UECC cuts RoRo emissions after early LNG carrier investments

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^{Photo:UECC has evolved LNG propulsion technology for the PCTC segment with development of multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid newbuilds including Auto Aspire.} 

United European Car Carriers says early investment in dual fuel LNG car carriers has put the short sea RoRo operator on track to beat IMO and EU emissions targets by 2030, as it increases the use of bioLNG across its fleet.

The company said the milestone comes 10 years after the delivery of Auto Eco and Auto Energy, the first dual fuel LNG Pure Car and Truck Carriers in the global PCTC segment. Both vessels were built at NACKS Shipyard in China and entered service in 2016.

Glenn Edvardsen, UECC’s chief executive, said the decision to order LNG capable vessels was considered pioneering at the time, but has since given the carrier a practical base for further emissions cuts.

“When UECC ordered the world’s first dual fuel LNG PCTCs, the technology was considered pioneering in the maritime industry,” Edvardsen said. “A decade later, dual fuel propulsion has become the prevailing choice for a significant share of global newbuild vessel orders.”

He said UECC chose not to wait for a perfect future fuel, but to use available technology that could reduce emissions immediately. That early move now supports the company’s use of bioLNG, battery hybrid systems and energy efficiency upgrades.

UECC said it is approaching its target of cutting emissions by 45% by 2030 against a 2014 baseline, equal to about 186,600 tonnes of CO₂. The company said emissions reductions reached nearly 154,500 tonnes last year, compared with about 3,200 tonnes in 2017.

That would place UECC ahead of IMO and EU reduction targets, while the company is targeting net zero in 2040.

Steinar Rinvik Spinnangr, UECC sustainability manager, said the shift from conventional fuels to biofuels and liquefied biomethane, also known as bioLNG, has accelerated the carrier’s progress.

“This has really turbocharged sustainable operations as the share of bioLNG has more than doubled over the past year to 71% of our LNG consumption on these vessels,” he said.

The company has supported bioLNG supply through its Sail for Change initiative, including cooperation with major vehicle manufacturers and a supply agreement with Titan Clean Fuels for bunkering at the Port of Rotterdam.

UECC added three multi fuel LNG battery hybrid PCTCs from China’s Jiangnan Shipyard from 2021, with Auto Achieve, Auto Aspire and Auto Advance joining the fleet. The company says those vessels made its fleet among the most environmentally efficient in its short sea RoRo market segment.

Four additional multi fuel LNG battery hybrid PCTCs are scheduled for delivery from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Nanjing in 2028. The new vessels are expected to strengthen UECC’s European short sea capacity while lowering fuel consumption and emissions exposure.

Edvardsen said the investments have helped UECC reduce its exposure to the EU Emissions Trading System. The company also said its fleet is running with a compliance surplus under FuelEU Maritime and that all vessels hold a C rating or better under the IMO Carbon Intensity Indicator.

Roar Olsen, head of ship management at UECC, said the first LNG vessels required extensive technical work because LNG had limited use in shipping at the time and was unproven in the PCTC segment.

He said the first two vessels became the platform for later battery hybrid designs, including energy storage, permanent magnet technology and smart energy management systems.

The carrier says the result has been a decade of operational experience that now supports both regulatory compliance and lower Scope 3 emissions for automotive customers using its European RoRo network.