Cruise News - Maritime News

At the 23rd edition of the annual Grimaldi Group EuroMed Convention, held in Sicily, CEO Emanuele Grimaldi gave an overview of the company’s business trends.

The key issue of the event was ‘green shipping’ and Grimaldi started by saying: “It has been a year of environmental work for our group”. Below are some of the most important topics and quotes from the seasoned shipowner, taken from his presentation and press conference.

The dream of a zero-emission ship

“All players in the maritime field will have to cope with the new IMO <0.5% sulphur emission limits from January 2020, and will have to prepare to cut carbon emissions significantly in the coming years. IMO, ICS and other international formal and informal bodies where shipowners and maritime stakeholders meet, are all studying and deciding on ways to concretely, individually and collectively contribute to such an ambitious and historic goal.

Grimaldi Group is actively participating in and contributing to these key international discussions. We have built up significant know-how in the field and started an R&D stream in our Energy Saving department. In addition we joined Clean Alliance 2020, the S.A.I.L.S. voluntary scheme, and several European and academic study groups, and also contributed to pilot projects on hydrogen and electrical engines.

On the longer term, we have a dream. The dream is zero-emission navigation, carrying goods with no negative impact on the planet. This is what people are asking for. Zero emissions is something that can and must be achieved, but it still requires some consistent studies. A toolbox, featuring a mix of batteries, hydrogen, ammonia and fuel cell engines, is starting to emerge from research.”

Green investments

“We systematically look after speed and trim optimisation, hull and bulb shaping, rebladings, Promas Lite, air lubrication systems, silicon paintings and other hydrodynamic measures, and we implemented them on almost all our ships to meet the goal. Eight ships were also lengthened in an effort to decrease the consumption per ton transported, and therefore increase environmental efficiency.
We are a frontrunner on some green technologies. Grimaldi Group studied, devised and patented a zero-emission in-port vessel concept which was first applied on two cruises lengthened in the Med. We mounted large ship battery packs on them, with a 5.5MWh capacity, making them the biggest hybrid vessels in the world. The concept has been enriched with solar panels, LED lighting and other measures which will help us bring it to our several newbuilding projects.”

Grimaldi’s clean air investment programme

“But the most remarkable results in cutting polluting emissions in our fleet have been delivered by our Grimaldi Group clean air investment programme. The goal of the plan is the almost total removal of our fleet’s SOx and particulate emissions. The first step of the plan is ordering 29 newbuildings which all include exhaust cleaning systems onboard. Ten of those ships were already delivered and the remaining 19 will be released by the yard over the next three years.
The clean air investment plan also applies to the majority of our existing fleet. No fewer than 75 vessels in service, with a total of 162 engines, have been called to rotate and stop in yard so that exhaust gas cleaning systems can be mounted onboard.

Half of the vessels have already been retrofitted, and the other half will be done within a couple of years.
In the last ten years the group environmental records have improved consistently. In the last two years alone it has transported 17% more cargo, while consuming 2% less fuel per mile sailed, and emitting less gas per ton of cargo and per mile, in particular dramatically less sulphur and particulates.”

Newbuidlings programme

“Grimaldi Group is eagerly waiting the delivery of five additional mega car carriers by the Yangfan yards. In addition, last year we ordered 12 GG5G ro-ro units from the Jinling yards. They will feature an air lubrication system, hydrodynamic hull and propeller, solar panels, LED lighting and battery packs, all designed for more efficient navigation and zero emissions in port. They will be the most environmentally friendly ro-ro ships in the world. read more....