The Port of Gothenburg has welcomed a new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)/battery hybrid ship.
Shipping line UECC started a new service to the Port of Gothenburg in April, in the light of new contracts with some major European vehicle manufacturers. UECC has now added the new vessel, Auto Achieve, to the service.
The newbuild will call at the Port of Gothenburg every week.
The ship is an approximately 170-metre-long vessel with the capacity to transport 3,600 cars on 10 decks, as well as other types of heavier vehicles and project cargo.
Auto Achieve is propelled by LNG combined with battery hybrid technology to improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions through peak shaving.
The vessel meets the IMO’s 2030 target for shipping’s carbon dioxide efficiency.
“Imminent regulatory changes are shifting the market landscape in favour of green-focused players and these newbuilds represent timely and sizeable investments that offer our clients a sustainable shipping solution with both environmental and cost benefits,” said UECC CEO, Glenn Edvardsen.
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According to UECC, Auto Achieve enables a carbon dioxide emissions reduction of around 25 per cent, SOx and particulate matter by 90 per cent and NOx by 85 per cent from the use of LNG.
The ship is also adaptable for low-carbon fuels such as bio-LNG and synthetic fuels.
Auto Achieve calls at the Port of Gothenburg’s rail connected vehicle and ro-ro-terminal, where the terminal operator Logent Ports and terminals handles loading and unloading.
Via the Port of Gothenburg, the entire Swedish market can be then reached through the railway system Railport Scandinavia.
“The Port of Gothenburg is the guarantor of Swedish industry’s access to the world and UECC’s service is very important in our ambition to constantly reach more ports and increase the traffic frequency,” said Claes Sundmark, VP Sales and Marketing at the Gothenburg Port Authority.
“The fact that this takes place with the absolute latest ship technology is of course a very big advantage and important for the goods owners who demand efficient and climate-smart transport solutions.”
The port has handled a total of 222,000 TEU in the third quarter of this year, growing from 205,000 TEU registered in the same period of 2021.
