September 18 - Italian line Grimaldi has added a fifth ship for the carriage of wheeled cargo on its Southern Express service between northern Europe and West Africa. Grimaldi Lines ConRo ship Grande Benin made its inaugural call at Hamburg on its maiden
Croatian-built, the Grande Benin is 211m in length and 32.3m wide. The ship is equipped with loading gear and can take a mixed cargo; its ramp can be used for the conveyance of conventional goods and project loads with an item weight of up to 250 tonnes.
After leaving Hamburg, the ship called at Antwerp and Le Havre before sailing to Dakar, Lome, Cotonou, Luanda and Douala.
During the visit to Hamburg, the traditional exchange of gifts, including a freshly baked pizza, was made between master and dock officials.
