– It is encouraging that this new car transport ship will be a world leader in energy efficiency, cut emissions, open to new energy chains, and that the ship is Norwegian, that it beats Oslo in the stern, and that a great deal of the technology that makes this possible is Norwegian, says the prime minister of NTB.
But the ship is therefore built in China. And it will be sailed with a Chinese crew.
– There are no shipyards in Norway that can build this ship. Norwegian shipyards have specialized in other, more specialized services, but this size requires this type of shipyard, says Støre on the bridge of the new ship.
– Do you think this ship could have been operated with Norwegian sailors?
– We want to have a good group of Norwegian sailors. We have a net salary scheme that will contribute to that. But for these ships, which sail on the big seas, there are very large crews from China, the Philippines and here in the region, says Støre.
Huge size
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Chinese workers have spent two million man-hours building the giant car ship, according to the company. On Wednesday, it was named Höegh Borealis in a solemn ceremony.
The shipping company has ordered 12 such ships from the shipyard of China Merchants Heavy Industry in Jiangsu province in China. The new ship is number two in the series.
There will be space for 9,100 car units on board.
– There will be a 100 kilometer long queue of cars if you park them one after the other. The ship will transport cars, trucks, buses, road construction machinery, windmill blades and everything that can roll or that does not fit in a container, explains chairman Leif Høegh of Höegh Autoliners to NTB.
– Norway has not really built a ship of this size in 50 years, he says.
– Not competitive
The chairman says that Norway is a world leader in building complicated ships for offshore and smaller ships.
– There is a lot of welding work on this ship. There is a lot of manual work. Norway is not competitive there, he says.
According to the company, the ship will cut carbon emissions per transported car by up to 58 percent from the current industry average.
The new ships are also being made to be able to use pure ammonia as fuel from 2027. This will remove almost all CO2 emissions.
– This ship leaves the yard in a month, on October 15. Then they will go straight into the Shanghai port and load cars. And then they will go to Japan and load cars. And then they are going to Europe via Singapore, says Høegh.
– That time is over
The economic report to the Norwegian Shipping Association for 2024 shows that the Norwegian foreign shipping companies have an order book of 113 ships. Only seven of them are built in Norway.
Director of the Shipping Association, Knut Arild Hareide, is also present at the solemn christening ceremony in China. He says that Norway does not have the capacity to build all the ships the Norwegian shipping companies need.
– In this size, the vast majority of ships are made here in China. 60 percent of the world’s fleet is made here in China. And it is almost the same proportion for the Norwegian fleet, he says.
As for the crew, Hareide says that we will probably never return to the time in the 60s and 70s when his father was a sailor.
– But it is incredibly important that we also have a number of Norwegian seamen, he says.
– But as big as the Norwegian fleet is, I can say that there will be an incredible number of ships with Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Polish and Ukrainian crews. It’s everyday life. And that’s how it will be, says Hareide.
#worlds #largest #car #ship #christened #built #Norway
2024-09-12 11:12:41
Höegh Autoliners
Höegh Borealis: The World’s Most Energy-Efficient Car Transport Ship
In an encouraging move towards a greener future, Norwegian shipping company Höegh Autoliners has taken delivery of its second Aurora Class vessel, the Höegh Borealis, at a grand naming ceremony in China [[1][2]]. This state-of-the-art car transport ship is set to revolutionize the industry with its energy-efficient design, cutting carbon emissions per transported car by up to 58% from the current industry average.
A Giant of the Seas
The Höegh Borealis is a massive Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) ship, capable of carrying an impressive 9,100 car units on board. According to the company, this would translate to a 100-kilometer long queue of cars if parked one after the other [[3]]. The ship will transport not only cars but also trucks, buses, road construction machinery, windmill blades, and everything that can roll or doesn’t fit in a container.
Norwegian Technology, Built in China
While the ship’s energy-efficient design and technology are largely Norwegian, it was built in China, a country with the necessary shipyard capacity to construct vessels of this size. According to Prime Minister Støre, there are no shipyards in Norway that can build this ship, as they have specialized in other, more specialized services [[3]].
