The Pure Car & Truck Carrier “Grande Mirafiori” was delivered last 12 September to the Grimaldi Group at the shipyard of Yangfan, in Zhoushan. After the “Grande Torino”, which entered the fleet in December 2018, this is the second out of seven sister units ordered by the Neapolitan group to the Chinese shipyard.
The “Grande Mirafiori” has a length of 199.90 meters, a beam of 36.45 meters, a gross tonnage of 65,255 tons and a service speed of 19 knots. The vessel flies the Italian flag, and is one of the largest PCTCs on the market: in fact, she can transport approximately 7,600 CEU (Car Equivalent Units) or, alternatively, 5,400 linear meters of rolling units and 2,737 CEU. This is an extremely flexible vessel: with her four hoistable decks, the Grande Mirafiori is able to load any type of rolling freight (trucks, tractors, busses, excavators, etc.) up to 5.3 meters high.
Moreover, the vessel is fitted with a side ramp and a quarter stern ramp, the latter allowing the loading of freight units with a weight of up to 150 tons. The configuration of the various decks and the system of internal ramps reduce to a minimum the risk of damages during the loading or unloading of rolling units.
From an environmental point of view, the “Grande Mirafiori” is a highly performing ship. She is, in fact, fitted with an electronically-controlled (Man Energy Solutions) main engine, allowing her to meet the new regulations for the reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx), as well as with an exhaust gas cleaning system for the abatement of sulphur oxide emissions (SOx). Moreover, she is equipped with a ballast water treatment unit, which will allow her to meet the future international regulations.
“With the delivery of the ‘Grande Mirafiori’, our fleet is enriched by a new PCTC among the biggest, most innovative and environmentally sustainable in the world”, comments Emanuele Grimaldi, CEO of the Group. “The name of this unit recalls the historic Fiat plant, which has celebrated its 80th birthday this year. We thus honour the long and fruitful partnership that has been linking us for half a century to one of the most important car manufacturers in the world”.
The “Grande Mirafiori” will further boost the weekly ro-ro service operated by the Grimaldi Group between the Mediterranean Sea and North America (Canada, United States and Mexico), along with the already operating “Grande Torino”, “Grande Halifax”, “Grande Baltimora” and “Grande New York”. The connection serves regularly 14 ports: Gioia Tauro, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Savona (Italy), Valencia (Spain), Antwerp (Belgium), Halifax (Canada), Davisville, New York, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Houston (USA), Tuxpan and Veracruz (Mexico).
