China's Jiangnan Shipyard has laid the keel of a new LNG battery hybrid pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) ordered by United European Car Carriers (UECC).
The vessel will be the third in a series that will be delivered to UECC beginning later this year.
UECC CEO Glenn Edvardsen said the three vessels will meet the IMO's Tier III NOx emissions limitations that will enter into force in the Baltic and North Seas this year.
The batteries on each ship in the series are designed to be capable of recharging at sea using a shaft generator. The battery power will be used primarily for manoeuvring in ports in line with port requirements to cut emissions.
All three newbuildings will be equipped with LNG dual-fuel engines for main propulsion and auxiliaries that will also be able to use carbon-neutral and synthetic drop-in fuels as these become commercially available in the future.
Each PCTC will have an LOA of 169 metres, a beam of 28 metres, and 10 cargo decks that can accommodate a maximum of 3,600 cars or an assortment of vehicles and break-bulk cargo.
The vessels are being built in compliance to DNV class rules.