El Grande Shanghai, one of the Grimaldi Group’s latest generation Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC), completed its maiden voyage as part of the recently launched service between East Asia and East Africa.
Days after its delivery, in early September 2025, the Grande Shanghai departed from the Chinese port of Taicang with 7,000 linear meters of new rolling cargo that included trucks, trailers, buses, tractors, agricultural machinery, and commercial vehicles. The ship’s route included two strategic ports on the East African coast such as Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), as part of a dedicated service launched by the Grimaldi Group in June 2025.
As the shipping company’s agent in Kenya and Tanzania, the local logistics partner Nisomar smoothly and effectively coordinated the unloading of thousands of vehicles, as well as port agency, customs, and inland transport services in both Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.
With a length of 220 meters and a beam of 38 meters, the Grande Shanghai is one of 17 vessels prepared for ammonia use, designed and commissioned by the Grimaldi Group to achieve global decarbonization goals.
With a capacity of 9,000 CEU (Car Equivalent Units) available for both electric vehicles and those powered by fossil fuels, it incorporates state-of-the-art green technologies such as solar panels, high-capacity lithium batteries, cold ironing readiness, hull coatings that reduce aerodynamic resistance, and low-emission engines.
