Japan’s shipping giant NYK said it has ordered four LNG-powered pure car truck carriers from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing.
The Chinese yard will deliver the ships with a capacity to carry about 7,000 units in 2022 and 2023.
NYK says it would use the 200 meters long PCTCs to transport vehicles mainly to/from Europe and/or to the Middle East.
In addition, the shipping firm says the vessels’ WinGD X-DF2.0 iCER main engine will be utilized for the first time in the world.
This engine consumes less gas and reduces emissions by cutting methane emissions from exhaust gas by about 50%, it said.
Furthermore, the vessels will also feature battery hybrid technology, which will improve fuel efficiency by mitigating main engine and electrical generator load fluctuations through the support of batteries.
The use of LNG fuel, together with these new technologies and other developments such as hull modification, will contribute to a reduction of sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions by 99% compared to ships fueled by heavy fuel oil, according to NYK.
Likewise, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions will be cut by 96%, and CO2 emissions by approximately 40% or more per unit of transportation, it said.
A fleet of LNG-powered PCTCs in the making
NYK has last year taken delivery of Japan’s first LNG-powered PCTC, Sakura Leader.
The firm has been investing heavily in LNG-powered vessels over the years as it looks to cut emissions and comply with more stringent IMO rules.
Concluding this new contract is in line with NYK’s plan to replace current vessels with around 40 newbuild LNG-fueled PCTCs over the next decade to achieve its environmental targets, the firm said.
NYK aims to reduce CO2 emissions per ton-kilometer of transport by 50% by 2050.
The shipping firm also aims to further advance to zero-emission vessels utilizing low-emission marine fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia from around the mid-2030s.