On June 21, BYD’s fifth car carrier, the “Xi’an,” was successfully delivered in Yizheng, Jiangsu. The naming ceremony was presided over by Xiong Tianbo, General Manager of the Sales Division of BYD’s Fangchengbao brand. Xiong Tianbo announced in a post that following the “Pioneer,” “Changzhou,” “Hefei,” and “Shenzhen” vessels, the “Xi’an” has officially entered service as one of the world’s largest LNG dual-fuel car carriers currently in operation. BYD’s sixth roll-on/roll-off ship, the “Changsha,” is also set to embark on its maiden voyage on June 24.
The “Xi’an” measures 219.9 meters in length, 37.7 meters in width, and has a service speed of 19 knots. It features 16 decks and can accommodate up to 9,200 standard car slots, making it one of the largest LNG dual-fuel car carriers in operation. The “Changsha,” which is also in the trial navigation phase, has a similar capacity of 9,200 cars.
In 2022, BYD announced a $7.5 billion investment to order eight specialized roll-on/roll-off ships capable of carrying more than 7,000 cars each. Two of these vessels are being manufactured by Guangzhou Shipyard International, while the remaining six are being built by CIMC Raffles. All ships are equipped with dual LNG and fuel propulsion systems.
According to the plan, BYD aims to complete an “overseas fleet” of eight roll-on/roll-off ships by 2026, with an annual transportation capacity exceeding one million vehicles.
(Source)