Höegh Autoliners has signed a contract with China Merchants Group for six additional Aurora Class pure car and truck carriers, taking the programme to 18 vessels. The dual-fuel ships are designed for future zero-carbon fuels, giving the operator a fleet renewal route that combines lower emissions with long-term cargo capacity.
Höegh Autoliners has formally signed a contract with China Merchants Group for six additional Aurora Class vessels, expanding its fleet renewal programme to 18 ships.
The vessels will be built by China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. and delivered between 2029 and 2031. The dual-fuel LNG ships can carry up to 9,100 cars and are designed to reduce carbon emissions per transported car by up to 58% compared with conventional PCTCs.
The vessels also carry DNV ammonia-ready and methanol-ready notations, with designs that allow conversion to future zero-carbon fuels.
The approach puts fuel flexibility into the vessel specification before the ships enter service. It also gives Höegh Autoliners additional capacity while retaining options as fuel availability and regulatory requirements evolve.
Leif O. Høegh, Chair of the Board of Directors of Höegh Autoliners, said: “We are investing in the vessels that will define our fleet for decades and help move our industry towards zero emissions.”
Andreas Enger, CEO of Höegh Autoliners, said: “By expanding the programme to 18 vessels, we are securing efficient, flexible and future-ready capacity while setting the pace towards zero-emission operations.”
China Merchants Group Chairman Miao Jianmin said China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry has a global market share of No. 1 in PCTC manufacturing, adding that the cooperation between the two companies represents “a strong alliance between two century-old enterprises.”
Höegh Autoliners has also secured an option for four additional vessels on the same terms and reserved construction slots for another four. That could take the Aurora Class programme to as many as 26 vessels.
The company will mark its 100th anniversary in 2027, while its Aurora programme places fuel flexibility and lower carbon intensity at the heart of its next generation of deep-sea car carriers.
