A PCTC (Pure Car & Truck Carrier) is the second new ship to enter the Grimaldi fleet in a year that promises to be full of novelties for the Neapolitan Group. This morning the Grimaldi Group took delivery of the Grande Texas, the sixth of a series of seven car carrier units commissioned from the Chinese shipyard Yangfan located in Zhoushan.

The Grande Texas is 199.90 metres long and 36.45 metres wide; she has a gross tonnage of 65,255 tonnes and a service speed of 19 knots. The vessel, which flies the Italian flag, is among the largest PCTCs on the market: in fact, she can transport around 7,600 CEU (Car Equivalent Units) or alternatively 5,400 linear meters of rolling stock and 2,737 CEU.

Her four hoistable decks make the Grande Texas highly flexible: beside cars, she is able to transport any type of rolling freight (trucks, tractors, buses, excavators, etc.) up to 5.30 metres high. Moreover, the vessel is fitted with a side ramp as well as a quarter stern ramp, the latter allowing the loading of freight units weighing up to 150 tonnes. The configuration of her 12 decks and her system of internal ramps minimize the risk of damage to the cargo during the loading and unloading operations.

From a technological point of view, the Grande Texas is a state-of-the-art ship, equipped with devices that allow her to reduce harmful emissions and achieve high energy efficiency, thus ensuring a truly eco-sustainable transportation. In particular, she is fitted with an electronically-controlled Man Energy Solutions main engine, as required by the new regulations for the reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, as well as with an exhaust gas cleaning system for cutting sulphur oxide (SOx) and particulate emissions. Last but not least, she complies with the latest ballast water treatment regulations.

“With the entry of the Grande Texas into our fleet, we demonstrate, once again, that we are able to turn our goals and commitments into reality. As already announced, in less than a month we have taken delivery of two new ships, and in a few days we will receive a third one”, stated the Group Managing Director Emanuele Grimaldi, also referring to the hybrid ro-ro Eco Livorno on her way from China. “With our increasingly young, modern and eco-sustainable fleet we will continue to offer increasingly efficient and competitive services to our customers around the world”.

Starting from next March, the Grande Texas will enhance the weekly ro-ro connection operated by the Grimaldi Group between the Mediterranean and North America (Canada, United States and Mexico), joining the other 8 ships already operating on the service (Grande Baltimora, Grande Halifax, Grande Houston, Grande Mirafiori, Grande New York, Grande Torino, Grande New Jersey and Grande Florida). Therefore, also the Grande Texas will call regularly at 15 ports in Italy (Civitavecchia, Livorno, Salerno, Savona), Spain (Valencia), Belgium (Antwerp), Canada (Halifax), USA (Baltimore, Davisville, Houston, Jacksonville, New York), and Mexico (Altamira, Tuxpan, Veracruz).