BYD, a leading Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker, has recently added a new vessel to its fleet, marking a significant milestone in its expansion into the international market. The BYD Shenzhen car carrier, which is now the world’s largest ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) ship with a capacity of 9,200 vehicles, completed its undocking in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province on January 15. This signifies that the ship is ready to begin its sea operations.
The smooth departure of the BYD Shenzhen from the dock is expected to boost Chinese auto brands’ efforts to expand overseas and better respond to changes in international market demand. While the report did not explicitly mention the ship’s owner, it is widely believed to be owned by BYD, based in Shenzhen.
BYD’s fleet previously consisted of three vessels, namely BYD Explorer No.1, BYD Hefei, and BYD Changzhou. The BYD Explorer No.1, which entered service in January 2024, was the first vessel in BYD’s fleet and was initially chartered to BYD by another owner. Subsequently, BYD Hefei, a 7,000-vehicle dual-fuel automobile ro-ro vessel, was launched on September 20 last year, becoming the first car carrier owned by BYD and named after one of its vehicle production bases.
Following the success of BYD Hefei, BYD Changzhou, the company’s second self-owned car carrier, was put into operation in December. This vessel, with a capacity of 7,000 cars, carried 5,000 NEVs to Europe on its maiden voyage. Now, with the addition of BYD Shenzhen to its fleet, BYD has further strengthened its position in the automotive shipping industry.
The BYD Shenzhen is equipped with LNG dual-fuel clean power technology and features BYD’s innovative box battery packs and shaft generators for enhanced performance and efficiency. With an overall length of 219 meters, a beam of 37.7 meters, a design draft of 9 meters, and a design speed of 18.5 knots, the vessel sets new standards for automotive ro-ro ships in terms of size and environmental friendliness.
In conclusion, the launch of the BYD Shenzhen marks a significant achievement for BYD and the Chinese automotive industry as a whole. With its cutting-edge technology and impressive capacity, the vessel is poised to play a crucial role in BYD’s global expansion strategy.
