On September 3rd, Höegh Autoliners, a Norwegian car carrier operator, celebrated the naming of its sixth Aurora-Class vessel in commercial operation at Sweden’s leading and largest port in the Nordic region. The vessel was sponsored by Mrs Jenny Westermark, Senior Vice President, GTO Production Logistics at Volvo Group, who performed the traditional bottle-breaking. An array of sustainable Volvo Group cargo provided a spectacular showpiece for the proceedings.
With a capacity of 9,100 car equivalent units (CEU), the Höegh Moonlight joins Höegh Autoliners’ flagship series of 12 next-generation pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). The fifth sister vessel, the Höegh Sunrise, was named at Omaezaki Port in Japan in June this year.
Built for a low-carbon future, the Aurora Class is the most technically advanced and environmentally friendly series of car carriers ever constructed. All 12 vessels are designed from the keel up to transition to clean fuels, with the first eight powered by LNG via dual-fuel engines. The vessels are estimated to deliver 58% lower emissions per transported car compared to the industry average. The first 8 vessels are dual-fuel “ammonia-ready” with reinforced decks and an integrated tank developed by TGE Marine at the heart of the design, allowing for straightforward conversion to be able to run on clean ammonia in the future. The final four vessels in this Aurora newbuilding program, scheduled for delivery from 2027, are dual-fuel vessels able to operate on ammonia from day one.
The newly named “Höegh Moonlight” was constructed by China Merchants Heavy Industries Haimen Shipyard (CMHI Haimen Shipyard). Höegh Autoliners has placed orders at the yard for 12 dual-fuel, zero-carbon-ready Aurora-class vessels with a capacity of 9,100 cars. Four additional vessels are subject to options for delivery in 2026 and 2027. The first vessel, the “Höegh Aurora”, was delivered in August 2024.
The Aurora Class plays a central role in Höegh Autoliners’ ambition to reach zero emissions by 2040. All are classed by DNV and fly the Norwegian flag.