Hoegh orders two more car carriers

HOEGH AUTOLINERS is expanding its fleet at a rapid rate. Last week the company placed orders for two more large flexible Pure Car Truck Carriers (PCTC) from Daewoo Shipbuilding to be delivered in 2009, each with a carrying capacity of 6 100 cars. The line is set to take delivery of nine new ro/ros in the next two years – seven in 2007 and two in 2008 – having added 11 new vessels to its fleet in the past three years. “Our customers’ cargo projections are behind our growth ambitions,” says CEO Thor Jørgen Guttormsen. ”Shipyards that are building car carriers are generally well covered with orders, and access to building capacity is important. We are currently sourcing new vessels from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea (5), Uljanik Shipyard in Croatia (2) and Tsuneishi Heavy Industries in the Philippines (4).