United European Car Carriers (UECC) has launched the second in a series of three LNG battery-hybrid pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) at Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China.
UECC launched the first in the series earlier this year, as HLPFI reported here.
Hull number H2664 hit the water in a launch ceremony at the Shanghai yard on August 16 and is due for final delivery along with the third vessel in the first half of 2022. The first unit is slated for delivery later this autumn after final commissioning.
The PCTCs are equipped with a shaft generator, which enables the vessel to recharge its batteries while at sea so it can run the bow thruster in and out of port solely on battery power, contributing to reduced emissions in line with port authority requirements, UECC explained.
Batter power on the vessels will improve operational efficiency and further reduce emissions, the company added.
Jan Thore Foss, head of ship management and newbuilding at UECC, said the newbuild programme has tackled significant logistical hurdles due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including difficulty procuring equipment from global suppliers and reaching manpower capacity for construction work.
“We were initially forced to set up a temporary site team comprising solely Chinese nationals to get the newbuild project moving as flights into the country were cancelled. It has also been necessary to use digital tools such as conferencing apps to supervise the project remotely,” Foss explained.
