Petrolesport ro-ro terminal (a Global Ports facility) has finished unloading the first vessel of a new ecological class series owned by United European Car Carriers (UECC), a leading ro-ro line operator, says press center of First Container Terminal.
The terminal successfully handled three vessels carrying 1,840 cars and 370 heavy ro-ro vehicles. The cars arrived to PLP on a regular service Saint Petersburg – Uusikaupunki – Bremerhafen – Southampton – Zeebrugge – Malmoe – Hanko – Saint Petersburg. After a successful completion of a trial unloading, the service operates two vessels of the same serries – M/V Auto Eco and M/V Auto Energy. The vessels call at Petrolesport weekly on Saturdays.
M/V Auto Eco and M/V Auto Energy are the biggest dual fuel car and truck carriers in the world. They can operate on both fuel oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG technology substantially reduces fuel consumption and decreases CO2 and NOx emissions, as well as almost eliminating Sulphur Oxide and particulate matter emissions. The new technology is fully compliant with strict environmental requirements applied in the Baltic Sea region.
The vessels are 181 meters long with a 30-meters beam. The maximum capacity is 4,000 cars, including 6,000 square meters for high and heavy vehicles. The vessel's reinforced ramp and the main deck height allow to accommodate cargo of up to 110 tonnes in weight and up to 5.2 meters high.
By tradition, the names for the new vessels were chosen by the UECC employees, and these names reflect the environmental friendliness of the new series.
UECC’s agents are Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (cargo agent) and Wilhelmsen Ships Service (vessel agent).
Petrolesport ro-ro terminal has the capacity to handle up to 190,000 cars and 20,000 items of other ro-ro cargo annually. Many leading international lines operate services calling at Petrolesport, including UECC, DFDS SEAWAYS, EURO MARINE LOGISTICS, KESS, and TRANSFENNICA.
Petrolesport facilities for handling cars and other conventional ro-ro cargo were modernized from 2009 to 2015. As a part of a dedicated ro-ro terminal development program, a 20-ha outdoor car storage area and railway frontage with ramps for vehicle handling were constructed. Today, the terminal is the key site for cars imported to Russia by the leading car dealer Rolf SCS (a ROLF group company). The two companies have a long-term contract for car handling services.