Chinese yard hires Deltamarin to design Grimaldi’s methanol-ready Ro-Pax ships

China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai) has contracted Finnish marine engineering company Deltamarin to design six new methanol-ready roll-on/roll-off passenger (Ro-Pax) vessels ordered by Italian shipping group Grimaldi.

Deltamarin revealed the design and engineering contract on June 24, stating it includes basic and detailed design for the Next Generation Med class vessels that Grimaldi ordered in April this year.

The design work will begin at Deltamarin immediately, with vessel deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2030.

The six vessels covered under the design agreement will be deployed across key Mediterranean routes under the Grimaldi Lines and Minoan Lines brands.

Four of the vessels will be operated by Grimaldi Lines under the Italian flag, while the remaining two will be registered under the Greek flag for operation by Grimaldi’s subsidiary Minoan Lines.

Each 229-meter vessel will feature 3,300 lane meters for rolling freight, space for over 300 passenger vehicles, and capacity for up to 2,500 passengers.

As previously disclosed, the newbuilds will be powered by engines capable of running on methanol, making them the first ships in the Mediterranean designed specifically for this alternative fuel. Additional green technologies include shore power readiness, silicon-based hull coatings, optimized hull and propeller designs, and advanced onboard power management systems.

Grimaldi anticipates these features to collectively reduce CO2 emissions per cargo unit by more than 50% compared to current vessels operating on similar routes.

Earlier this year, Deltamarin was commissioned by the Chinese shipyard to design a trio of Ro-Pax newbuilds, which are also part of Grimaldi’s methanol-ready fleet order.

The trio, set to be operated by Grimaldi Group’s Finnlines, will service a route in the Baltic Sea, specifically between Finland and Germany.

Engineered based on Finnlines’ Superstar class ships, these vessels will each be 240 meters long, with a cargo capacity of 5,100 lane meters for rolling freight, plus 90 cars, and accommodation capacity for up to 1,100 passengers.