Eco-friendly PCTC Höegh Aurora makes its first port call in Hamburg

Höegh Autoliners’ first multi-fuel Aurora-class pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) has made its first port call in Hamburg, Germany.

The vessel, named Höegh Aurora, arrived in Hamburg two weeks after the signing of the Hamburg Declaration on the Decarbonization of Global Shipping.

Höegh Autoliners called the occasion “momentous” for the company, stating: “Here, we are celebrating the joint commitment to establish green shipping corridors that utilize sustainable green fuels while swiftly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impact of the global shipping industry.”

“Together with our partners and customers, we are pioneering efforts to remove carbon from one of the hardest-to-abate sectors, changing the perception of deep-sea transportation.”

According to Höegh Autoliners, the Höegh Aurora and its sister vessels will reduce carbon emissions by 58% per transported car compared to the current industry average.

The PCTCs feature a multi-fuel engine that can run on marine gas oil (MGO) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). With modifications, the vessels can transition to using future zero-carbon fuels.

Being the first in the PCTC segment to receive DNV’s ammonia-ready and methanol-ready notations, the PCTCs are also said to be the first to be ready for carbon-free ammonia propulsion.

To remind, Höegh Aurora was named and delivered at China Merchants Heavy Industry’s yard in Jiangsu, China, in August 2024, and after the delivery, it started commercial operations.

Höegh Autoliners has also welcomed the second multi-fuel Aurora-class PCTC, Höegh Borealis, to its fleet. The company took delivery of the newbuild from China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) on October 16, 2024, following the naming ceremony held in September.