Grimsby has welcomed the first deep sea car carrier powered by sustainable fuels.
New build vessel MV Auto Achieve, owned by United European Car Carriers, brought a cargo of Kia vehicles to Grimsby River Terminal.
The multi-fuel liquefied natural gas and battery hybrid boasts a carbon dioxide emission reduction of around 25 per cent, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter by 90 per cent and nitrogen oxide by 85 per cent. She can also run on bio-LNG and synthetic fuels as these become available.
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Simon Bird, Associated British Ports’ regional director for the Humber, said: “We are delighted that Kia have chosen the Port of Grimsby to bring this car carrier to. This is a great opportunity to see how sustainable vessels can be and LNG fuelled ones are growing in popularity. We expect to see more of them in our ports as operators look to lower their carbon footprint.”
Both Grimsby and Immingham ports are progressing green maritime projects, and between the two, at Stallingborough, sits Kia’s UK pre-delivery inspection and logistics base.
The dual port complex, along with neighbouring Humber Sea Terminal, is a major import location for cars destined for Britain’s showrooms, while also providing export, most notably for Derby-built Toyotas.
Paul Philpott, president and chief executive of Kia UK Ltd, said: “At Kia our vision is to become a truly sustainable, responsible and innovative mobility solutions leader, this is outlined in a clear and achievable strategy leading up to 2045 when we’ve committed to achieve carbon neutrality. Part of this plan focuses on collaboration with our supply chain partners to achieve lower emissions throughout our entire value chain. UECC’s MV Auto Achieve vessel is a great example of innovation to enhance emissions reduction and we’re proud to have our new electrified vehicles transported via one of the cleanest methods possible today.”
Auto Achieve is a product of Jiangnan Shipyard, China, and is the second such vessel to enter the fleet.
Daniel Gent, energy and sustainability manager at UECC, said: “We are delighted to welcome to Grimsby our vessel Auto Achieve, the greenest and most technologically advanced car carrier built to date. Powered by a multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid system, our customers benefit from a carbon reduction up to 40 per cent whilst transporting their cargo onboard.
“Additionally, the vessel’s unique design allows for improved air quality in the port and the local area. Grimsby is an important place that holds more than 30 years of history for our organisation, and we are immensely proud to see our newest vessel here today.”
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