United European Car Carriers (UECC) is expanding its North-South European shortsea network with the deployment of the dual-fuel LNG vessel Blue Heritage, increasing service frequency and adding new port calls to meet growing demand for low-emission vehicle transport.
The addition of the Blue Heritage brings UECC’s total number of vessels operating on its North-South corridor to seven, significantly enhancing service coverage between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. The company will now offer a 4.5-day sailing frequency from Turkey to Northern Europe—currently the most frequent on the market for this trade lane.
“We are expanding our fleet with operation of an additional eco-friendly Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) that will enhance cargo-carrying capacity and flexibility for our clients on this major route, while further reducing the carbon footprint of their logistics,” said Per Christian Mørk, Chief Operating Officer of UECC.
Eco-Friendly Ship Designed for Heavy and Versatile Loads
Measuring 200 meters in length, Blue Heritage is designed to carry 7,000 CEUs across 12 decks—four of which are hoistable to accommodate High & Heavy (H&H) and breakbulk cargo. The vessel is a sistership to Blue Aspire, which UECC brought into operation earlier.
Like its counterpart, Blue Heritage runs on dual-fuel LNG engines capable of using liquefied biomethane (LBM), a fuel option that significantly lowers emissions. LBM use is part of the company’s Sail for Change initiative, which includes support from major automakers such as Toyota, Ford, and JLR. According to UECC, the program helped reduce well-to-wake CO₂ emissions by 107,000 tonnes in 2024—an improvement of 70% compared to 2023.
Port Coverage Expands with New Turkish Call
The service footprint will also grow with the addition of the Turkish port of Yarimca, now included alongside Efesan and Autoport in the company’s port rotation. The updated schedule will be split across two loops:
- Three vessels will run the route: Flushing, Zeebrugge, Cuxhaven, Vigo, Yarimca, Efesan, Autoport, and back to Flushing.
- Four vessels will cover Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Zeebrugge, Portbury, Vigo, Sagunto, Livorno, Piraeus, Autoport, returning to Cuxhaven.
This expanded network enables UECC to support both existing and new contracts, offering greater reliability and more tailored logistics solutions for automotive and H&H cargo shippers across Europe.
“Our North-South service is the largest loop we operate and as such absorbs also the largest number of vessels,” explained Mørk. “By adding capacity, this enables us to add ports in co-operation with our customers to tailor-make services.”
Low-Carbon Logistics and Regulatory Advantage
Beyond service reliability, the fleet expansion aligns with EU and IMO decarbonization targets. UECC reports that it already maintains a C-rating or better under the IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and runs a surplus under Fuel EU Maritime requirements. This performance has allowed the company to eliminate surcharge costs for customers, improving both sustainability and cost-efficiency.
Operational measures combined with the use of alternative fuels are also helping reduce exposure to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which imposes rising costs on maritime emissions.
“Through proactive investments in fleet development and alternative fuels, UECC is steadily minimising its carbon footprint towards the goal of net-zero by 2040 and thereby reducing Scope 3 emissions for our customers in alignment with their sustainability goals,” added Mørk.
With more vessels now covering a dozen European ports, the company aims to deliver not just capacity, but meaningful reductions in emissions—backed by a flexible fleet capable of handling everything from passenger vehicles to H&H equipment.
