A repeat order has been signed by Kongsberg Maritime to supply engineering and technology for two new Grimaldi Group roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessels being built at the China Merchant Jinling Shipyard.
Kongsberg Maritime will deliver a marine automation system and Auto Chief 600 propulsion control systems in addition to hybrid systems, converters, 5MWh battery energy storage, a battery management system and further maneuvering and propulsion systems.
Both vessels will operate in a hybrid mode when carrying out operations at sea, and on a fully battery electric system when in port. The GG5G vessel type reduces carbon dioxide emissions by half per unit transported on shorter routes.
The 7,800-line meter (LM) vessels will join Grimaldi’s fleet of low-emission, hybrid ro-ro vessels called the Grimaldi Green 5th Generation (GG5G) class. To date, 12 GG5G vessels have been built, with the latest delivered in October 2022.
The supply contract – worth Nkr220m (U$21.4m) – was signed in Q4 of 2022, with the vessels scheduled for delivery in 2025.
“Continuation of these vessels represents the future of commercial maritime vessels, incorporating practical hybrid technology that allows major cuts in carbon emissions,” said Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, president, Kongsberg Maritime. “We have been developing integrated solutions for hybrid propulsion for years, reducing capex costs for shipowners and opex for operators, while ensuring high performance standards in battery-electric operation.”
“With their outstanding operational and environmental performance, our ‘Eco’ ships are revolutionizing short sea shipping in Europe,” said Emanuele Grimaldi, managing director, Grimaldi Group. “We will continue to invest in this green revolution.”
