Maiden call for the Great Casablanca at “her” port

On 4 November, the Grimaldi Group celebrated the inaugural call of its new vessel Great Casablanca in the port she is named after, as part of her route between major ports in Northern Europe and West Africa. The ceremony was attended by distinguished representatives from institutional and maritime authorities, local officials and industry professionals. They included Livio Spadavecchia, Italian Consul General in Casablanca, Sanae El Amrani, Director of Ports and Maritime Public Domain of the Moroccan Ministry of Equipment, Mustapha Farès, Director General of the National Ports Agency (ANP), Andrea Grimaldi, Grimaldi Group Deep Sea Lines Executive Manager, Pasquale Autiero, Master of the Great Casablanca, and Giuseppe Patanè, John Kenny and Mostafa Benhima, respectively Directors and General Manager of Grimaldi Agencies Maroc.

The fifth of six innovative “G5” class ro-ro multipurpose vessels, the Great Casablanca incorporates advanced technologies to enhance energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact. This includes reducing CO₂ emissions per tonne by up to 43% compared to the previous class of Grimaldi vessels. With length of 250 metres, the Great Casablanca’s design is the result of a careful study of the needs of the Group and its customers: thanks to an innovative and completely customized internal configuration, the ship is able to transport 4,700 linear metres of rolling freight, 2,500 CEU (Car Equivalent Units) and 2,000 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units).

Named after the economic capital of Morocco, the Great Casablanca reinforces the Grimaldi Group’s ongoing commitment to the country, a crucial hub for trade between Europe, China and West Africa. In fact, the Group provides over 130 port calls annually in Casablanca and Tangier Med. The strategic location of Morocco strengthens the Group’s ability to optimize trade routes, enhance regional connectivity and support the nation’s role as a vital bridge in global commerce.