Wallenius Wilhelmsen Orders Up to 12 LNG-Powered Car Carriers in $1.5 Billion Fleet Expansion

Wallenius Wilhelmsen has ordered four new pure car and truck carriers, or PCTCs, from Jinling Shipyard in Jiangsu, China. Each vessel will have a capacity of 9,900 car-equivalent units. The order matters because it continues the company’s major fleet renewal effort and adds ships designed for both vehicle and heavy-equipment cargo.

The vessels will use dual-fuel LNG engines and follow Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s Shaper Class design. That design includes hoistable decks, heavy-duty ramps and flexible cargo spaces. These features allow each ship to carry passenger vehicles, trucks and other rolling equipment in different configurations.

Deliveries of the four confirmed ships are expected to start in mid-2030. The agreement also includes options for four vessels in 2031 and four more in 2032. Wallenius Wilhelmsen says the expanded program will support capacity, flexibility and efficiency across its global shipping network.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s latest agreement covers four firm orders and options for eight more ships. If every option is exercised, the company would add 12 vessels to this order. Each ship is rated at 9,900 car-equivalent units, so the full expansion represents up to 118,800 CEU of nominal capacity.

The options are divided between two delivery years. Four additional vessels could arrive in 2031, followed by another four in 2032. The confirmed and optional ships would all use the Shaper Class design and dual-fuel LNG propulsion. Their flexible spaces are intended for passenger vehicles, trucks and other rolling equipment.

Total capital expenditure could reach approximately $1.5 billion if all options are taken up. The broader fleet renewal program would then reach 26 vessels, including options. The latest deal therefore adds substantial future capacity, but the full 12-ship outcome depends on exercising those options.

A pure car and truck carrier, or PCTC, is a specialized vessel for moving vehicles and other rolling equipment. Unlike a general cargo ship, it is designed around vehicle loading, internal decks and ramps. Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s new ships are intended to carry passenger vehicles, trucks and other equipment.

The 9,900-car-equivalent-unit figure measures the ship’s approximate vehicle capacity. One CEU represents a standardized car-equivalent space. The rating helps compare vessels even when their cargo mix changes. A ship may carry many smaller passenger vehicles, larger trucks or other rolling cargo, so the actual number of physical units can vary.

The new vessels will have flexible cargo spaces and hoistable decks. Those features let the operator adjust usable deck arrangements for different cargo. Their heavy-duty ramps support the movement of vehicles and equipment into and out of the ship, making the capacity useful across automotive and high-and-heavy markets.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen is replacing and expanding its fleet because it sees attractive opportunities in the markets it serves. The company wants enough capacity and flexibility to support customers into the coming decades. It also wants newer ships that improve operational efficiency and support its move toward alternative-fuel-capable vessels.

The company launched its newbuilding campaign in 2023. It describes that effort as the largest in its history. The latest agreement expands the fleet renewal program to 26 vessels, including options. Wallenius Wilhelmsen has already started receiving ships from its existing Shaper Class program.

This order extends the renewal effort with deliveries beginning in 2030. It follows a private placement completed earlier this month as the company continues investing in long-term fleet requirements. The expanded program is intended to modernize the fleet while adding capacity across the company’s global shipping network and preparing for demand into the next decade.

The new ships will let Wallenius Wilhelmsen offer more flexible transport to automakers and high-and-heavy equipment customers. Their cargo spaces can accommodate passenger vehicles, trucks and other rolling equipment. This matters because customers do not always ship the same vehicle types or sizes, and demand can change across markets.

The key mechanism is the Shaper Class design. Hoistable decks can change the available internal space, while heavy-duty ramps support loading and unloading larger or heavier equipment. Flexible cargo configurations allow the operator to adjust each vessel for different combinations of vehicles and machinery rather than relying on one fixed layout.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen says this flexibility will help it respond to changing customer demand across automotive and high-and-heavy markets. The ships will also add capacity across its global network. Together, those capabilities are intended to support customers more effectively into the next decade.

Dual-fuel LNG propulsion means the ships’ engines can operate using liquefied natural gas and conventional marine fuels. This gives Wallenius Wilhelmsen an alternative-fuel-capable fleet while preserving operational flexibility. The company is using the technology as part of a broader shift toward vessels with potentially lower emissions.

LNG propulsion offers a pathway to reducing certain emissions compared with conventional marine fuels. The article does not claim that it removes all environmental impacts. The central mechanism is the choice of fuel: operating on LNG can change the emissions profile of the engine compared with conventional fuel use.

The overall climate benefit depends partly on methane emissions and how the fuel is sourced. Methane can affect the result if it escapes during production, transport or use. Therefore, the new ships represent progress toward alternative-fuel capability, but their environmental performance will depend on actual operations and fuel supply conditions.

Specialized car carriers are important because they move finished vehicles and rolling equipment between manufacturing regions and customers in distant markets. Their design supports cargo that must be driven, ramped or arranged across multiple decks. This creates a dedicated link between automotive production and global distribution.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s PCTCs use flexible cargo spaces, hoistable decks and heavy-duty ramps. These features allow ships to carry passenger vehicles, trucks and other rolling equipment. The company’s shipping network operates across six continents, while its wider logistics system includes vehicle processing centers, inland distribution operations and marine terminals.

The company operates approximately 130 vessels across 15 trade routes. Its expanded newbuilding program is intended to maintain capacity and flexibility as shipping demand develops into the next decade. New ships from 2030 onward will add modern tonnage and help the company respond to changing needs across automotive and high-and-heavy equipment markets.