GRANDE AUCKLAND © Grimaldi Group

Grimaldi Group Takes Delivery of 9,000 CEU Capacity Car Carrier GRANDE AUCKLAND

Ro-roThe GRANDE AUCKLAND, the second of seven new 9,000 CEU capacity PCTCs ordered by the Grimaldi Group at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard, has been delivered. The Ammonia Ready class notation received from RINA certifies that these new car carriers can be converted to use ammonia fuel in the future. Additionally, they are designed for cold ironing with shoreside supply of electricity.

The 200 m long and 38 m wide vessels will be deployed on voyages between Europe, North Africa, and the Near and Far East to meet the transport demands of operators in the automotive industry.

All seven vessels will be delivered during 2025 and 2026.

GRANDE AUCKLAND became the 601^st vessel delivered from the yard, following GRANDE TIANJIN, delivered a month ago. GRANDE MELBOURNE will follow in November this year.

The GRANDE AUCKLAND will make her maiden voyage on the Asia–Europe service, where she will remain deployed throughout 2025. The vessel will depart from Shanghai and Lianyungang carrying 4,900 vehicles and 3,300 lane metres of rolling cargo (buses, trucks, excavators, trailers) and will call at Agadir and Tanger Med (Morocco), Vigo (Spain), Antwerp (Belgium), and Southampton (UK). From Northern Europe, she will head back to Asia, with calls in La Réunion (French overseas department in the Indian Ocean), then Yokohama and Toyohashi (Japan), and finally Masan (South Korea).

The Grimaldi Group still has 14 more Ammonia Ready PCTC vessels on order, to be delivered between 2025 and 2027, which will further strengthen maritime connections with the Asian market.

Sep 09 2025