TRIESTE – Bank of China and the Grimaldi Group are strengthening their cooperation on the energy transition in maritime transport with a €57 million financing package for the purchase of the new vessel Grande Melbourne.
The agreement was signed by Grimaldi Euromed and Bank of China’s Milan branch and has a ten-year term. The transaction forms part of the Neapolitan shipowner’s investment plan to renew and modernise its fleet, with a strong focus on environmental performance.
The Grande Melbourne is the fifth of 17 new PCTC (Pure Car & Truck Carrier) vessels ordered by the Grimaldi Group between 2022 and 2023, for a total investment of more than $1.6 billion. Delivered last October, the ship is already operating on services dedicated to the Asian market and can carry more than 9,000 CEU (Car Equivalent Units).
From a technical standpoint, the vessel features next-generation solutions that cut CO₂ emissions per transported unit by up to 50% compared with previous car carriers. It has also obtained RINA’s Ammonia Ready class notation, certifying the possibility of a future conversion to ammonia as a zero-carbon fuel. The ship is also equipped for cold ironing, i.e. shore power supply while berthed.
For Bank of China, the transaction confirms its focus on the blue economy and support for Italian businesses. The Milan branch plans new lending of more than €350 million in 2025 to the national productive system.
According to Diego Pacella, CEO of the Grimaldi Group, the financing is a sign of confidence in the fleet renewal programme and the development of increasingly sustainability-oriented maritime services, with the hope that the partnership with Bank of China will strengthen over time around shared values.
The Grimaldi Group is a Naples-based global logistics company active in maritime transport of freight and passengers. It operates a fleet of more than 130 ships, specialises in ro-ro services, car carriers and ferries, and integrates sea links with terminals, ports and inland transport. In the port of Trieste it uses the Logistics Platform terminal for new Motorways of the Sea routes to Turkey.
Bank of China is one of the world’s leading banking groups and has been operating in Italy since 1992. Its Milan branch—the only top-tier branch of a Chinese bank in the country—focuses on supporting businesses and international trade, acting as a financial bridge between Italy and China.
