The Grimaldi Group continues investing to upgrade and modernize its fleet. Today, with the signing of an agreement worth over USD 500 million, the Neapolitan Group ordered the construction of six new ro/ro multipurpose vessels to Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd (Ulsan).

With a length of 250 meters, a beam of 38 meters and a deadweight of 45.684 tonnes, the ships ordered will inaugurate a new class called “G5”, an evolution of the previous class of “G4” ro/ro multipurpose units built by the same shipyard and delivered to the Grimaldi Group between 2014 and 2015. Their design is the result of a careful study of the needs of the Group and its customers: thanks to an innovative and completely customized internal configuration, the G5-class ships will be able to transport 4,700 linear meters of rolling freight, 2,500 CEU (Car Equivalent Unit) and 2,000 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit). Compared to the previous G4-class vessels, the new units will have the same capacity for rolling freight while container capacity will double.

In addition to their loading capacity, the “G5” ships will stand out for the adoption of numerous cutting-edge technological solutions aimed at increasing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Both the main engine and the auxiliary diesel generators will meet the NOx levels imposed by the Tier III regulation, while the integrated propulsion system between rudder and propeller will minimize vortex losses and, consequently, optimize propulsive efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.

The ships will be designed for shoreside supply of electricity at berth, which represents, where available, an alternative to the consumption of fossil fuels during port stays. Furthermore, the electrical consumption of on-board machinery (pumps, fans, etc.) will be reduced thanks to the installation of variable frequency drive devices, while the application of innovative low friction paints will reduce the hull resistance, increasing the efficiency of the units. Finally, the ships will be equipped with hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems for the abatement of sulphur and particulate emissions.

As proof of their high energy and environmental efficiency, the G5-class units will allow a reduction of CO2 emissions per tonne transported of up to 43% compared to other Grimaldi multipurpose ro/ro ships.

“The new series of ro/ro multipurpose G5-class ships was designed to respond even more efficiently to the demand for quality transport services on deep sea routes, reconciling the needs related to international freight traffic with that of protecting the environment”, declared Gianluca Grimaldi, President of the Neapolitan Group. “We are thus taking a further, important step within a path undertaken for years now with the aim of operating on all our main routes with an increasingly young, modern and eco-sustainable fleet”.

The six ships ordered are expected to be delivered between the first months of 2023 and the end of 2024. The new units will replace older ships of the Group which will have reached an age of 25, and will be deployed to further enhance the quality of maritime transport services offered by the Grimaldi Group between North Europe and West Africa, particularly to Lagos (Nigeria).

This contract strengthens the relationship between the Grimaldi Group and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd which will build a third consecutive class of ro/ro multipurpose vessels for the Neapolitan group, having already delivered five G3-class and six G4-class units, besides 10 Eurocargo-class ro/ro ships.