Italian shipping group Grimaldi is planning a major expansion of its car carrier fleet, with proposed orders for 10 new pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) at Chinese shipyards, including vessels with a capacity of up to 11,000 car equivalent units (CEU), which would be the largest in its fleet.
The Naples-based group has signed letters of intent with China Merchants for five next-generation 10,000 CEU PCTCs and with CSSC’s Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) for another five vessels, each with a capacity of 11,000 CEU.
Both vessel designs will offer additional capacity for containers and other rolling cargo, providing greater operational flexibility beyond conventional vehicle transportation.
The Emanuele Grimaldi-led group confirmed the agreements, stating that the projects would now advance from preliminary design to the engineering phase, a process expected to take approximately six months. Deliveries are targeted for 2030 and 2031.
However, the agreements remain at the letter-of-intent stage, with firm shipbuilding contracts yet to be concluded. Details of the proposed investment and vessel pricing have not been disclosed.
The latest development builds on Grimaldi’s significant car carrier expansion programme in China. During 2022 and 2023, the group placed orders for 17 ammonia-ready PCTCs, comprising 10 vessels at China Merchants and seven at CSSC-affiliated shipyards.
Grimaldi has progressively introduced larger vessels into its fleet. Its latest additions include the 9,800 CEU Grande Pacifico and Grande Egitto, built by China Merchants Heavy Industries Jiangsu. The vessels entered service in August and September 2026, respectively, becoming the largest car carriers in the group’s fleet.
The proposed 11,000 CEU vessels would further increase Grimaldi’s carrying capacity while offering greater flexibility to transport vehicles, containers and other ro-ro cargo.
The car carrier projects form part of a wider fleet investment programme valued at more than €4 billion ($4.5 billion).
In another development, Grimaldi has commissioned a tenth ro-pax ferry at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai for its Spanish subsidiary, Trasmed. The €160 million ($179 million) investment follows orders for nine ferries placed at the same yard in April 2025 for the group’s Mediterranean and Baltic operations.
Meanwhile, Grimaldi is also in advanced negotiations with South Korea’s HD Hyundai and China’s China Merchants and GSI for a new series of G6-class containerships, although firm contracts have yet to be announced.
The latest plans underline Grimaldi’s continued commitment to fleet modernisation and expansion, with a strong focus on larger, more versatile vessels to support its global vehicle transportation and integrated maritime logistics operations.