The Grimaldi Group has commissioned the construction of nine RoPax vessels from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai), a China Merchants Group company.
The agreement for these new builds, worth $1.5 billion, was signed this morning in Hong Kong. The new ships have been designed to elevate the quality of maritime transport for both rolling cargo and passengers in the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea.
All nine will be equipped with engines capable of running on methanol, making them ready to achieve the “Net Zero Emission” goal, reported the Grimaldi Group.
Four of the new vessels will sail under the Italian flag and be operated under the Grimaldi Lines brand, while two, under the Greek flag, will be deployed by the Greek subsidiary Minoan Lines.
These six sister ships belong to the “Next Generation Med” class and will serve routes in the Mediterranean.
The other three will be delivered to Finnlines, sail under the Finnish flag and inaugurate the “Hansa Superstar” class, constituting the evolution of the already “Superstar” series, intended for routes in the Baltic Sea.
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All nine ships will be delivered between 2028 and 2030 and will feature green technology innovations. Optimised hull and propeller designs, energy-efficient onboard power management systems (both at sea and in port), shore power readiness and the application of silicon-based hull coatings will reduce CO₂ emissions per transported cargo unit by more than 50 per cent compared to vessels currently operating on the same routes.
With a length of 229 metres, the new Mediterranean RoPax vessels will have a cargo capacity of 3,300 lane metres for rolling freight and over 300 cars. They can accommodate up to 2,500 passengers, offering more than 300 cabins (for a total of over 1,200 guests) and approximately 700 reclining seats.
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“As a leader in high-end equipment manufacturing in China, China Merchants Industry Group and CMI Weihai Shipyard will bring together a top R&D team, lean manufacturing system and full life cycle service system to ensure high-quality project delivery and help Grimaldi further consolidate its leading position in the European and global RoRo shipping market,” said Miao Jianmin, President of China Merchants Group.
“China Merchants Industry is willing to continue to work with the Grimaldi Group to deepen cooperation in cutting-edge fields such as zero-carbon fuel and smart ships and jointly provide more efficient and sustainable shipping solutions for global customers.”
