Ammonia-Ready PCTC Enters Service
On October 22, the port of Shanghai hosted a ceremony for the official naming and delivery of the Grimaldi Group’s latest vessel, the Grande Melbourne.
This is the third of a series of seven cutting-edge, ammonia-ready pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) commissioned at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company Limited (SWS) and China Shipbuilding Trading Company Limited (CSTC), both subsidiaries of CSSC.
With a length of 200 meters, a beam of 38 meters, and a gross tonnage of approximately 77,500 tons, the 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 has a loading capacity of 9,241 CEU (Car Equivalent Units), with four decks also capable of carrying other rolling cargo, including heavy loads of up to 250 tons and as high as 6.5 meters.
As part of its maiden voyage on the Grimaldi Group’s Asia-Europe service, the Grande Melbourne is scheduled to depart from Asia later this month, following cargo operations in China - at the ports of Taicang and Xiaomo - and in Thailand, at Laem Chabang. On board, it will carry around 5,900 cars and 800 linear meters of rolling cargo (wheel loaders, excavators, tractors, buses) bound for Northern Europe.
After calling at several ports in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean - including Southampton, Antwerp, Wilhelmshaven, Bremerhaven, Setubal, and Tanger Med - the vessel will continue its voyage towards Reunion, India and the Persian Gulf, before reaching Taiwan and returning to China.
The latest addition to the Grimaldi Group’s fleet is named after the city of Melbourne, Australia. Since 2023, this port is part of the regular monthly service dedicated to the transport of rolling cargo from Europe to Oceania.
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.
The Grande Melbourne reduces the CO₂ emissions index per transported cargo by up to 50% compared to previous-generation PCTC vessels.
Additionally, it has received the "Ammonia Ready" class notation from RINA and is equipped for shore power.
