5,500 BYD vehicles arrive in Europe on this ship

BYD made a significant breakthrough with the commissioning of its new roll-on/roll-off ship this weekend.

This bi-fuel car transporter by BYD with a maximum capacity of 7,000 vehicles represents, according to the Chinese Group, the “green 2.0 version with low carbon emissions” of maritime transport. It holds strategic importance in BYD’s efforts to enhance its logistics and distribution capabilities while controlling its carbon footprint.

A roll-on/roll-off vessel, also known as Ro-Ro (short for the English term Roll-on/Roll-off, meaning “enter by rolling/out by rolling”), is a ship used for transporting rolling stock. It is equipped with a mobile access ramp allowing direct loading and unloading, without the assistance of third-party machinery, of cars into the ship’s hold.

The bi-fuel ship is part of the PCTC series. Measuring 199.9 meters in length, 38 meters in width, with a draft of 9 meters, it can travel at a cruising speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h). These figures are not extraordinary, but what sets it apart from other vessels is the adoption of a bi-fuel propulsion system using liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fossil fuel, marking a significant step towards cleaner energy solutions in maritime transportation. Additionally, the ship is equipped with a battery system for the first time. BYD is expected to operate two such ships shortly, with a fleet of ten ships ordered from the Chinese shipyards of Yantai and Guangzhou, representing a total investment of 650 million euros.

With cumulative exports for 2023 expected to exceed 300,000 units—four times higher than the previous year—the operation of roll-on/roll-off ships has become a key element in BYD’s development strategy, but also a major source of pollution. These vessels should allow it to significantly reduce its carbon footprint and become more environmentally friendly in the eyes of legislators.

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