Grimaldi Group has taken delivery of Grande Istanbul, the fourth of seven ammonia-ready Pure Car & Truck Carriers ordered from Chinese shipyards, with the vessel set to enter service on the company's East Asia–Persian Gulf route.

The christening and delivery ceremony took place on November 28 in Shanghai, with the vessel built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company Limited and China Shipbuilding Trading Company Limited — both part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited.

The 200-metre vessel has a beam of 38 metres and a gross tonnage of approximately 77,500 tonnes. It has a loading capacity of 9,241 CEU (Car Equivalent Units), with four decks capable of carrying vehicles including electric and traditional fuel-powered cars, SUVs, and vans, as well as rolling cargo including heavy loads of up to 250 tonnes and as high as 6.5 metres.

Attending the ceremony were Zhang Wei, Vice President of SWS, Luigi Pacella Grimaldi, Automotive Intercontinental Director of the Grimaldi Group, and representatives of SANY, a Chinese producer of heavy machinery and equipment. Chunyan Yuan, Vice President of SANY Group, served as godmother of the vessel.

The vessel is scheduled to begin its maiden voyage in the coming days, carrying over 2,000 cars, around 1,000 vans, and 4,800 linear metres of other rolling cargo from the Chinese ports of Taicang and Ningbo to Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates.

"We are proud that our investments in new vessels are translating into enhanced services and value for customers like SANY, with whom we continue to grow, driven by efficiency and sustainability," said Emanuele Grimaldi, Managing Director of the Grimaldi Group. "With large, modern, and environmentally friendly units like the Grande Istanbul, we are making a concrete contribution to the development of key trades such as those to and from Asia, responding to the growing demand for reliable and high-quality connections."

The vessel's name pays tribute to Istanbul, with Grimaldi Group vessels calling at various Turkish ports including Ambarli, Autoport, Derince, Gemlik, Izmir, and Yenikoy as part of regular services for vehicle and rolling cargo transport in the Mediterranean and to and from Northern Europe.

The vessel is said to be equipped with an electronic engine that offers one of the lowest specific fuel consumptions in its class and complies with international limits for CO₂, NOx, and SOx emissions. Grimaldi claims that the vessel's size, design, and systems reduce the CO₂ emissions index per transported cargo by up to 50% compared to previous-generation PCTC vessels.

Grande Istanbul has received the "Ammonia Ready" class notation from RINA (Italian Naval Register), certifying that it can be converted in the future to use ammonia as a zero-carbon alternative fuel. The vessel is also equipped for shore power supply during berthing, providing an alternative to the use of traditional fuels while docked in port where the infrastructure is available.