says Grande Melbourne has been designed for efficient transport of vehicles (cars, SUVs, vans, etc.), both electric and powered by traditional fuels, as well as any other type of rolling cargo.
The vessel is equipped with a state-of-the-art 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 maximizes loading capacity – proven ship design, innovative features, and state-of-the-art systems, Grande Melbourne reduces the CO₂ emissions index per transported cargo by up to 50% compared to previous-generation PCTC vessels, Grimaldi says.
Additionally, it 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. It is also 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.
Gfrimaldi noted the ship’s name recognises the port is part of the regular monthly service dedicated to the transport of rolling cargo from Europe to Oceania, managed in Australia by Nautical Shipping.
Nevertheless, as part of its maiden voyage on the Grimaldi Group’s Asia-Europe service, Grande Melbourne is scheduled to depart from Asia later this month, following cargo operations in China’s Taicang and Xiaomo and Thailand’s Laem Chabang with around 5,900 cars and 800 linear metres of rolling cargo. (wheel loaders, excavators, tractors, buses) bound for Northern Europe.
Separately, Grimaldi’s 2003-built, 5,300 TEU Grande Roma suffered an engine room fire which disabled the ship 25 October in the English Channel during a voyage from Antwerp to Jebel Ali. No injuries occurred but tug assistance was sought; as of 27 October the ship was still reported as adrift.
This is the second fire incident involving Grimaldi vessels in the English Channel this year; in February, an outbreak on Grande Brasile was initially contained, but hours later a secondary fire broke out on one of the vehicle decks. The vessel was subsequently abandoned and towed to Belgium, where it was ultimately scrapped in April.