Höegh Autoliners Inks Deal with CMHI for Two Ammonia-ready Car Carriers

Norwegian shipping company Höegh Autoliners announced it has entered into a letter of intent (LOI) with shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. (CMHI) to build a series of multi-fuel, ammonia-ready Aurora class car carriers.

Under the terms of the LOI, the first two vessels will be delivered already in the second half of 2024. The Aurora class vessels each have capacity to carry up to 9,100 cars as well as DNV’s new “ammonia ready” notation, which makes it the first in the segment to be ready for operation on carbon neutral ammonia.

Andreas Enger, Höegh Autoliners CEO, said, "We are excited to have secured delivery of the first Aurora class vessel already by 2024. It will be the first Ammonia ready vessel in its segment and the largest car carrier ever built. The Aurora class will bring cargo efficiency to a new level and put us in the forefront of sustainable shipping."

Since 2008, Höegh Autoliners has achieved a reduced carbon intensity of 37% across its fleet and is significantly ahead of the global IMO 2030-target of 40% reduction. The company’s ambition is to reach a net zero emissions target by 2040.

China Merchant Industry has been expanding its shipbuilding business over the past two years and it is now the largest PCTC builder and the fourth largest shipbuilding group in China. China Merchant Industry owns naval architecture firm Deltamarin, which has been tasked by Höegh Autoliners to design the Aurora Class.