United European Car Carriers (UECC) is further expanding its fleet of eco-friendly car carriers with the addition of the dual-fuel LNG newbuild Blue Aspire that is set to boost vessel capacity on its key European North-South trading network from mid-December this year after recent delivery from a Chinese shipyard, according to the company's release.
The 200-metre long Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC), delivered from CIMC Raffles Offshore Engineering, has capacity for nearly 7000 vehicles on 12 cargo decks including four hoistable decks suitable for High & Heavy (H&H) cargoes, with a stern ramp capability of 250 tons.
Leading European sustainable shortsea RoRo carrier UECC will operate the vessel together with another five vessels on a route between the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, traversing the Turkish ports of Yenikoy and Autoport, the German port of Cuxhaven, and Zeebrugge, Belgium every 4.5 days.
Boosting sailing capacity “Deployment of the Blue Aspire will boost tremendously capacity and sailing frequency on this busy trade route, currently serviced by five vessels, while further enhancing the sustainability of the UECC fleet,” says the company’s COO Per Christian Mørk.
The latest fleet addition will increase to six the number of UECC-operated vessels plying the North-South network, taking in a total of 10 ports on two routes, after the recent deployment of the renamed Auto Way that was acquired by UECC’s joint owner Wallenius Lines from Höegh Autoliners earlier this year. It will also boost the size of UECC’s owned and chartered fleet to 15 PCTCs, including five dual and multi-fuel LNG vessels - three with battery hybrid capability - delivered in the past decade, with another two multi-fuel LNG newbuilds currently on order that are set for delivery in 2028 and options for two similar units.