Wallenius Wilhelmsen introduces world’s largest car carrier
In a manner reminiscent of the growth in size of container ships (and super tankers before them), pure car carriers just keep growing, with no real idea of where there is a limit. Already big and cumbersome at least in appearance, the trick is now to find fresh ways of packing even more cars into one ship to achieve that magical economy of scale.
The latest and, so it is claimed, largest car carrier to be built is the Wallenius Wilhelmsen vessel FAUST, 228 metres in length and capable of carrying up to 8,000 cars at a time, which entered into service in May.
Before this WW’s largest ship was TOMBARRA, which has already completed several calls on the African coast and on which we reported on 21 May 2007 – see
http://www.ports.co.za/news/article_2007_05_20_0219.html#three. The 61,320-gt Tombarra carries an impressive 6,800 motor vehicles, but this now diminishes in insignificance next to the latest ship.
Faust stands tall at the equivalent of 13 storeys but can also maintain a speed of 19 knots. She is the first of seven new builds of a completely new series of Large Car Truck Carriers (LCTC – yet another acronym for us to remember) ordered by the owners Wallenius Lines and Wilh. Wilhelmsen and was christened on 17 May at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering in Korea.
Her typical route is likely to be between Europe and the United States with a mixed cargo of cars and heavy equipment. This flexibility is made possible because five of the ship's thirteen decks can be moved.
In addition to her considerable size and capacity, Faust has also been equipped with the latest in environmentally sound technology designed to reduce emissions into the air and sea. She will also be fitted with a ballast water treatment system, PureBallast, to treat water before releasing it into the ocean, as well as an onboard recycling system for materials used by the crew. The ship also uses diesel-based oil to reduce emissions and operate more efficiently.
With a 21,500 horsepower engine, the new vessel can reach a maximum speed of 19 knots. However, despite her tremendous size of 71,500 gross tonnes, the M/V Faust's captain, Bjцrn H. Larde, comments that she is easy enough to steer and says that he can manoeuvre the ship with the aid of just a joystick and a dial. The latest navigation equipment is, of course, also available on board.
The latest and, so it is claimed, largest car carrier to be built is the Wallenius Wilhelmsen vessel FAUST, 228 metres in length and capable of carrying up to 8,000 cars at a time, which entered into service in May.
Before this WW’s largest ship was TOMBARRA, which has already completed several calls on the African coast and on which we reported on 21 May 2007 – see
http://www.ports.co.za/news/article_2007_05_20_0219.html#three. The 61,320-gt Tombarra carries an impressive 6,800 motor vehicles, but this now diminishes in insignificance next to the latest ship.
Faust stands tall at the equivalent of 13 storeys but can also maintain a speed of 19 knots. She is the first of seven new builds of a completely new series of Large Car Truck Carriers (LCTC – yet another acronym for us to remember) ordered by the owners Wallenius Lines and Wilh. Wilhelmsen and was christened on 17 May at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering in Korea.
Her typical route is likely to be between Europe and the United States with a mixed cargo of cars and heavy equipment. This flexibility is made possible because five of the ship's thirteen decks can be moved.
In addition to her considerable size and capacity, Faust has also been equipped with the latest in environmentally sound technology designed to reduce emissions into the air and sea. She will also be fitted with a ballast water treatment system, PureBallast, to treat water before releasing it into the ocean, as well as an onboard recycling system for materials used by the crew. The ship also uses diesel-based oil to reduce emissions and operate more efficiently.
With a 21,500 horsepower engine, the new vessel can reach a maximum speed of 19 knots. However, despite her tremendous size of 71,500 gross tonnes, the M/V Faust's captain, Bjцrn H. Larde, comments that she is easy enough to steer and says that he can manoeuvre the ship with the aid of just a joystick and a dial. The latest navigation equipment is, of course, also available on board.
