NOCC books ammonia-ready PCTC duo at CIMC Raffles

Oslo-based shipowner Norwegian Car Carriers (NOCC) has entered into an agreement with CIMC Raffles Shipyard in China for the construction of two LNG dual-fuel, ammonia-ready car carriers.

As informed, the newbuilding will have a capacity of 7,000 CEU. They will be able to run on liquefied natural gas. Furthermore, the PCTCs will be capable of using ammonia as a fuel, as they will be constructed with DNV’s ammonia-ready notation.

Ammonia is emerging as a promising alternative fuel option for shipping to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. DNV’s D-notation is a class notation that offers shipowners the option to prepare for a later conversion to multiple different alternative fuel options to meet shipping’s ever-tightening carbon reduction requirements.

NOCC revealed in a social media post that the first ship is slated for delivery next year. The company did not disclose the price of the vessels.

NOCC was formed in 2010 through the amalgamation of Eidsiva Rederi ASA (founded 1930) and Dyvi Shipping AS (founded 1955). Dyvi Shipping AS took delivery of Dyvi Anglia, the world’s first purpose-built roll-on roll-off car carrier, in 1964.

In 2014, NOCC was acquired by private equity investors and was delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange. The Company is today a private company and fully owned by a company advised by JP Morgan Global Alternative’s Global Transportation Group.

Meanwhile, Chinese shipbuilder CIMC Raffles recently signed a contract with Smyril Line for the construction of two environmentally friendly RoRo ships.  The ships are being designed in close cooperation with Danish naval architecture firm Knud E. Hansen. The partners want to ensure that the ships are built for the special route between Europe, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland, meeting all international emission standards.