Roro News

Shipyard Jinling in Nanjing (China) has delivered the Eco Napoli, the last of 14 ships in the Grimaldi Green 5th Generation (GG5G) class, which includes the world’s largest and most eco-friendly ro-ro vessels for short-sea shipping.The Italian-flagged Eco Napoli has a length of 238 meters, a beam of 34 meters, a gross tonnage of 67,311 tonnes and a service speed of 20.8 knots.Compared to the company’s previous ro-ro series, the new ship can accommodate double the load on its seven decks (two of which are hoistable).

Swedish shipping company WALLENIUS SOL has acquired British Mann Lines, expanding its customer base, service offerings and presence in key markets.WALLENIUS SOL, based in the Bay of Bothnia, has acquired Mann Lines, a provider of liner RoRo and container vessel services, logistics and forwarding.The acquisition reinforces WALLENIUS SOL’s platform for growth, supporting the development of a more sustainable and digitally driven shipping and logistics industry.“This acquisition strengthens WALLENIUS SOL's position as a reliable partner for customers in our key operating regions…

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader more than a year after they seized their Bahamas-flagged vessel off the Yemeni Red Sea coast, Houthi-owned Al Masirah TV reported on Wednesday.It said the crew were handed to Oman "in coordination" with the three-day-old ceasefire in Gaza's war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas."The release of the Galaxy Leader crew comes within the framework of our solidarity with Gaza and in support of the ceasefire agreement…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen has marked the official opening of its South Atlantic hub - the Brunswick terminal, Equipment Processing Center (EPC) and Vehicle Processing Center (VPC). The grand opening marks another strategic investment for the Wallenius Wilhelmsen group with the signing of a 20-year lease with the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), with options of up to 30 years. With this investment, Wallenius Wilhelmsen has enhanced its position to serve the American market and expanded the scope of our South Atlantic operations.“Brunswick…

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group Inc. (ARC) said that M/V ARC Endeavorentered the Maritime Security Program (MSP) fleet on December 1, strengthening ARC’s position for U.S.-flag Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) shipping services.M/V ARC Endeavor replaces ARC’s M/V Endurance in the MSP fleet. MSP is the bedrock Congressional maritime readiness program that since 1996 maintains a modern, active fleet of 60 U.S.-flag, privately-owned ships available to provide sealift capacity and support to the military and other federal agencies in times of need, such as war or national emergencies.

A key consideration in planning for the future of offshore wind is designing and delivering the maritime assets that are 'future-proof', able to scale with the growing size of offshore wind pieces and components.A collaboration between Concordia Damen, Amasus, deugro Danmark, Siemens Gamesa, and DEKC Maritime aims to do exactly that, in the development and construction of two new and advanced Offshore Wind RoRo vessels: Rotra Futura and Rotra Horizon. These vessels, of which the first one launched yesterday at Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen has signed a multi-year shipping contract with an undisclosed automotive manufacturer worth $580 million.The new contract has a duration of three years and three months with commencement on January 1, 2025.The contract has an estimated value of $580 million in total over the contract period, with rates in line with current market levels.“This demonstrates their commitment to securing long-term ocean capacity and will further strengthen our partnership.“We are pleased to announce this multi-year agreement with a long-term customer strengthening our existing partnerships.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the world’s largest RoRo vessel operator, has ordered two additional 11,700 CEU Shaper class pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) from China Merchants Jingling Shipyard in China.The two declared options are part of the four previously announced outstanding options. Delivery is expected in the first half of 2028.As part of the agreement, Wallenius Wilhelmsen will continue to hold options for two more vessels declarable by the second half of 2025. Wallenius Wilhelmsen also intends to upsize two additional vessels from 9…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the world’s largest RoRo vessel operator, has signed a five-year agreement with an agriculture, forestry and roadbuilding equipment manufacturer to provide its shipping and logistics services.The agreement with an unnamed Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s client is valued at approximately $766 million in total, based on expected volumes over the five-year period.Rates are in line with current market levels and the agreement includes a partnership on decarbonization…

