As part of its fleet expansion and renewal program, the Grimaldi Group has commissioned the construction of nine Ro-Pax vessels from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai), a China Merchants Group company.
The agreement for these cutting-edge new builds, worth a total of US$1.3 billion, was signed on 8 April in Hong Kong.
The nine new ships will be equipped with engines capable of running on methanol, making them ready to achieve the “Net Zero Emission” goal.
Four of the new vessels will sail under the Italian flag and be operated under the Grimaldi Lines brand, while two, under the Greek flag, will be deployed by the Greek subsidiary Minoan Lines. These six sister ships belong to the “Next Generation Med” class and will serve routes in the Mediterranean. The other three will be delivered to Finnlines, sail under the Finnish flag and inaugurate the “Hansa Superstar” class – constituting the evolution of the already state-of-the-art “Superstar” series – intended for routes in the Baltic Sea.
All nine ships will be delivered between 2028 and 2030 and will feature ground-breaking, green technology innovations. Optimized hull and propeller designs, energy-efficient onboard power management systems (both at sea and in port), shore power readiness and the application of silicon-based hull coatings will reduce CO₂ emissions per transported cargo unit by more than 50% compared to vessels currently operating on the same routes.
With a length of 229 metres, the new Mediterranean Ro-Pax vessels will have a cargo capacity of 3,300 lane metres for rolling freight and over 300 cars. They can accommodate up to 2,500 passengers, offering more than 300 cabins (for a total of over 1,200 guests) and approximately 700 reclining seats.
As for the three newbuilds designated for the Baltic Sea, they will be 240 metres long, with a cargo capacity of 5,100 lane metres for rolling freight plus 90 cars, and accommodation in 320 cabins for up to 1,100 passengers. The new design is based on Finnlines’ Superstar-class vessels, Finnsirius and Finncanopus, but has been adapted for the Finland-Germany route. The new ships will better suit longer crossings, feature new cabin categories and provide restaurant options tailored to different passenger preferences, with a strong focus on comfort and onboard experience.
