MV Grande Egitto Arrives in Mombasa With 1,297 Vehicle Units and Packages

The Port of Mombasa received a unique visitor called the MV Grande Egitto, a newly built car carrier operated by the Grimaldi Group. The car carrier was delivering 1,297 motor vehicle units and packages designated for local and regional markets.

The MV Grande is a newly built RORO vessel, about a month old. Its length is about 220 meters, with a beam of 38 meters. The total gross weight is 95,534 tonnes, and it has a service speed of 18 knots. The carrier is built with advanced technologies that help reduce fuel consumption by 50% compared to previous-generation car carriers.

It’s integrated with solar panels covering approximately 2,500 square meters, an intelligent energy management system, silicon-based hull coatings that help reduce drag, an optimized hull design, an air lubrication system, and an innovative gate rudder that improves propulsion efficiency.

It’s also equipped with a huge lithium battery pack with a capacity of 5 MWh. It also has an electronically controlled main engine fitted with an exhaust gas treatment system that reduces emissions of sulphur oxides, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides.

The maiden voyage of Grande Egitto began last month, transporting car units within Asia and East Africa, connecting Far Eastern markets with the main commercial hubs of East Africa.

The ship was loaded with 4,150 cars and 6,200 linear meters of excavators, buses, and trucks from Asian ports in Taicang (China), Yokohama, and Nagoya (Japan). The destination was the Port of Mombasa here in Kenya, before heading to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Its arrival at the Port of Mombasa on Thursday marks yet another milestone for the port as it grows its role as a regional automotive logistics hub. Previously, within a month, the MV Grande Shanghai docked at the port on September 17, 2026, discharging about 813 motor vehicle units alongside 111 packages of project cargo.

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Chief Executive Officer Captain William Ruto (right) presenting a maiden-call certificate of appreciation to Captain Luigi Mazzitelli (left)

Captain William Ruto, Kenya Ports Authority PLC Chief Executive, welcomed the vessel and thanked the Naples-based company Grimaldi Group for choosing Mombasa as one of the first ports on its regional services. He also added that the arrival of the ship reflects the port’s growing capacity to accommodate modern, environmentally efficient ships.

Master Captain Mazziteli, who pilots the vessel, thanked KPA staff for showcasing their experience and efficiency in discharging the cargo within the scheduled time.

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