Swedish shipping company Wallenius Lines has confirmed that its newest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) has begun serving a long-term charter with automobile manufacturer the Volkswagen Group.
Way Forward is a sister of ship of Future Way, which was delivered to Wallenius Lines earlier this year following completion at Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles. Both PCTCs are now operating between Europe and the United States under charter with Volkswagen with Wallenius Lines subisidiary Wallenius Marine being responsible for ship management.
Way Forward has a length of 200 metres, a beam of 37 metres, capacity for 6,500 vehicles, a dual-fuel main engine, and an aerodynamically optimised bow that can reduce wind resistance.
Wallenius Marine said features will be incorporated to reduce the vessel's environmental footprint and this eliminate the need for it to carry any ballast water when fully loaded. The structure has meanwhile been optimised to make the total weight even lower, thus ensuring lower fuel consumption.
Way Forward was designed jointly by Wallenius Marine and Danish naval architecture firm Knud E. Hansen in compliance with DNV class rules.