UK-based shipping company Zodiac Maritime has taken delivery of the final 7,000 CEU dual-fuel pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) built by CIMC Raffles, a subsidiary of China International Marine Containers (CIMC).
According to the shipbuilder, the handover of Jisu Glory took place on September 8, completing the consecutive delivery of ten dual-fuel PCTC vessels ordered by Zodiac Maritime.
The first unit from the series, BYD Explorer No.1, was delivered on January 8, 2025, and leased to BYD, a China-based electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer.
The delivery of BYD Explorer No.1 marked the beginning of the era of China’s own transport of domestically built cars.
Zodiac Maritime initially contracted CIMC Raffles back in October 2021, booking a quartet of 7,000 CEU car carriers, designed by Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI).
The handovers of these four newbuilds were to commence in 2023, but under this deal, Zodiac Maritime revealed that considerations were being made to exercise options to purchase additional vessels in the future.
By May 2023, the London-based company had rounded up the number of LNG dual-fuel car carriers ordered at CIMC Raffles to ten.
The PCTCs, which use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as one of their primary fuels, are expected to significantly cut down on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), which could be lowered by 20-30% compared to journeys of a ship powered by conventional fuel sources.