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 $1.5 billion, was signed this morning in Hong Kong.
The new ships have been designed to elevate the quality of maritime transport for both rolling cargo and passengers in the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea. All nine will be equipped with engines capable of running on methanol, making them ready to achieve the “Net Zero Emission” goal. Indeed, they will combine transport capacity, innovative design and onboard comfort, all perfectly aligned with environmental sustainability.
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 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.
Passengers will have access to numerous onboard amenities, including three bars, a shopping area, a conference hall, two self-service restaurants, a panoramic à la carte restaurant, an indoor/outdoor lounge with an impressive sun deck featuring two pools, and a rooftop disco bar. The interior design will be carefully curated, with separate customized furnishings for Grimaldi Lines and Minoan Lines vessels, each specifically catering to the tastes and specific needs of their respective target markets.
This new generation of vessels also marks a breakthrough in energy efficiency: the six “Next Generation Med” ships will be the first in the Mediterranean designed to run on methanol.
As for the three new builds 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.
Facilities include five bars and restaurants, a spa with a wide range of services and treatments, including the iconic Finnish sauna, shops, and two children’s play areas designed for different age groups. One of the standout features is the main bar at the bow of deck 12, which will offer breathtaking views of the Baltic Sea during the crossing.
“China Merchants Industry Group and the Grimaldi Group have always been adhering to the concept of ‘innovation-driven, quality first’, making breakthroughs in green ship technology and intelligent shipping, and jointly defining a new benchmark in ro-pax vessels. As a leader in high-end equipment manufacturing in China, China Merchants Industry Group and CMI Weihai Shipyard will bring together a top R&D team, lean manufacturing system and full life cycle service system to ensure high-quality project delivery and help Grimaldi further consolidate its leading position in the European and global ro-ro shipping market,” declared Miao Jianmin, President of China Merchants Group. “China Merchants Industry is willing to continue to work with the Grimaldi Group to deepen cooperation in cutting-edge fields such as zero-carbon fuel and smart ships and jointly provide more efficient and sustainable shipping solutions for global customers.”
“With the order of these nine extraordinary ro-pax vessels, we continue and strengthen our long, successful alliance with China Merchants Group, an outstanding partner for the building of cutting-edge ships,” said Emanuele Grimaldi, Managing Director of the Grimaldi Group. “The new Next Generation Med and Hansa Superstar classes are the result of a thorough study of our customers’ needs and, more broadly, those of shipping. Today more than ever, the latter requires quality, efficiency and environmental sustainability to remain a key mode of national and international freight and passenger transport. In particular, the exceptional performance in CO₂ emission reduction and the use of methanol as an alternative fuel bring our Group even closer to the global goal of net-zero emissions, further solidifying our position as a leading player in short-sea transport in the Mediterranean and Baltic regions.”