A Shift in the Shipping Industry
The Höegh Borealis is part of a larger trend in the shipping industry, where Norwegian foreign shipping companies are increasingly ordering ships from abroad. According to the economic report to the Norwegian Shipping Association for 2024, only seven out of 113 ships on order are being built in Norway [[3]]. Director of the Shipping Association, Knut Arild Hareide, attributes this to Norway’s lack of capacity to build ships of this size, with 60% of the world’s fleet being built in China.
Crew and Operations
The Höegh Borealis will be sailed with a Chinese crew, a common practice for ships that sail on the big seas. While Prime Minister Støre expressed a desire to have a good group of Norwegian sailors, the company’s net salary scheme is expected to contribute to this goal.
A Greener Future
The Höegh Borealis is an important step towards reducing carbon emissions in the shipping industry. Not only will it cut emissions per transported car by up to 58%, but the ship is also being designed to use pure ammonia as fuel from 2027, removing almost all CO2 emissions.
As the ship sets sail on its maiden voyage, it is clear that Höegh Autoliners is committed to building a greener future for the shipping industry. With its energy-efficient design, reduced emissions, and cutting-edge technology, the Höegh Borealis is a shining example of what can be achieved when innovation meets sustainability.
Norway’s Green Shipping Ambitions: Höegh Autoliners Leads the Way with Energy-Efficient Car Transport Ships
In a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions in the shipping industry, Höegh Autoliners, a Norwegian shipping company, has taken delivery of a new car transport ship that boasts impressive energy efficiency and green credentials. The ship, named Höegh Borealis, was built in China and will be operated by a Chinese crew. While some may question why a Norwegian ship wasn’t built in Norway, the reality is that Norway’s shipyards have specialized in other areas, and this size of ship requires a specific type of shipyard [[1]].
Huge Size, Huge Capacity
The Höegh Borealis is a massive ship, with the capacity to transport an impressive 9,100 car units. To put that into perspective, if you were to park all those cars in a single line, it would stretch for 100 kilometers[[[2]]. The ship will transport not only cars but also trucks, buses, road construction machinery, windmill blades, and anything else that can roll or doesn’t fit in a container.
Cutting Emissions, Leading the Way
The Höegh Borealis is not only large but also environmentally friendly. According to the company, the ship will cut carbon emissions per transported car by up to 58 percent from the current industry average. Moreover, the ship is designed to be able to use pure ammonia as fuel from 2027, which will remove almost all CO2 emissions[[[2]]. This makes it a significant step towards reducing the shipping industry’s carbon footprint.
A Net Salary Scheme for Norwegian Sailors
While the ship will be operated by a Chinese crew, Höegh Autoliners is committed to supporting Norwegian sailors. The company has a net salary scheme in place to attract and retain Norwegian talent[[[2]].
Norway’s Shipbuilding Industry: Specialized but Not Competitive
Norway’s shipbuilding industry has specialized in building complicated ships for offshore and smaller vessels. However, when it comes to building large ships like the Höegh Borealis, Norway is not competitive due to the high manual labor required[[[2]]. That’s why the ship was built in China, where the labor costs are lower.
The Future of Green Shipping
The Höegh Borealis is just one of 12 such ships ordered by Höegh Autoliners from the China Merchants Heavy Industry shipyard in Jiangsu province, China[[[2]]. This investment in green shipping is significant, and Höegh Autoliners is leading the way in reducing emissions in the industry.
Höegh Autoliners: A Global RoRo Shipping Company
Höegh Autoliners is a global RoRo shipping company specializing in port-to-port ocean transportation of automobiles, mining equipment, and breakbulk cargo [[3]]. With its commitment to reducing emissions and investing in green shipping, the company is setting a new standard for the industry.
Conclusion
The Höegh Borealis is an impressive ship that showcases Norway’s commitment to green shipping and reducing emissions. While the ship may have been built in China, it’s a testament to Norway’s focus on innovation and sustainability. As the shipping industry moves towards a cleaner, greener future, Höegh Autoliners is leading the way.
