Höegh Sunlight marks a milestone at the Port of Santander: Sailing towards a sustainable future

 

The Höegh Sunlight , a state-of-the-art vehicle cargo ship (PCTC), docked at Raos 8 pier in the Port of Santander , arriving from Le Havre , to load over a thousand vehicles destined for South Africa and Oceania . This Norwegian-flagged vessel, handled by Davila Agencias , is impressive for its size: 200 meters long and with a capacity to transport up to 9.100 vehicles.

 

The arrival of the Höegh Sunlight represents a crucial step in Höegh Autoliners' decarbonization strategy. This ship, along with its eleven Aurora-class sister ships, is designed to operate on ammonia propulsion, a zero-carbon fuel.

 

During the welcoming ceremony, the president of the Port Authority of Santander (APS), César Díaz , expressed his appreciation to the shipping company for its "commitment to the environment" and thanked them for the trust they have placed in the port over the past twenty-five years. In a symbolic gesture, Díaz, along with the director in Spain of Höegh Autoliners, Iñaki Echeverría , presented a commemorative plaque to the ship's captain, Ding Chuan Liang.

 

“We continue to focus on this strategic traffic through significant investment in infrastructure, allowing us to improve our facilities and provide increasingly better service to our operators.” “The expansion of the vertical car silo, the Raos 9 ramp and siding, and the new Raos 6 dock are proof of this,” stated César Díaz , President of the Port Authority of Santander.

 

The Aurora Class is distinguished by being the first in the PCTC segment to receive DNV ammonia-ready and methanol-ready certifications , placing it at the forefront of maritime sustainability. These vessels feature state-of-the-art technology, including a main engine designed by MAN and a bridge system supplied by Kongsberg Maritime.

 

Höegh Autoliners, as a member of the First Movers Coalition , has committed to powering at least 5% of its offshore operations with green ammonia by 2027, which is equivalent to 100.000 metric tons of this sustainable fuel.

 

The Höegh Sunlight is equipped with fourteen reinforced decks and enhanced internal ramp systems, allowing it to accommodate electric vehicles on all decks. It also features state-of-the-art maritime technology, including security and digitalization solutions, and is ready to utilize shore-based power (OPS) for emission-free port operations.