A hybrid-powered roll-on/roll-off vessel that docked in Valletta on Friday is the first vessel of its kind to reach the country. 

Valletta on Friday welcomed in its port the MV Eco Livorno on its maiden voyage. The vessel is a green fifth-generation (GG5G class) roll-on/roll-off, or ro-ro, vessel.

Ro-ro ships are designed to carry wheeled cargo such as cars or trucks, that are driven on and off the vessel.

With a transport capacity of over 500 trailers, the MV Eco Livorno will be able to halve carbon dioxide emissions compared to the previous series of ro-ro ships, reducing them to nil while berthed in port.

A second vessel of the same class will be deployed in the coming weeks, Grimaldi, which owns the ship, said in a statement. 

While docked, GG5G-class ships can use electrical energy stored by their mega lithium batteries which hold a total power of 5MWh. These are recharged during navigation through shaft generators and 350m² of solar panels.

The ships are equipped with state-of-the-art electronically controlled engines and an exhaust gas cleaning system for the abatement of sulphur and particulate emissions. 

Grimaldi said GG5G-class vessels are the biggest short sea ro-ro units in the world and the most eco-friendly. They are 238 metres long, have a 34-metre beam and weigh 67,311 gross tons. Their service speed is 20.8 knots and their loading capacity is twice that of the previous class of ro-ro ships deployed by the Grimaldi Group.

“Each vessel can carry over 500 trailers as well as 180 cars. Their quarter stern ramp allows the loading of freight units weighing up to 150 tons,” the group said.

The Grimaldi Group, Naples is represented in Malta by Sullivan Maritime Limited.