VESSEL REVIEW | Great Abidjan & Great Casablanca – Grimaldi's newest large-capacity, eco-friendly Con-Ro ships

Italian shipping company the Grimaldi Group recently took delivery of two new Con-Ro vessels built by HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) of South Korea. Named Great Casablanca and Great Abidjan, these are the fourth and fifth ships in a series of six that Grimaldi has ordered from the same builder.

Efficiency-enhancing features for long voyages

The newbuilds each have a length of 250 metres (820 feet), a beam of 37.7 metres (124 feet), a deadweight tonnage of approximately 45,684, and space for up to 4,700 lane metres of freight – equivalent to 2,500 CEUs – and 2,000 TEUs. The vessels boast an increase of nearly 100 per cent in container capacity while retaining the similar rolling freight capacities of an earlier ship series in the Grimaldi fleet.

A shore power connection and hybrid exhaust gas aftertreatment systems for addressing SOx and NOx emissions will help reduce each vessel's environmental impact, though the main engines and the auxiliary diesel generators are already IMO Tier III-compliant.

The rudder and propeller assembly on each ship includes an integrated propulsion system to minimise vortex losses while the hull is coated in low-friction paint, further improving efficiency during sailings even at speeds of up to 18 knots.

Grimaldi claims that 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.

Other notable features are variable frequency drives for helping reduce electrical consumption when the onboard machinery is in use and two Liebherr cranes for loading and unloading of containers on the open foredeck.

Great Casablanca and Great Abidjan will be operated on Grimaldi's routes between Northern Europe and West Africa.