U.S. dock workers and port operators have reached a tentative deal that will immediately end a three-day strike that has shut down shipping on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast, the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) union and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) said on Thursday.The tentative agreement is for a wage hike of around 62% over six years, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. The workers union had been seeking a 77% raise while the employer…

Long lines of container ships lined up outside major U.S. ports on Thursday as the biggest dockworker strike in nearly half a century entered its third day, preventing unloading and threatening shortages of everything from bananas to auto parts.No negotiations were scheduled between the International Longshoremen's Association and employers, but the port owners, under pressure from the White House to hike their pay offer to land a deal, signaled late on Wednesday they were open to new talks."The longer this goes on…

A strike by 45,000 dockworkers halting shipments at U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports entered its second day on Wednesday with no negotiations currently scheduled between the two sides, sources told Reuters.The lack of progress is raising concerns among those reliant on shipments that the disruption could be prolonged.The International Longshoremen's Association union strike has blocked goods from food to automobile shipments across dozens of ports from Maine to Texas, which…

Each year, criminals try to smuggle countless stolen vehicles through U.S. ports, attempting to load them onto merchant vessels for destinations overseas.The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been cracking down on these efforts. During fiscal year 2023 (Oct.1, 2022 – Sept. 30, 2023), CBP recovered 1,316 stolen vehicles nationally before they could be exported from the United States—an increase of about 6.5%.To help stop the thieves, CBP performs rigorous import and export examinations.

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…

Berg Propulsion has won a contract to deliver the hybrid propulsion solution for three wind-assisted Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) Ro-Ro vessels.Following delivery by China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding from 2026 onwards, the innovative vessels will carry Airbus A320 Family jetliner subassemblies from France to the final assembly line in the United States.The ships have been designed by Deltamarin with the aim of halving fuel burn and CO2 emissions in transatlantic operations by 2030…

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured an order to supply cargo access equipment for 12 CIDO Shipping's Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs), with an option for eight additional vesselsThe vessels will be built at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) (CMHI) for CIDO Shipping.The scope of the contract includes the design and key components for quarter ramps, side ramps, internal ramps, covers, and liftable car decks including installation assistance.The deliveries are planned…

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.

European automakers are the most likely to be affected by the dockworkers strike at U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports because they rely heavily on those locations, but a longer walkout could prove "debilitating" to the entire sector, industry officials and analysts said.The dockworkers began their first large-scale stoppage in nearly 50 years early on Tuesday, halting the flow of about half the nation's ocean shipping.The International Longshoremen's Association union representing 45…

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC) announced it has added the roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel ARC Endeavor to its U.S.-flag fleet.The ship was reflagged to American registry on September 27 as the 10th U.S.-flag Ro-Ro vessel in ARC’s fleet. The reflag was conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard in the Port of Baltimore, Md.“ARC has consistently invested in new tonnage and this latest Ro-Ro is the ninth ship we have brought into the American fleet since 2016. ARC Endeavor further strengthens ARC’s position as a leading logistics company and the largest U.S.

President Joe Biden’s administration heaped pressure on U.S. port employers to raise their offer to secure a labor deal with dockworkers on strike for a second day on Wednesday, choking half the country’s ocean shipping.The strike by the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) union has blocked goods from food to automobile shipments across dozens of ports from Maine to Texas, a disruption that analysts warn will cost the economy billions of dollars a day.More than 38 container vessels were already backed up at U.S.

Managers of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship on Tuesday renewed calls for the release of the vessel's 25 crew being held by Yemen's Houthi militants for seven months.The militants used helicopters to attack the Bahamas-flagged ship on Nov. 19. They captured the Bulgarian ship master and chief officer, along with 17 Filipinos and other sailors from Ukraine, Mexico and Romania, the ship managers said."There is nothing to be gained by the Houthis in keeping the 25 crew members," said the ship managers…

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…

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…