United European Car Carriers (UECC), equally owned by NYK and Wallenius Lines, has taken delivery of the world’s first LNG-fueled Pure Car and Truck Carrier from Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. . The delivery took place at the NACKS shipyard in Nantong, China, on September 28.
The vessel will be named “Auto Eco” when reaching North Europe towards the end of November, and it is the first of two sister vessels to be delivered. These new, unique vessels are equipped with dual-fuel engines that can use either liquefied natural gas (LNG) or heavy fuel oil and marine gas oil.
According to the company, these vessels will be put into service in Europe, where strict sulphur emission regulations have been introduced. LNG does not emit any Sulphur Oxides (SOx) or Particulate Matter (PM) and significantly less Nitrogen Oxides (Nox) and Carbon Dioxides (CO2) compared to conventional Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and Marine Gas Oil (MGO). Thus, these vessels will easily meet the emissions regulation.
In addition the company says that the vessels have Finnish/Swedish ice class 1A super vessel, thus allowing for full-year trading in the Baltic area, where ice is common in winter.
UECC will make every effort to improve services and reduce environmental loads through the use of these unique vessels.
Source & Image credit: NYK
