Car Carriers News

ClassNK has released guidance to assist in the safe evacuation of crew members from vehicle carriers in the event of a cargo hold fire. Additionally, the world’s first notation, AMEVC(EV), has been established to indicate vessels equipped with additional measures to facilitate safe evacuation.Vehicle carriers often have accommodation areas and life-saving equipment, such as lifeboats and liferafts, positioned above cargo holds, with ventilation ducts for the holds located close to the accommodation spaces.

Political winds blowing a raft of new tariffs and incoming supply uptick suggests a volatile 2025 Bearish sentiment crept into the car carrier market in June after the European Union (EU) announced increased import tariffs for Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) up to as much as 45.3%. The EU tariffs, which came into play in November for a period of five years and were increased following an investigation into Chinese state subsidies to domestic car manufacturers, are weighing…

Sallaum Lines has ordered six additional Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessels from China, two with Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Co Ltd. (2 x 7,500 RT SDARI design) and four with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co. Ltd. (4 x 7,400 RT Deltamarin design). Each vessel has a capacity ranging from 7,400 to 7,500 Car Equivalent Unit (CEU) Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) design. By incorporating dual-fuel LNG technology, the newbuilds deliver a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by at least 25%In addition…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has launched the Trans Harmony Emerald, the second of two LNG-powered roros under construction for Toyofuji Shipping.The ship's handover is scheduled for June 2025 following completion of outfitting work and sea trials. The Trans Harmony Emerald will then serve on shipping routes in Asia.The vessel is approximately 195 meters in overall length, approximately 30.6 meters in breadth, and has gross tonnage of approximately 49,500. It can transport about 3…

ClassNK granted its ‘AFVC(FD)(EV)’*1 notation to Positive Challenger, a car carrier operated by Eastern Car Liner Ltd., and managed by ECL Shipmanagement Limited, for vessels equipped with additional firefighting measures for transporting electric vehicles (EVs).Shipping companies are implementing various measures to address EV fires, which raise concerns due to difficulties in extinguishing and the risk of re-ignition. To support these efforts, ClassNK has issued the ‘Guidelines…

Wallenius Marine has christened its newest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel, Future Way, during a ceremony in Emden, Germany on Monday.Built by CIMC Raffles in China, the new 200-meter-long ship is the first of two car carriers that will go on charter for Volkswagen between Europe and North America. The vessel's cargo capacity is equivalent to 6,500 cars, which are loaded and unloaded efficiently through a center ramp system consisting of a long ramp serving all decks.The…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has been granted certification for its voluntary efforts to improve fire prevention on the car carrier Cerulean Ace.The LNG-fueled vessel is operated by MOL and managed by MOL Ship Management. It has been granted certification for "Additional Fire-Fighting measures for Vehicle Carrier (AFVC)" by ClassNK for measures that prevent onboard fires during the transport of electric vehicles (EV).This is a world first for a shipping company's voluntary measures…

Transnational organised criminals are attempting to import hundreds of kilograms of illicit drugs into Australia by paying associates to conceal them inside imported vehicles.The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) have identified a significant increase in attempts to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia inside cars, vans and trucks, with a total of 303kg seized on arrival last year.AFP intelligence suggests trusted insiders and criminals based offshore…

The lead ship of Höegh Autoliners' Aurora class, Höegh Aurora, was delivered at a naming ceremony at China Merchants Heavy Industry’s (CMHI) shipyard in Jiangsu, China, on Tuesday.The newbuild is the first of 12 Aurora Class vessels being built by CMHI. Featuring 14 decks—including five liftable decks—the ship can carry up to 9,100 CEU, making it the world's largest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel. With enhanced decks and ramps, the vessel is designed to carry electric vehicles on all decks…

Höegh Autoliners' Höegh Aurora, the world's largest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel, will soon embark on its maiden voyage and commence commercial operations following delivery at a naming ceremony next week.The newbuild is the first of 12 Aurora Class vessels being built by China Merchants Heavy Industry, in China. Featuring 14 decks—including five liftable decks—the ship can carry up to 9,100 CEU. With enhanced decks and ramps, the vessel is designed to carry electric vehicles on all decks…

NYK Line, NYK Trading Corporation and Rexxam Corporation have begun onboard testing of jointly developed prototype car lashing belts using recycled polyester fiber for use in car carriers.Aiming to reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the three companies signed an agreement in 2022 to jointly develop a car lashing belt that uses recycled polyester fiber for the belt portion. On April 23, a hundred of these prototype belts were loaded for testing on…

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) reports it has awarded approval in principle (AIP) to the Marine Design & Research Institute of China (MARIC) for a dual-fuel 12,800 CEU capacity pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) design - the world’s largest car carrier. The ship is part of a new generation of Ultra-Large environmentally friendly roll on-roll off (ro-ro) car carriers with a load capacity of around 12,800 vehicles. The vessel is equipped with an advanced ammonia-fuel power system. Solar energy and batteries can also be integrated.

