VESSEL REVIEW | BYD Explorer No 1 – LNG-fuelled vehicle carrier to support Chinese car manufacturer’s export activities

Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles recently handed over a new pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) to UK shipping company Zodiac Maritime. Named BYD Explorer No 1, the DNV-classed ship is leased to Shenzhen-based automobile manufacturer BYD, making it the first vessel to be chartered by BYD for the transport of its electric vehicles for distribution in overseas markets particularly in Europe.

Operating leased car carriers as an alternative to chartering

BYD opted to have its own vessel for vehicle transport in response to a shortfall of newbuild PCTCs brought about by a number of factors such as the 2008 Asian financial crisis. Another seven ships from the same series will join the BYD fleet over the next two years, and these will be operated as a viable alternative to chartering PCTCs of other shipping companies, the cost of which has seen an increase of more than tenfold since the third quarter of 2020.

CIMC claims BYD Explorer No 1 is also the first Chinese-built ship dedicated to the export of Chinese-built cars. The newbuild has an LOA of 199.9 metres (655.8 feet), a beam of 38 metres (130 feet), a design draught of 8.6 metres (28 feet), a capacity of 7,000 vehicles distributed across 13 decks, and a dual-fuel propulsion system that will run on both LNG and conventional fuel oil. The operator opted for LNG to serve as the ship’s primary fuel due to its significantly reduced NOx and SOx emissions compared to conventional marine fuels.

First ship of a growing fleet

LNG fuel is fed to the engines and the generators by two IMO Type C storage tanks. In LNG mode, the ship can still attain a speed of 19 knots and sail up to 15,800 nautical miles. Low-resistance methylsilane anti-fouling paint has meanwhile been used on the hull to help further reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions over the same sailing distances.

The Liberian-flagged BYD Explorer No 1 has already completed its maiden operational voyage. In mid-January of this year, the ship departed Shenzhen with a cargo of more than 5,000 electric vehicles for distribution by BYD’s local offices in the Netherlands and Germany. Later sailings included stops in the UK and Spain.

BYD intends to have the PCTC and its seven sisters fitted with additional emissions-reducing technologies such as batteries and shaft generators.