In Shanghai, the naming and delivery ceremony of the Grande Istanbul was just held, the fourth of the seven ammonia-ready Pure Car & Truck Carriers (PCTC) commissioned from the shipyards SWS (Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company Limited) and CSTC (China Shipbuilding Trading Company Limited), both part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC).
With its length of 200 meters, width of 38 meters, and a gross tonnage of approximately 77,500 tons, the Grande Istanbul was designed for the transport of vehicles (cars, SUVs, vans, both electric and powered by traditional fuels) as well as other types of rolling cargo. The ship offers a loading capacity of 9,241 CEU (car equivalent unit) and has four decks also suitable for transporting large rolling goods, including heavy loads up to 250 tons and with a maximum height of 6.5 meters.
Present at the naming and delivery ceremony were, among others, Zhang Wei, vice president of SWS, Luigi Pacella Grimaldi, Automotive Intercontinental Director of the Grimaldi Group, and representatives of Sany, a Chinese company active in the production of heavy machinery and equipment for construction, mining, infrastructure, and industry, which uses the Grimaldi Group’s transport services from China to various ports in Africa, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the Persian Gulf. As a testament to a partnership of growing strength and importance, Chunyan Yuan, vice president of Sany Group, participated in the event as the godmother of the Grande Istanbul.
The shipowning company noted in a statement that the new ship is already ready for its maiden voyage on the Grimaldi Group’s regular East Asia – Persian Gulf service. In the coming days, a total of over 2,000 cars, approximately 1,000 vans, and 4,800 linear meters of other rolling cargo (including cranes, trailers, trucks, excavators, and breakbulk cargo) will depart from the Chinese ports of Taicang and Ningbo bound for Jebel Ali, in the United Arab Emirates.
“We are proud of how our investments in new ships are translating into enhanced services and value for our customers like Sany, with whom we continue to grow in the name of efficiency and sustainability,” said Emanuele Grimaldi, CEO of the Grimaldi Group. “With large, modern, and environmentally friendly units like the Grande Istanbul, we are making a concrete contribution to the development of key trades such as those to and from Asia, responding to the growing demand for reliable and high-quality connections.”
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