Grimaldi targets 10 more Chinese car carriers, led by 11,000-ceu giants

Grimaldi has signed letters of intent for 10 car carrier newbuilds in China, including a series of 11,000-ceu vessels that would become the largest in the Naples-based group's fleet. The deals, yet to convert into firm shipbuilding contracts, target deliveries in 2030 and 2031.

The Italian owner, led by Emanuele Grimaldi, has committed to five next-generation 10,000-ceu pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) at China Merchants and another five 11,000-ceu ships at CSSC's Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI). No pricing has been disclosed for the proposed vessels.

Both designs will carry containers and other rolling cargo in addition to vehicles, extending their capabilities beyond conventional car transportation. For shippers, that flexibility matters: a single hull able to blend cars, boxes and roRo freight gives the carrier more options on mixed Mediterranean, Baltic and deep-sea services.

Grimaldi confirmed the agreements, saying the projects would now move from preliminary design to engineering — a process expected to take around six months. The group has not yet set contract signatures or prices, leaving the orders in LOI territory for now.

How big is the fleet push behind these orders?

The latest move builds on one of the industry's most aggressive car carrier expansions in China. In 2022 and 2023, Grimaldi amassed an orderbook of 17 ammonia-ready PCTCs — 10 ships at China Merchants and seven at CSSC-affiliated yards.

Larger vessels have been arriving steadily. The 9,800-ceu Grande Pacifico and Grande Egitto, built by China Merchants Heavy Industries Jiangsu, entered service in August and September this year, becoming the largest car carriers in the group's fleet. The proposed 11,000-ceu series would take Grimaldi another step up in size — roughly one additional car per 49 carried by the current record-holders on every sailing — while adding the ability to combine vehicles, containers and other roRo cargo on a single ship.

The car carrier projects form part of a wider fleet investment programme valued at more than €4bn ($4.5bn). That programme extends well beyond PCTCs into passenger and multipurpose tonnage.

What else is in the €4bn programme?

Grimaldi has commissioned a tenth ropax ferry at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai for its Spanish subsidiary Trasmed, an investment of €160m ($179m). The ship will join nine ferries ordered at the same yard in April 2025 for Grimaldi's Mediterranean and Baltic operations.

The group is also in advanced negotiations with South Korea's HD Hyundai and with China Merchants and GSI over a new series of G6-class conro vessels. Firm contracts have not yet been announced, but the talks point to continued concentration of Grimaldi's newbuilding activity among a small circle of Asian yards.

Why vessel size keeps climbing

The sequence from 9,000-plus-ceu tonnage to 9,800 ceu and now a proposed 11,000 ceu tracks the sector-wide scaling of car carrier capacity, driven by booming vehicle exports from China and the economics of larger hulls per crew. Each size step increases per-sailing capacity without a proportional increase in operating cost, a calculation carriers across the roRo segment are making as they renew fleets.

For forwarders and vehicle shippers, the prospect of 11,000-ceu ships with container capacity signals more space and more mixed-cargo options on Grimaldi services by the turn of the decade. For competing carriers, it confirms that the largest European roRo operator intends to hold its scale advantage through at least 2031.

The engineering phase over the next six months will determine whether the LOIs become firm contracts, with pricing discussions and final specifications expected to settle the picture before year-end.