Nissan introduces eco-friendly “bubble bow” PCC

Japan’s Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation has delivered the 2,000 car capacity M.V. City of St. Petersburg to Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. The PCC (pure car carrier) has a semi-spherical shaped “bubble bow” said to achieves a reduction of wind resistance of up to 50 percent compared to conventional vessels. Based on 75 percent of the ship’s annual navigation being under average North Atlantic hydrographic conditions, the new design promises a fuel reduction of up to 800 tons annually, giving an annual reduction of approximately 2,500 tons of CO2　emissions.

The vessel will be operated by Euro Marine Carrier B.V., a Dutch company owned by Nissan Motor Car Carrier which plans to use the vessel to transport Nissan vehicles to Northern Europe and Russia.

CO2 emissions reduction is a key pillar of the Nissan Green Program 2010, the company’s mid-term environmental action plan. Nissan says it is working not only to manufacture zero-emission and environmentally-friendly vehicles, but also on the reduction of CO2 emissions during the production, transportation and sales processes.PC

January 1, 2011