China's SAIC takes delivery of methanol-ready car carrier

Chinese shipping company the SAIC Group, through subsidiary Anji Logistics, took delivery of a new pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) in a ceremony on Friday, June 13.

Anji Soundness, which departed on its maiden operational voyage later that same day, belongs to the same series as Anji Ansheng, which was handed over to SAIC in 2024.

The PCTC has an LOA of 228 metres, a beam of 37.8 metres, a draught of 10.3 metres, and a total capacity of 9,500 CEUs. To ensure compliance with IMO Tier III emissions regulations, the main and auxiliary engines are fitted with selective catalytic reduction systems and exhaust after-treatment systems.

The engines and the boilers may also be configured to allow operation on methanol fuel in the future.

Anji Soundness' maiden operational voyage includes stops at Shanghai, Lianyungang and Yantai, where it will load locally produced cars for delivery to the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The ship's journey to Europe will include passage through the Cape of Good Hope and will cover 16,000 nautical miles over an estimated duration of 40 days.