Grand Detroit Launched

In honor of the “Motor City”, Grande Detroit -- a new build for Grimaldi-Naples -- was launched on April 16 at the Croatian Uljanik Yard in Pula. Godmother of the vessel was Ann Dickson, wife of Michael Dickinson executive director of logistics at General Motors Europe.

Grande Detroit is the ninth of a 14-ship order awarded by Grimaldi-Naples the Uljanik Yard. Over a four year period the yard has launched and delivered to Grimaldi-Naples the vessels Grande Benelux and Grande Italia in 2001, Grande Spagna and Grande Portugallo in 2002, Grande Roma and Grande Napoli in 2003 and Grande Lagos and Grande Anversa in 2004. Grande Detroit is a 36,000 ton vessel 176 metres long with a 31,10 metre beam. Built as a car carrier Grande Detroit can carry 4,600 cars and 100 containers on on-board trailers or alternatively 256 trucks and 2,000 cars. The ship has a maximum speed of 20 knots and carries a 26 man crew. The success of these Grimaldi-Naples vessels can be attributed to their high degree of cargo flexibility which enables them to carry any size or weight of wheeled vehicle on 11 decks which can be raised to a height of 5 metres to accommodate trucks, tractors, double-decker buses, rail cars and earth moving equipment.

The large capacity is aided by the heavy duty ramps which can take weights of up to 100 tons, large open spaces, heavy duty decks and the ability to raise deck height on three decks. These have proved to be ideal characteristics for carrying any combination of load, a logistic requirement of the major companies working on construction projects world wide.

A further five vessels will follow Grande Detroit from the Uljanik yard for delivery to Grimaldi-Naples from 2006 to 2009.