Volkswagen Group has become one of world’s first car manufacturers to commit to using liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered ships between Europe and North America. By using LNG fuel, the company expects to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 25%, nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 30%, particulate matter by 60% and sulphur oxides (SOx) by 100% per ship, per year.
The two LNG-powered ships will replace two of nine heavy fuel oil (HFO)-powered freighters used by the company from 2019 onwards. These freighters are used exclusively by the Volkswagen Group in a round trip scheme across the North Atlantic serving the markets of Canada, the USA, Mexico and Europe. The contract partner for the LNG-powered ships is SIEM Car Carriers A/S.
The Volkswagen Group has been proactive in its approach to lowering the environmental impact of its car freight transportation activities. The company joined the Clean Shipping Network at the beginning of 2014 and was the first German car manufacturer to use this index for assessing the environmental impact of its marine transport.
Wolfram Thomas, Head of Group Production at Vokswagen commented: “The Volkswagen Group is shouldering its responsibility for the environment. This not only applies to our cars but also to our production and logistics. We are pooling all our efforts to improve environmental compatibility in Logistics under the term Green Logistics. By commissioning the two LNG-powered freighters for the route between Europe and North America, Volkswagen Group Logistics is forging ahead with environmentally compatible, resource-efficient transport.”
Image: Siem Car Carriers A/S
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