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PROFILE: UNITED EUROPEAN CAR CARRIERS
United European Car Carriers is introducing greener ships as part of its journey to a greener logistics chain. Clean Shipping International finds out more...
USHERING IN A NEW ERA
Glenn Edvardsen, UECC CEO
The first of three LNG battery hybrid pure car truck carriers (PCTCs) to be owned by NYK and Wallenius’ short sea operator United European Car Carriers (UECC) was launched on 12 April at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. She will be delivered in October this year, while the other two vessels are scheduled to enter service in 2022. “With the launch of our first LNG battery hybrid PCTC, we are ushering in a new era for UECC and short sea shipping in Europe,” claims Glenn Edvardsen, UECC CEO. “These ships prove that de-carbonisation of the industry is possible using currently available technologies.” The new UECC PCTCs are being built to the latest energy efficiency criteria, meeting the Tier 3 IMO NOx emission limitations in place for Baltic and North Sea operations. All three will be equipped with battery hybrid systems that will enable UECC to far exceed the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) target of 40% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030, the company claims.
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021
“The introduction of batteries is an excellent demonstration of our deepening commitment to next-generation sustainability”, Edvardsen says. Battery power fitted on the new vessels will improve operational efficiency and further reduce emissions through peak shaving, in addition to handling partial accommodation load and driving auxiliary equipment. “Battery power also provides an option for reducing emissions while in port, a feature that more and more cities are demanding,” he adds. The ships are also equipped with dualfuel LNG main propulsion and auxiliaries. As more biofuels are set to become commercially available in the future, UECC plans to increase the percentage of carbon neutral and synthetic fuels in their future fuel mix. “We aim to be in front of the move to sustainability in shipping,” Edvardsen explains. “This is the motivation behind our decision to invest in dual-fuel solutions for these newbuildings.” All three PCTCs will also be designed
