The date of 14 March 2025 marks a significant milestone for the Grimaldi Group, with the delivery of the Eco Napoli by the Jinling shipyard in Nanjing, China. This vessel is the last of the fourteen hybrid units of the Grimaldi Green 5th Generation (GG5G) class. Flying the Italian flag, Eco Napoli is identical to its sister ships, measuring 238 metres in length and 34 metres in width, with a gross tonnage of 67,311 tonnes and an operating speed of 20.8 knots. Compared to the previous generation of short-sea shipping ro-ro vessels, the GG5G class can carry twice the cargo across its seven decks, two of which are movable. The garages of Eco Napoli can accommodate up to 7,800 linear metres of rolling cargo, equivalent to approximately 500 trailers and 180 cars.
The new ro-ro ship will enter service in the Mediterranean at the beginning of May 2025, further strengthening the maritime ro-ro link between Gemlik, Ambarli, Patras and Trieste. "With the arrival of Eco Napoli, the GG5G fleet is finally complete: fourteen hybrid ro-ro units, with a total value exceeding one billion dollars, which in recent years have revolutionised short-sea shipping in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe," stated Emanuele Grimaldi, CEO of the Naples-based group. "Thanks to the outstanding operational and environmental performance of these vessels, combined with continuous investments in the serviced routes, we will continue to enhance our motorways of the sea with greater capacity, efficiency and sustainability."
Eco Napoli is equipped with state-of-the-art electronically controlled engines and an exhaust gas cleaning system that drastically reduces sulphur and particulate emissions. Additionally, thanks to the use of 5 MWh lithium batteries and 350 square metres of solar panels installed on board, the vessel can completely eliminate emissions while docked, using the electrical energy stored during navigation.
