China’s Jiangnan Shipyard has launched the first of three LNG-fueled PCTCs featuring battery power for United European Car Carriers.
UECC said China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s yard launched the newbuild on Monday, adding that the vessel would be fully afloat later this week.
“H2663 is now being moved from shore to the floating dock that will be moved to the dredged area for docking out,” it said.
To remind, Jiangnan said in February it would launch the vessel this month. UECC’s newbuild received its LNG tank in November last year.
The Norway-based joint venture consisting of NYK and Wallenius Lines expects to take delivery of the first hybrid LNG-powered newbuilding for short sea trade in the second half of this year.
UECC has three such newbuilds on order in China. The firm expects the two other vessels to join its fleet in early 2022 and towards the middle of 2022, respectively.
The shipping company previously said the battery-hybrid solution would take the firm beyond the IMO target of 40% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030.
Furthermore, the new vessels will enlarge the UECC dual-fuel fleet to five ships in total as it already operates two LNG-powered PCTCs.
