On 12 February 2026, the Grimaldi Group took delivery in Jiangsu, China, of the new pure car and truck carrier Grande Michigan, built at the China Merchants Heavy Industries shipyard. The vessel is the group’s eighth PCTC designed to be ammonia-ready and will operate on the scheduled service between Asia and Europe. In the coming days, it will sail from the port of Taicang carrying more than 7,000 cars and vans, along with over one hundred additional rolling units, including heavy vehicles, trailers and oversized cargo, bound for the main Mediterranean ports.
Grande Michigan is 220 metres long and 38 metres wide, with a gross tonnage of 93,145 tonnes and a cruising speed of 18 knots. Its fourteen decks can accommodate both electric and fossil fuel-powered vehicles, with a maximum capacity of 9,000 CEU. The vessel is named after the US state of Michigan, a historic hub of the American automotive industry, home to major manufacturers that have long-standing partnerships with the Naples-based group.
The ship has been awarded the Ammonia Ready notation by RINA (Italian classification society), certifying its potential future conversion to ammonia as a zero-carbon alternative fuel. According to the Grimaldi Group, Grande Michigan can also reduce fuel consumption by 50% compared with previous-generation car carriers, thanks to advanced design solutions and technologies installed on board.
These include lithium batteries with a total capacity of 5 MWh and shore power capability. Both systems enable the vessel to achieve zero emissions while in port, where the appropriate infrastructure is available. The ship is also equipped with 2,500 square metres of solar panels, silicon-based hull coatings to reduce hydrodynamic resistance, and intelligent systems to optimise ventilation and air conditioning.
The electronically controlled engine incorporates an exhaust gas treatment system to reduce sulphur oxides and particulate matter, as well as a selective catalytic reduction system that cuts nitrogen oxide emissions below Tier III limits. Other innovations include an air lubrication system, an optimised hull design and a twin-blade rudder positioned on either side of the propeller, installed for the first time on PCTC vessels, improving both propulsion efficiency and manoeuvrability.
The vessel has been built to high standards of sustainability and comfort, earning the Green Plus, Green Star 3, Comfort Vibration and Comfort Noise Port class notations. These certifications confirm compliance with advanced parameters for reducing environmental impact and limiting vibration and noise, both at sea and in port. “We are increasingly proud of our fleet, which continues to grow in the name of innovation and environmental sustainability—features that distinguish the Grande Michigan and all the new vessels ordered in recent years,” said Emanuele Grimaldi, Managing Director of the Grimaldi Group. “Through our investments, we are making our services ever more efficient, supporting the sustainable transition of maritime transport and the growth of the global automotive industry.”
