VESSEL REVIEW | Great Antwerp – New multi-purpose Con-Ro joins Grimaldi fleet

Italian transport company the Grimaldi Group has expanded its fleet of ocean-going Con-Ro ships with the recent acquisition of a newbuild vessel constructed by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea.

Great Antwerp is the first in a planned series of six Con-Ro ships that will enter service up until 2024. All will sail under the Italian flag and will serve Grimaldi's routes between Northern Europe and West Africa while boasting features aimed at ensuring energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Compared to Grimaldi's earlier series of Ro-Ro ships, the newer vessels also each feature a nearly 100 per cent increase in container capacity while retaining the existing rolling freight capacity.

The newbuild has a length of 250 metres, a beam of 38 metres, a deadweight of 45,684, and space for up to 2,000 TEUs and 4,700 lane metres of rolling freight equivalent to 2,500 CEUs. The hull is coated with low-friction paint to help reduce resistance and therefore minimise fuel consumption.

The propulsion arrangement includes IMO Tier III-compliant main engines and auxiliary diesel generators as well as exhaust gas cleaning systems and variable frequency drive devices to help improve the efficiency of the onboard machinery such as fans and pumps. The rudder and propeller assembly meanwhile includes an integrated propulsion system to minimise vortex losses, further improving efficiency during sailings. Grimaldi claims up to 43 per cent fewer CO2 emissions per tonne of transported cargo can be achieved compared to other multi-purpose Ro-Ro ships in the company's fleet.

A shore power connection is also available for the vessel to source electricity from the local grid while at berth, thus reducing reliance on the engine and generators.

See all the other news, reviews and features of this month's Marine Engines and Propulsion Systems Week right here.