UECC orders LNG fueled PCTC duo for Baltic

MARCH 11, 2014 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd reports that it has signed shipbuilding contracts with United European Car Carriers (UECC) covering the construction of two 3,800 car capacity pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs).

They will be constructed at the NACKS shipyard in Nantong, China which is a joint venture between KHI and China Ocean Shipping Group. Deliveries of both vessels will be in the second half of 2016.

Main propulsion power in each ship will be by a MAN B&W 8S50ME-C8.2-GI diesel engine.

The ships will be capable of operating with LNG fuel or heavy fuel oil and marine gas oil. They will be able to complete a fourteen day round voyage in the Baltic using solely LNG fuel, including main engine and auxiliary power generation.

“The LNG installation is a pioneering design and will be one of the largest employed on a commercial vessel and the largest yet of its kind on a pure car and truck carrier. We are proud of the exciting step UECC is taking towards greener and more environmentally friendly shipping,” said Glenn Edvardsen, CEO of UECC.

The vessels will employ a number of other design elements and technologies to help reduce fuel consumption and emissions, ensuring safer and more efficient operations.

The vessels will be 181 m long with a 30 m beam and will have 1A super Finnish/Swedish ice class, facilitating year round trading in the Baltic area.  

These will be the largest PCTC type vessels specifically designed for transiting the Baltic and other ice prone areas. Capacity is approximately 3,800 standard sized cars spread over 10 decks, but the deck configuration is optimized for both present and predicted future cargo mix and a significant part of the cargo capacity can be used to transport high and heavy cargo and any other cargo loaded on to mafi trailers.

Length: Approx. 181.00 m
Breadth: 30.00 m
Depth: 30.22 m
Summer draft: 9.60 m
Number of cars: 3,800 units
Main engine: One set of MAN B&W 8S50ME-C8.2-GI
Diesel generator: Three sets of four stroke-cycle, dual fuel type
Classification society: Lloyds Register