New dual-fuel LNG PCTC joins UECC’s eco-friendly fleet on European route

Norwegian RoRo transportation provider United European Car Carriers (UECC) has added another dual-fuel LNG pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) to its eco-friendly fleet.

The 200-meter newbuild Blue Heritage with a capacity for 7000 CEUs across 12 decks is the sister ship to the Blue Aspire, which was also previously taken under operation by UECC.

Blue Heritage is equipped with dual-fuel LNG engines that can run on liquefied biomethane (LBM), which has potential for significant emissions savings as demonstrated through UECC’s Sail for Change initiative, supported by automotive manufacturers such as Toyota, Ford, and JLR, in which LBM is being bunkered on other LNG-powered vessels in the UECC fleet.

According to UECC, the program primarily contributed to a “massive reduction” of 107,000 tonnes in well-to-wake CO2 emissions last year – an increase of 70% on 2023.

As disclosed, Blue Heritage will be deployed on the North-South route spanning the Mediterranean and Northern Europe that is also being extended with the inclusion of the Turkish port of Yarimca for regular calls, in addition to Efesan and Autoport in Turkey.

UECC’s COO, Per Christian Mørk, said the addition of the Blue Heritage will enhance cargo-carrying capacity and flexibility and increase the number of UECC vessels on this route to seven.

The ongoing expansion of the UECC fleet is expected to progressively enhance the sustainability of the company’s operations through wider adoption of alternative low-carbon fuels and operational measures to improve efficiency in line with the green regulatory regime.

As per UECC, the company is already running a surplus in relation to Fuel EU Maritime, enabling it to eliminate surcharges for customers, while its fleet has a C-rating or above under the IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).

“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,” Mørk concludes.