Höegh Autoliners Taps BYD Battery Technology for Ammonia-Powered Car Carrier

Höegh Autoliners has signed an agreement with Chinese battery manufacturer BYD to install a marine battery system aboard its upcoming Aurora No. 12 car carrier, combining battery storage, solar panels and a shaft generator with ammonia propulsion.

The agreement, signed Monday at the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Turkey, will see the vessel equipped with an integrated energy system designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Scheduled for delivery in May 2028, Aurora No. 12 will be capable of operating on ammonia from the day it leaves the shipyard.

Höegh says the ship will be the first deep-sea car carrier to combine all four technologies, making it the most fuel-efficient pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) ever built.

“This shows that shipping can take the lead in the green transition. We are combining every green technology available on one vessel capable of running on ammonia from day one. Nobody has done that on a deep-sea car carrier before,” said Höegh Autoliners CEO Andreas Enger.

The battery system, supplied by BYD, will work alongside the vessel’s shaft generator and solar panels to improve onboard energy management. Höegh estimates the combination will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 1,000 metric tons of CO? equivalent annually while lowering fuel costs.

The technology could also help address one of the challenges facing ammonia-powered shipping: the relatively high cost of green ammonia compared with conventional marine fuels. While ammonia produces no CO? when burned, its overall environmental impact depends heavily on how it is produced.

“We want to push ourselves technologically and learn what green technology can achieve when it is combined at its best,” said Höegh Autoliners COO Sebjørn Dahl.

BYD said the partnership would demonstrate the potential for its containerized battery technology in deep-sea shipping.

Aurora No. 12 is part of Höegh Autoliners’ expanding Aurora-class newbuilding program at China Merchants Heavy Industry in China. Each vessel can carry up to 9,100 cars, with the company claiming carbon emissions per vehicle transported can be reduced by as much as 58% compared with conventional car carriers.

The latest development follows Höegh Autoliners’ August order for six additional Aurora-class vessels, bringing the program to 18 ships. Options and reserved shipbuilding slots could eventually expand the fleet to 26 vessels.

The Aurora-class ships feature engines supplied by Everllence, bridge systems from Kongsberg Maritime and DNV ammonia- and methanol-ready class notations. The new battery installation represents another step in Höegh’s effort to transition its deep-sea fleet toward lower- and zero-carbon operations.

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