Port of Mombasa welcomes zero-emission MV Grande Shanghai on return call

KENYA – The Port of Mombasa has welcomed the MV Grande Shanghai on its return call, after the eco-friendly pure car and truck carrier first called at the port on its maiden voyage in 2025, the Kenya Ports Authority said.

Operating on routes connecting East Asia and East Africa, the next-generation Ro-Ro vessel is discharging 812 motor vehicle units and 111 packages of project cargo and spare parts.

The vessel is designed for environmentally friendly maritime transport and is currently delivering motor vehicles and industrial cargo along its route.

Green technology specifications

The Grande Shanghai is built with advanced green technologies including ammonia-ready systems, solar panels, high-capacity batteries, and drag-reducing hull coatings. The vessel is a first-generation zero-emission ship capable of sailing at 19 knots while reducing emissions of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulates.

These technological innovations allow the vessel to maintain high speeds while lowering harmful emissions and particulate matter. The craft utilizes solar power and advanced battery systems to minimize its ecological footprint, representing a shift toward greener logistics within the global shipping industry.

Port operations and regional trade

The Port of Mombasa handles approximately 2.1 million TEUs annually and serves as a gateway for goods moving to and from Kenya and several landlocked countries in East and Central Africa, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

The port received 42 vessels over a recent two-week period, comprising 22 container ships, 12 conventional cargo ships, four car carriers, and four oil tankers, according to the Kenya Ports Authority’s bi-weekly shipping schedule.

By hosting such next-generation machinery, the port highlights a shift toward greener logistics across the global shipping industry.

Furthermore, the Grande Shanghai’s return after its maiden call in 2025 reflects the growing deployment of low-emission vessels on Asia-East Africa routes.

Finally, the vessel’s ammonia-ready design aligns with broader industry moves toward alternative fuels.

For instance, in 2026, DP World named its methanol dual-fuel vessel, DP World London, in Aarhus, Denmark, while CMA CGM introduced the LNG-powered CMA CGM NOTRE DAME, the world’s largest LNG-powered containership operating under the French flag.

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