Grimaldi Group names another new PCTC vessel Grande Svezia
Grimaldi Group has christened another Pure Car & Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessel Grande Svezia at the port of Wallhamn, Sweden.
Delivered in December 2025, the ship joined the Group’s ammonia-ready PCTC fleet, including next-generation vessels designed for the future use of ammonia as a zero-carbon alternative fuel.
With her name, the Grande Svezia pays tribute to a country that has been regularly served by Grimaldi vessels for more than thirty years. Furthermore, the port of Wallhamn, chosen for the christening ceremony, is Sweden’s only private port and is managed by the Italian shipping group. The port is part of the Grimaldi Group’s historic EuroMed service, on which the Grande Svezia operates, regularly connecting the main ports of the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, with calls in Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Morocco, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
The event was attended by several representatives of the Grimaldi Group’s long-standing Swedish customers and partners, including major vehicle manufacturers such as Volvo Cars and Volvo Trucks, who had the opportunity to visit the vessel’s main areas accompanied by the Master and crew. The christening ceremony opened with welcome speeches by Sven-Göran Sjöström, Managing Director of Grimaldi Maritime Agencies Sweden, and Costantino Baldissara, Automotive Atlantic Director of the Grimaldi Group.
Following the blessing of the vessel, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the traditional bottle breaking was performed by the Grande Svezia’s godmother, Francesca Gamboni, Chief Industrial Operations Officer of Volvo Cars.
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Built by China Merchants Heavy Industries Jiangsu shipyard, the Grande Svezia is 220 metres long and 38 metres wide, with a gross tonnage of 91,611 and a service speed of 18 knots. Across her 14 decks, she can transport both electric and conventionally powered vehicles, with a maximum capacity of 9,000 CEU (Car Equivalent Units).
In addition to her high transport capacity, the Grande Svezia features numerous green technologies. She is one of the ammonia-ready PCTCs in the Grimaldi Group fleet, which currently includes 11 vessels and will be further expanded with the delivery of six additional units by 2027.
To achieve zero emissions while in port, the vessel is equipped with mega lithium batteries with a total capacity of 5 MWh, as well as cold ironing capability, allowing her to draw electricity directly from shore where facilities are available.
Additional sustainability features include 2,500 square metres of solar panels, silicon-based hull coatings to reduce resistance, smart systems for optimizing ventilation and air conditioning, and advanced exhaust gas cleaning systems that significantly reduce SOx, NOx and particulate emissions. An Air Lubrication system, an optimized hull design and an innovative gate rudder further enhance propulsion efficiency and manoeuvrability. Compared with previous generations of car carriers, this vessel enables fuel consumption reductions of up to 50%.
