XXVII EUROMED CONVENTION FROM LAND TO SEA CONCLUDED

 “Work is already at an advanced stage on two distinct projects: a new generation of ConRo vessels and a new generation of Multipurpose vessels. Our R&D department is already working on the most innovative solutions, with a clear objective: to make them the most flexible and environmentally advanced vessels in the world in their respective segments.” 

With this announcement, Grimaldi Group Managing Director Emanuele Grimaldi ended his opening address at the XXVII Euromed Convention From Land to Sea, hosted at the Forte Village Resort in Pula, Sardinia, bringing together over 700 top players from the shipping, transport, port management, automotive and financial sectors. 

In his speech, Mr Grimaldi spoke in detail about the Group’s ongoing fleet expansion, which has continued at pace over the last 24 months: “We’ve taken delivery of 14 PCTCs (Pure Car & Truck Carriers) all of which have the “Ammonia Ready” notation, meaning they’re certified for conversion to run on ammonia as an alternative fuel. Our fleet will have some 17 of these vessels by April 2027. The most recent of these new additions, which can carry 9,800 CEU (Car Equivalent Units), combine exceptional cargo capacity with substantially lower fuel consumption per unit transported, preparing us for the fuels of tomorrow.” 

The Grimaldi Group’s development plan also includes an outlay of USD 1.5 billion to build 9 ro-pax ships for the carriage of freight and passengers, which are scheduled to join the fleet between 2028 and 2030. They will halve CO₂ emissions per cargo unit compared to vessels currently operating on the same routes. What is more, the new builds will be fitted with methanol-capable engines, allowing them to achieve the objective of net zero emissions. 

Also in the last two years, the Group has extended its global network of maritime links, particularly in Asia. “Despite growing geopolitical tensions and the threat of increasingly widespread trade barriers, we currently deploy 30 ships on regular services linking Asia with all other continents. We’ve boosted our existing sailings to Europe and Africa, launched new routes to Latin America and Oceania, and introduced a new service between China and the Philippines,” Mr Grimaldi continued. “We firmly believe that open markets and fair competition are the driving forces behind prosperity and should therefore be safeguarded.” 

Last but not least, mention must also be made of Sardinia, which hosted the 2026 edition of the Euromed Convention and has close ties with the Grimaldi Group. “We’ll continue to ensure efficient maritime links between the island and mainland Italy, including through the Naples-Cagliari-Palermo and Civitavecchia-Arbatax-Cagliari routes, which have recently been assigned to us again for the next five years under public service obligations. We’re an integral part of this region, providing essential freight services, supporting the mobility of local communities and contributing to the growth of tourism flows. For Sardinia, reliable and efficient sea links are absolutely vital.”  

The proceedings of the XXVII Euromed Convention continued with three panel debates, featuring leading international experts on shipping, port management and logistics; panellists will be discussing the challenges posed by the decarbonization of maritime transport, by geopolitical changes, and by the complexities of the automotive industry logistics. 

First Panel

SHIPPING IN TRANSITION: INNOVATION, REGULATION AND SUSTAINABILITY

The speakers were Thomas Kazakos (Secretary-General, International Chamber of Shipping), Ricardo Batista (Head, Climate Action and Clean Air, International Maritime Organization), Ugo Salerno (Executive Chairman, RINA), Per Håvard Siljan Hjukse (Executive Vice President, Propulsion & Handling, Kongsberg Maritime), Maximo Mejia Jr. (President, World Maritime University), and Dario Bocchetti (Director R&D, Energy and Decarbonisation, Grimaldi Group), moderated by the journalist Philippe Holthof.

Second Panel 

GEOECONOMIC & GEOPOLITICAL CHALLENGES FOR MARITIME TRANSPORT IN THE MED AREA

The panel discussion was attended by: Athanasios Porfyris (CEO, Port of Igoumenitsa), Davide Gariglio (Chairman, Port System Authority of the North Tyrrhenian Sea), Matteo Paroli (Chairman, Port System Authority of the West Ligurian Sea), Domenico Bagalà (Chairman, Port System Authority of the Sea of Sardinia), Ana Nuñez Velasco (Director General, Spanish Merchant Navy), Chris Bonett (Minister of Sustainable Mobility, Malta), and Eugenio Grimaldi (Head of Office, Short Sea North/South Lines, Grimaldi Group), moderated by the journalist Morena Pivetti. 

Third Panel

AUTOMOTIVE SEABORNE TRADE: A CHALLENGING WORLD

The speakers were Le Anh Thien Thu (Director of Global Logistics, VinFast), Frank Schnelle (Executive Director, ECG), Alessandro Furnò (Vice President, Global Supply Chain & Purchasing, Leapmotor International), and Luigi Pacella Grimaldi (Automotive Intercontinental Director, Grimaldi Group), moderated by the journalist Justin Stares.