The modern RoRo vessel of the Grimaldi shipping company docked at the O’Swaldkai terminal of Unikai Lagerei- und Speditionsgesellschaft in the Port of Hamburg in the early hours.

The ‘Great Antwerp’ is the first RoRo vessel of the G5 class. According to Grimaldi, it combines a higher loading capacity with the latest technology, making it more environmentally friendly than previous vessel categories. With a length of 250 metres, a width of 38 metres and a deadweight of 45,684 tonnes, the ‘Great Antwerp’ can carry 4,700 linear metres of rolling cargo, 2,500 CEU  and 2,000 TEU . Compared to the previous G4 class, the new vessels have double the container capacity.

“The ‘Great Antwerp’ makes extensive use of state-of-the-art technological solutions to improve energy efficiency and lessen its negative environmental effects. When compared to our other RoRo multipurpose vessels, the G5 class vessels reduce CO2 emissions per transported tonne by up to 43%,” says Dirk Peters, Managing Director of Grimaldi Germany GmbH. The vessel is also designed for shore-side power supply as an environmentally preferable alternative to using fossil fuels during port calls. In addition, the installation of variable frequency equipment minimises power consumption of the of the on-board machinery, while the application of innovative low-friction paints reduces hull resistance, thus increasing efficiency overall. Finally, the ship is equipped with hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems to reduce sulphur and particulate emissions.

“It is great to see the latest generation of modern RoRo vessels calling at the all-purpose Port of Hamburg. This way, emissions in the port can be further reduced. With this goal in mind, the Port of Hamburg is also pushing ahead with the expansion of shore power infrastructure. In the future, as many vessels as possible should be able to be supplied with environmentally friendly electricity while docked at berth. We therefore very much welcome the fact that vessels such as the ‘Great Antwerp’ are already equipped for this,” says Axel Mattern, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing.

The ‘Great Antwerp’, built by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd. in Ulsan (South Korea), marks the start of Grimaldi’s new “G5” class of ship. It is the first of six RoRo multipurpose units. The new vessel will be used in maritime transport between Northern Europe and West Africa. After a two-day stay in Hamburg, the ‘Great Antwerp’ will set sail on 8 June for West Africa (Casablanca, Cotonou, Lagos, and Abidjan) via Tilbury and Antwerp.