The Volkswagen Group, one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, said the two LNG-fueled vessels chartered from Siem Car Carriers went into production.
The company noted that from 2019 onwards two chartered ships powered by LNG will transport Volkswagen Group vehicles between Europe and North America.
The vessels, capable of transporting 4,500 vehicles each, will replace two of the nine ships powered by heavy fuel oil that currently make up the Volkswagen fleet.
Speaking of the company’s initiative, Markus Lange , head of vehicle logistics for the Group, said, “besides using LNG as an alternative source of fuel for ships, we are also working on other projects to improve the environmental compatibility of our logistics chain on an ongoing basis.”
Volkswagen Group is investing in LNG-based trucks with over 100 Scania LNG trucks set to hit the roads in northern Germany.
As part of this process, freight forwarders will receive support in purchasing the vehicles. New LNG refueling stations will also be built.
At the moment, LNG-powered trucks are only planned for use in material logistics for the transportation of vehicle components. In vehicle logistics, design obstacles have yet to be overcome.