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The port of Malaga received the BYD Shenzhen on August. It is the world’s largest vehicle transporter capable of carrying 9200 vehicles.
A 219-metre vessel owned by China’s leading electric car manufacturer BYD arrived in Vigo from Sagunto. BYD Shenzhen, built by China Merchants Shipyard and designed in Finland by Deltamarin maritime engineering, began commercial operations late April with its first voyage to Brazil.
The ship is the fourth of a planned seven-ship series. The ship has 16 decks, and a beam measuring 37.7 meters. The ship is 2,200 CEUs larger than sister ships. The vessel is powered by dual-fuel engines, which run on marine natural gas or diesel. It can reach speeds of up to 19 knots (35.18km/h). The ship was built with sustainability in the forefront. Its hull has been coated with an anti-fouling coating to reduce the amount of adhesion by limpets. This allows it to glide through water more efficiently.
BYD is a part of BYD’s strategic decision to own its entire shipping fleet in order to cut the high cost of sea transportation. The company has vessels that serve 400 ports across 100 countries. Malaga may be included in future. The docking in Malaga at the Noatum terminal is a stopover for practical reasons and also a PR stunt, as the company continues to aggressively enter the EU market with products that are cheaper than the US and EU competition.
The arrival of BYD, an eco-conscious company, with the slogan “Build Your Dreams”, may signal a potential increase in Malaga’s car carrier traffic. This activity has been going on for a while.
