Höegh to upgrade car carriers with Kongsberg kit

Höegh Autoliners is to upgrade ten pure car truck carriers (PCTC) with Kongsberg Maritime Promas Lite propulsion systems. The retrofits are projected to reduce fuel consumption and corresponding emissions by at least 6.5%.

The Promas Lite systems, developed specifically for retrofits, integrate the fixed pitch propeller, hub cap, bulb, and rudder into one propulsive unit. Analysis carried out at Kongsberg’s Hydrodynamic Research Centre has estimated the fuel savings which have also been validated by full-scale measurements taken from two existing vessels with Promas Lite installations.

The shipping company’s COO, Sebjørn Dahl, commented: “Höegh Autoliners is dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint. An important factor of this is to consistently strive to improve our vessel performance by adopting the most energy-efficient solutions from highly qualified and dedicated suppliers. Our partners at Kongsberg Maritime are helping us drive this vision forward with their Promas Lite propulsion system.”

The company’s vessels operate on eleven routes and make about 3,000 port calls each year. Its decarbonisation programme includes the construction of a new class of PCTCs. The Aurora vessels, for which Kongsberg is supplying key components, will be the first zero-carbon ships in the company’s fleet and will use ammonia as fuel from 2027.