Freight News, Sea

New ships for ACL by 2015

[ August 14, 2012   //   Chris ]

Grimaldi’s Atlantic Container Line has announced its long-anticipated retonnaging plans. It has signed a contract with a Chinese yard to build what it says will be the largest con-ro (container and ro ro) ships in the world. The ‘G4’ class ships will offer 3800teu of container capacity and a ro ro capacity equivalent to around 1300 cars. All five of the new ships are due to be delivered by 2015, allowing the aging G3 class ships to be retired.

Like their predecessors, the G4s will have cell-guides on deck, which greatly reduces the chances of boxes being lost overboard. In fact, ACL says that it has never lost a container in this way.

Despite having much lower fuel consumption than their predecessors, the G4s will also be 10% faster. ACL said it would also consider changing its port rotation in the US.

The service calls at Liverpool, Southampton and Thamesport in the UK.

Tags: Grimaldi