The vessels worth USD 300 million will be built at the Chinese Yangfan shipyard, with an option for another seven units
As part of the expansion and modernisation programme of its owned fleet, the Grimaldi Group has recently signed an agreement for the construction of five new PCTCs (Pure Car Truck Carriers), for a total investment of USD 300 million, with an option for another seven units.
The five new units, whose delivery is expected by 2017, will be able to transport over 7,800 rolling units and will be deployed on the Group’s regular service linking the Mediterranean with North America. This service is specifically dedicated to the transport of brand new vehicles produced by FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) with destination the US and Canadian markets.
“Besides being the largest car carriers on the market, the newbuildings will be highly efficient in terms of fuel consumption and environmental friendliness, so as to be named “The Green PCTCs”, commented the President of the Grimaldi Group, Gianluca Grimaldi, together with the Managing Directors Emanuele Grimaldi and Diego Pacella.
With this new order, the Grimaldi Group enriches its latest newbuilding programme which started in 2013. The current order list of the Group includes also the delivery, by the end of the year, of two con/ro vessels, last of a series of six units built at Korean shipyards, all to be deployed on the Group’s services linking Europe to West Africa.
Moreover, five con/ro vessels will be delivered by 2016 to the subsidiary company Atlantic Container Line. With a loading capacity of 3,800 TEU, 28,900 square meters of rolling freight and 1,307 cars, they will be the largest vessels of their type ever built in the world, as well as faster, cleaner and more efficient than the ones currently in service to ACL.
The Grimaldi Group operates a fleet of more than 100 ships and is a world leading operator in the transport of cars and ro/ro cargo. Established in 1947, the Group is headquartered in Naples and has about 10,000 employees. In the passenger sector, it controls Finnlines, leader in ro/ro transport in the Baltic Sea and Minoan Lines, the Greek ferry operator leader in the Adriatic Sea and on the route between Piraeus and Crete.
www.grimaldi.napoli.it
