The Volkswagen Group Opts for LNG-Powered Vessels to Transport Vehicles

The Volkswagen Group has decided to significantly improve the environmental balance of its marine transport fleet by using two vessels powered by LNG on routes between Europe and North America. The two planned charter vessels from Siem Car Carriers are a genuine milestone on the way to eco-friendlier marine transport. In addition, the Group intends to transfer vehicle and material transport in Europe increasingly from trucks to lower-emission means of transport such as ships in the future.

“The Volkswagen Group is shouldering its responsibility for the environment. This not only applies to our cars but also to our production and logistics,” said Wolfram Thomas, Head of Group Production. “By commissioning the two LNG-powered freighters for the route between Europe and North America, Volkswagen Group Logistics is forging ahead with environmentally compatible, resource-efficient transport.”
The two LNG-powered vessels have a capacity of about 4,500 vehicles. The car carriers, equipped with a 105,000 cubic foot LNG tank installed below deck, will have a comparable capacity to conventional transatlantic freighters. Both ships will feature a 12,600 kW engine developed by MAN Diesel & Turbo.

Volkswagen says the use of the two LNG-powered freighters for vehicle logistics across the North Atlantic will reduce emissions per ship and year by up to 25 percent in the case of CO2, up to 30 percent in the case of NOx, and up to 60 percent in the case of particulate matters (PM), while SOx emissions will be cut by as much as 100 percent. Emissions will be further reduced by the use of a highly advanced dual-fuel marine engine with direct injection and exhaust gas treatment.