KR has awarded an approval in principle (AIP) for the next-generation  K-Ammonia storage and powered pure car and truck carrier (PCTC), developed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) with the participation of Hyundai Glovis and G-Marine Service, at Posidonia 2024.Currently, to address the increasingly stringent global greenhouse gas regulations, the development of alternative fuel technologies is actively underway, and ammonia fuel technology is one of the most highly regarded in the market.

Antwerp Euroterminal (AET) is installing two shore power connections which, when operational in 2026, will be the first in Belgium for seagoing vessels.The two fixed shore power connections will be used by car carriers and con-ro vessels. AET is Europe's largest multipurpose terminal and one of 24 terminals of the Grimaldi Group. Although the European obligation to provide shore power for container vessels by 2030 does not apply to ro-ro and con-ro vessels, AET deliberately chooses…

NYK Line, NYK Trading Corporation, Azbil Yamatake Friendly and Kayama Kogyo have begun recycling vehicle lashing belts that have passed their expiration dates for use on NYK-operated car carriers.Azbil Yamatake Friendly collects the belts and separates the metal parts from the plastic lashing of the belts. Kayama Kogyo is then producing refuse-derived paper and plastics densified fuel (RPF fuel) from the plastic belts. Kayama Kogyo is using renewable energy sources for all electricity used in fuel production.Approximately 200…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has taken delivery of the LNG-fueled car carrier Cerulean ACE, built by Japanese shipyard Shin Kurushima Dockyard.The LNG-powered car carrier Cerulean Ace features an aerodynamics design - beveled top of bow - that reduces wind resistance by 20%, according to MOL.The breadth of the vessels was widened from 32 to 38 meters. The capacity has also been increased from about 6,400 to about 7,000 vehicles.The CERULEAN ACE is the 100th vessel MOL has ordered from the Shin Kurushima Dockyard Group.The vessel will transport cars…

Norwegian shipowner Gram Car Carriers announced it has refinanced the Viking Adventure with an undisclosed Japanese bank.The new $41 million loan has a duration matching the vessels current charter ending in mid-2028 and a margin of SOFR +1.73%. This compares a margin of SOFR +4.26% under the previous lease financing which was repaid earlier this year, the company said.“We are pleased to welcome one of the premier banks in Japan in our banking group as we optimize our capital structure and cost base to maximize profit and shareholder returns.

BYD's first chartered vehicle carrier has set sail from China's southern city of Shenzhen, carrying more than 5,000 electric vehicles to Europe, state media Xinhua reported on Tuesday.Chinese automakers including BYD, Chery Automobile and SAIC Motor, have been placing orders for vessels to counter rising shipping costs as they boost exports.The new roll-on, roll-off vehicle carrier named "BYD Explorer No.1" departed on Monday for Flushing Port in the Netherlands and the German port of Bremerhaven…

Automakers Tesla and Geely-owned Volvo Car said they were suspending some production in Europe due to a shortage of components, the first clear sign that attacks on shipping in the Red Sea are hitting manufacturers in the region.The United States and Britain launched a series of strikes on Yemen on Thursday, aimed at the Iran-backed Houthi militia whose attacks on international shipping have disrupted one of the world's most important shipping routes.Container shipping rates jumped…

Japanese shipping company NYK has unveiled plans to install a Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) system on LNG-fueled car carriers in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut fuel costs.NYK said it will include a VCR system on LNG-fueled car carriers to be built by Shin Kurushima Dockyard, with the first vessel scheduled for delivery in 2026.The system is said to be able to adjust the air compression ratio in the engine combustion chamber to an optimal balance according…

Cargo owners seeking to determine their Scope 3 emission liabilities from the logistics chain must contend with multiple calculation methods from different shipping lines that will affect their costs exposure to the EU ETS for shipping. To resolve this conundrum for its clients, pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) owner and operator UECC has adopted a standardised methodology based on an existing and trusted industry framework.The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), set to be phased in for shipping from January 1…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) will install cameras and an AI system developed by Captain's Eye in the cargo holds of most of its LNG-fueled car carriers to provide early fire detection capabilities.The devices will be installed on 10 vessels currently on order and scheduled for delivery in 2024 or later, and the company will consider retrofitting current in-service vessels with the system.The Captain's Eye AI system sends an alert to crewmembers onboard the vessel and to the onshore ship management company when it detects abnormal images captured by the cameras.

Japan's NYK Line has recently taken delivery of the LNG-fueled pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Sweet Pea Leader at Tadotsu Shipyard Co., Ltd., a member of the Imabari Shipbuilding Group. This is NYK's seventh LNG-fueled PCTC, with NYK planning to introduce a total of 20 new LNG-fueled PCTCs by 2028 as a bridge-solution to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) by 2050 for the NYK Group's oceangoing businesses."Like NYK's other LNG-fueled PCTCs, the vessel was named…