On March 31st, ACL officially took delivery of Atlantic Sail, the second of five new vessels in the G4 fleet. Atlantic Sail sailed from China in the week of April 4th and is expected to take its place in the company’s transatlantic schedule in early May. The remaining three G4 vessels will all be delivered during 2016.
ACL’s G4 vessels are the first of their kind and the largest multipurpose RORO/Containerships ever built. They incorporate an innovative design that increases capacity without significantly changing the dimensions of the vessel. The G4s are bigger, greener and more efficient than their predecessors. Their container capacity is more than doubled at 3800 TEUs, with 28,900 square meters of RORO space and a car capacity of 1300+ vehicles. The RORO ramps are wider and shallower than those in the G3 vessels and the RORO decks are higher (up to 7.4 meters) with fewer columns, enabling much easier loading and discharge of oversized cargo. Emissions per TEU are reduced by 65 per cent. The fleet continues to employ cell-guides on deck, a feature that will allow ACL to extend its enviable record: ACL ships have never lost a container over the side during the last 30+ years.
Atlantic Sail will be registered in the UK. Its sister vessel, Atlantic Star is also flying the British flag. ACL’s current schedule and port rotation will be maintained until all five G4 vessels are in service.
Grimaldi Group, ACL’s parent company, will continue to invest in ACL’s future on the North Atlantic, and Atlantic Star and its sister G4 vessels will dramatically improve ACL’s competitiveness on the North Atlantic. ACL has been successful during its 48 year history by doing things differently from all of its competitors. The company deploys unique ships, calls at unique ports and carries cargo that others cannot carry, and the new G4 fleet will greatly enhance ACL’s flexibility and cargo carrying capabilities.