Grimaldi takes delivery of the ship Grande Seoul
Built in Shanghai, it is 200 metres long and designed to transport vehicles. It will also be able to sail with ammonia as fuel
The Grimaldi group has taken delivery of its new ship Grande Seoul in Shanghai. Commissioned from shipyards of the Cssc (China State shipbuilding corporation), this is the ninth ammonia-ready vessel in the fleet of the Neapolitan shipping company, i.e. prepared for the future use of ammonia as an alternative fuel.
At 200 metres long, 38 metres wide and with a gross tonnage of approximately 77,500 tonnes, the Great Seoul is designed to transport vehicles (cars, SUVs, vans, both electric and traditional fuel) as well as other types of rolling cargo. The ship has a cargo capacity of 9,241 ceu (car equivalent unit) and has four decks that are also used to transport large rolling cargo, including heavy loads of up to 250 tonnes.
Like its twins already in service (Grande Tianjin, Grande Auckland, Grande Melbourne, Grande Istanbul, and Grande Manila), explains a company note, the Seoul offers advanced environmental performance, 'with a significantly reduced CO2 emission index per cargo carried: up to 50 per cent', compared to similar units of the previous generation.
The ship has obtained the Ammonia Ready class notation from Rina (Registro Italiano Navale), which certifies that it can be converted at a later stage to the use of ammonia as a carbon neutral alternative fuel. She is also equipped for cold ironing, i.e. the possibility of being powered by electricity from land while in port. Its name pays homage to the capital of South Korea, 'an integral part of the Grimaldi Group's global network from 2022'.
In the coming days, the Great Seoul will leave China to embark on its maiden voyage on the Asia-Europe service. It will leave Shanghai with a cargo of over 6,200 cars and around 1,600 running metres of other rolling stock, bound for the ports of Antwerp (Belgium), Portbury (UK) and Vigo (Spain).
