The Grimaldi Group has taken delivery of Grande Auckland, the second of seven state‑of‑the‑art PCTC (Pure Car & Truck Carrier) vessels ordered from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) and China State Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC), both part of the CSSC conglomerate. The arrival of this flagship is set to significantly boost the company’s Asia‑Europe operations.
High Capacity, Modern Design
With an overall length of 200 meters, beam of 38 meters, and a gross tonnage of about 77,500, Grande Auckland is built to transport cars, SUVs, vans (including electric vehicles), and other rolling stock. Its four vehicle decks are also specially configured to handle heavy and oversized loads—supporting weights up to 250 tons and heights of up to 6.5 meters.
Green Innovations & Future‑Proofing
In line with stringent environmental goals, Grande Auckland is powered by a MAN B&W 7S60 ME‑C10.6‑HPSCR electronic engine (Tier II / Tier III), delivering one of the lowest fuel consumption rates in its class and complying with tight CO₂, NOₓ, and SOₓ emission standards.
Among its sustainable features:
- Ammonia‑Ready class notation by RINA, enabling future conversion to ammonia fuel — a zero‑carbon alternative.
- Cold ironing capability, allowing the vessel to draw power from shore‑side electricity while docked, eliminating onboard emissions while at port when conditions allow.
These features help the ship reduce CO₂ emissions per transported unit by up to 50% compared to earlier generations of PCTCs.
Service Route & Deployment
The Grande Auckland will commence her maiden voyage on the Asia‑Europe trade lane later in 2025, departing from Shanghai and Lianyungang. Her voyage will include stops at Agadir and Tanger Med in Morocco; Vigo in Spain; Antwerp in Belgium; and Southampton in the UK. On the return leg from Northern Europe, she’ll call at La Réunion, Yokohama, Toyohashi in Japan, and Masan in South Korea.
The ship’s capacity for the first voyage includes about 4,900 vehicles plus 3,300 linear meters of other rolling cargo (such as buses, trucks, excavators, trailers).
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Source: Grimaldi
