As part of its fleet expansion and renewal programme, the Grimaldi Group has ordered nine ropaxes from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai), part of the China Merchants Group, costing around $1.5 bill.
All nine ropaxes will be equipped with engines capable of running on methanol, making them ready to achieve the company’s ‘net zero emission’ goal.
Four of the new vessels will sail under the Italian flag and be operated under the Grimaldi Lines brand, while two, flying the Greek flag, will be deployed by Greek subsidiary, Minoan Lines.
These six sisterships will belong to the next generation ‘Med’ class and will operate on Mediterranean routes.
The remaining three will be delivered to Finnlines, sail under the Finnish flag and inaugurate the ‘Hansa Superstar’ class.
All nine ships will be delivered between 2028 and 2030 and will feature green technology solutions.
For example, optimised hull and propeller designs, energy-efficient on board 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%, compared to vessels currently operating on the same routes, Grimaldi claimed.
With length of 229 m, the new ‘Med’ class ropaxes will have a cargo capacity of 3,300 lane m for rolling freight and for over 300 cars and will be able accommodate up to 2,500 pax, offering more than 300 cabins (for a total of over 1,200 guests), plus about 700 reclining seats.
Passengers will have access to numerous on board amenities, including three bars, a shopping area, a conference hall, two self-service restaurants, an à la carte restaurant, an indoor/outdoor lounge with a sun deck featuring two pools, and a rooftop disco bar.
The six so called ‘next generation med’ ships will be the first to operate in the area designed to run on methanol.
As for the three newbuildings designated for the Baltic, they will be 240 m long, with a cargo capacity of 5,100 lane m for rolling freight, plus 90 cars, and accommodation in 320 cabins for up to 1,100 pax.
This new design is based on Finnlines’ Superstar’ class vessels, ’Finnsirius’ and ’Finncanopus’, but has been adapted for the Finland/Germany route.
They have been designed to suit longer crossings, featuring new cabin categories and will provide restaurant options tailored to different passenger preferences, with a strong focus on comfort and on board experience.
Facilities include five bars and restaurants, a spa with a wide range of services and treatments, including a Finnish sauna, shops, and two children’s play areas designed for different age groups.
One of the standout features will be the main bar at the bow of Deck 12, which will offer views of the Baltic during the crossing.
“China Merchants Industry Group and the Grimaldi Group have always been adhering to the concept of ‘innovation-driven, quality first’, making breakthroughs in green ship technology and intelligent shipping, and jointly defining a new benchmark in ropax vessels.
“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 ro-ro shipping market,” said Miao Jianmin, President of China Merchants Group (pictured right).
“China Merchants Industry is willing to continue to work with the Grimaldi Group to deepen co-operation in cutting-edge fields, such as zero-carbon fuel and smart ships and jointly provide more efficient and sustainable shipping solutions for global customers,” he said.
“With the order of these nine extraordinary ropax vessels, we continue and strengthen our long, successful alliance with China Merchants Group, an outstanding partner for the building of cutting-edge ships,” added Emanuele Grimaldi, Managing Director of the Grimaldi Group (pictured left).
“The new ‘next generation med’ and ‘Hansa Superstar’ classes are the result of a thorough study of our customers’ needs and, more broadly, those of shipping.
“Today more than ever, the latter requires quality, efficiency and environmental sustainability to remain a key mode of national and international freight and passenger transport.
“In particular, the exceptional performance in CO₂ emission reduction and the use of methanol as an alternative fuel bring our Group even closer to the global goal of net-zero emissions, further solidifying our position as a leading player in short-sea transport in the Mediterranean and Baltic regions,” he concluded.
