Grimaldi Continues with Retrofits

Italy’s Grimaldi Group has returned to Rolls-Royce with an order for five more Promas Lite upgrades seven months after signing a contract to retrofit the integrated rudder propeller system to ten Ro-Ro vessels operating under the Group’s Finnlines brand.

Grimaldi Lines will now upgrade five Grande-class Pure Care Truck Carriers (PCTC) Grande Nigeria, Grande Amburgo, Grande San Paolo, Grande Francia and Grande Buenos Aries – with the fuel-saving technology.

Paolo Satariano, Grimaldi Group, Corporate Technical Director, said: ”The retrofitting of the Promas Lite system to our Ro-Ro vessels last year proved a huge success and a major step forward in our strategic objective to improve energy efficiency across the fleet. Rolling out the system to other vessel types in the Group was an easy decision to make and our PCTCs will now benefit from this innovative technology.”

Grimaldi Group’s experience of the system aboard Norlink, one of the Finnlines ferries upgraded in May 2014, has shown that a 20% increase in fuel efficiency can be achieved, with a return on investment of about two years, Rolls Royce reports.

Promas Lite is a version of the Rolls-Royce Promas integrated propeller and rudder system, designed specifically as an upgrade for vessels already in service.

The upgrade consists of three main components: a bulb which is attached to the forward edge of the rudder; a hubcap which is bolted to the rear of the propeller; and a set of redesigned propeller blades. Each Promas Lite system is a bespoke solution engineered to each vessel’s specific requirement.

In addition to the supply and retrofit of the five Promas Lite units, Rolls-Royce will also supply five touch-screen CanMan control units and a spare propeller hub.

Delivery of the upgrade packages for the five Grimaldi Line vessels will take place from June this year.