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United European Car Carriers (UECC) has established a leading position in the field of environmentally friendly shipping over the past ten years through early investments in LNG-powered vessels, the company reports. It plans to exceed the emissions reduction targets set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU) by 2030. This is to be supported by the introduction of BioLNG, which aims to further enhance the environmental performance of the fleet.
In 2016, UECC delivered the first two dual-fuel LNG pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs), „Auto Eco“ and „Auto Energy.“ These vessels, built at the Chinese NACKS shipyard, set new standards for environmentally friendly sea transport in the European short-sea RoRo trade, according to UECC. In the following years, UECC expanded its fleet with three additional multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid PCTCs, which were commissioned in 2021. These new builds, „Auto Achieve,“ „Auto Aspire,“ and „Auto Advance,“ were constructed at the Jiangnan shipyard.
Sustainability strategy and future investments
In 2028, the delivery of four more multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid PCTCs from the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Nanjing is planned. The company states that it is pursuing a strategy that integrates LNG technology with energy efficiency features to achieve emission savings and reach net-zero targets.
According to Glenn Edvardsen, CEO of UECC, the company has continuously reduced the CO₂ footprint of its operations over the past ten years through proactive measures. This has proven to be a competitive advantage, especially since the introduction of CO₂ pricing regulations. The newbuilding investments have also helped reduce exposure to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and operate the fleet with a compliance surplus under FuelEU Maritime. This enables UECC to avoid surcharges and create revenue potential through pooling.
Progress in Emission Reduction
UECC has set a goal to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 compared to 2014, which corresponds to approximately 186,600 tons of CO₂. Last year, the company recorded a reduction of nearly 154,500 tons of CO₂, representing an improvement compared to the 3,200 tons in 2017. Additionally, UECC has advanced the development of a bunkering network to promote the demand for BioLNG. A corresponding supply agreement with Titan Clean Fuels for LBM bunkering at the Port of Rotterdam has been signed to service the company’s main North-South trade network under the motto „Sail for Change.“
„We have effectively capitalized on LNG technology and widespread availability of the fuel to help pioneer this ground-breaking solution in the shipping industry – and it has delivered a step-change improvement in environmental performance over 10 years of operations.“
– Roar Olsen, Head of Ship Management at UECC
