UECC takes delivery of LNG dual-fuel PCTC

Norwegian vehicle carrier company United European Car Carriers (UECC) has taken delivery of an LNG dual-fuel pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) from China’s CIMC Raffles shipyard.

PHOTO: UECC’s LNG dual-fuel PCTC Blue Aspire. UECC

The Blue Aspire, a PCTC with a capacity of 7,000 vehicles, is equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of running on both LNG and conventional marine fuels. It will operate routes connecting the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, including stops at Turkish ports Yenikoy and Autoport, the German port of Cuxhaven, and Zeebrugge in Belgium.

This addition increases UECC’s fleet to 15 PCTCs, comprising owned and chartered vessels. The fleet now includes five dual-fuel LNG vessels, with two more multi-fuel LNG newbuilds scheduled for delivery in 2028 and options for two additional units.

LNG can reduce emissions by approximately 25% compared to conventional fossil fuels, but further reductions are achievable with liquefied biomethane (LBM), according to UECC’s chief operating officer Per Christian Mørk.

In December, LNG bunker supplier Titan finalised an agreement to provide mass-balanced LBM for UECC’s dual-fuel LNG ships.

By Tuhin Roy

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