Port Technology — 2023-12-23
Members Corner
MacGregor, part of Cargotec, will supply comprehensive packages of Ro-Ro equipment for an additional four multi-fuel and zero-carbon ready Aurora class Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs) for Höegh Autoliners.
This is expected to extend Höegh Autoliners’ Aurora class newbuilding programme to 12 vessels, all of which will be built by China Merchant Heavy Industries (Jiangsu) Co.
The order is booked into Cargotec’s 2023 fourth quarter order intake and the vessels will be delivered between the second quarter 2026 and the first half of 2027.
The Aurora class will be the future of the PCTC industry with capabilities to transport up to 9,100 cars and by being the world’s largest and most environmentally friendly car carrier, according to MacGregor. The class will have DNV’s ammonia and methanol ready notations.
MacGregor’s scope of supply encompasses design, supply, and installation support for a large stern quarter ramp and for a door, a side ramp and a door, internal ramp systems, and liftable car decks on all four vessels.
“Höegh Autoliners has a clear commitment towards a more sustainable future, and we are pleased that they have chosen to continue collaborating with us moving towards safer, more efficient, and eco-efficient shipping,” said Magnus Sjöberg, Senior Vice President, Merchant Solutions, MacGregor.
“We are very pleased to be continuing our partnership with MacGregor. Our Aurora newbuilding programme is a definitive step in our commitment to a net zero emissions future by 2040, and MacGregor’s world leading technology and expertise will benefit our operations and ensure that the Aurora vessels are built to the highest standards,” said Andreas Enger, CEO of Höegh Autoliners.
“It is our ambition to be the preferred green partner in deep sea shipping, and we are committed to building a more sustainable future.”
In November 2023, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) announced that a MOL Coastal Shipping-operated coastal Ro-Ro vessel, the ‘Tetsuun Maru No.1’, was successfully operated using biofuel made by mixing waste cooking oil directly with heavy fuel oil.
In the same week, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) announced that auto and machinery volumes saw a sharp increase at the Port of Brunswick in September. Colonel’s Island Terminal handled 70,645 units of Ro-Ro cargo, up 61% or 26,750 units compared to the same month last year.