Zodiac Maritime is continuing to expand its PCTC fleet. Two more dual-fuel car carriers have been ordered from Yantai CIMC Raffles.
The British shipping company Zodiac Maritime , owned by Israeli entrepreneur Eyal Ofer, has ordered two more Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC) from Yantai CIMC Raffles Shipyard in China. According to the company, the ships are to be delivered in 2028. They are Panamax units with LNG dual-fuel propulsion and a capacity of 7,000 CEU.
The order follows a previous series of ten vessels of the same design, which were ordered between 2021 and 2023 and delivered between 2023 and 2025. According to the report, the majority of these units will be operated for Chinese car manufacturers such as BYD, Geely and SAIC.
According to Zodiac, it currently has 22 PCTCs. The majority of the fleet consists of Panamax vessels; in terms of tonnage, the majority are dual-fuel capable. Zodiac has already carried out more than 100 LNG bunkering operations across the fleet. According to the company, it now operates dual-fuel ships in all four fleet segments.
According to Lloyd’s List, the new ships were apparently ordered without any long-term charter contracts already secured. The order comes at a time when capacity in the car carrier market remains tight and charter rates are at an elevated level. According to the report, Zodiac is the third-largest tonnage provider in the car carrier segment.
China has significantly expanded its role in global vehicle transportation in recent years. Car manufacturers from the country are increasingly relying on ships that they own themselves or charter on a long-term basis. According to the report, Chinese producers are associated with around a quarter of the more than 230 vehicle transporters ordered since 2021.
