Italian shipowner Grimaldi Group has entered into a US$165m agreement for the construction of three Pure Car Truck Carriers (PCTCs) with the Chinese shipyard Yinling, following last month's US$300m order of five PCTCs at the Yangfan shipyard, local media reports.

The contract includes an option for a fourth vessel. The three new PCTCs will be capable of transporting 6,700 vehicles and will be used on routes linking the Mediterranean with North America. The said Grimaldi routes are particularly dedicated to shipping of Fiats and Chryslers.

The newbuilds, ordered as part of the company's ambitious fleet expansion and rejuvenation plan, are expected for delivery by 2017.

The current backlog of the shipping group also includes the delivery of two RoRo ships by the end of the year, being built under a contract for six units with Korean shipyards, all aimed at the group's connections between Europe and West Africa.

Moreover, by 2016, the company's subsidiary Atlantic Container Line (ACL) is slated to take delivery of five RoRo ships with a carrying capacity of 3,800 TEUs, 28,900 square meters of rolling cargo and 1,307 cars, the biggest Con-Ro of their kind in the world.