Ningbo Ocean Shipping Enters Car Carrier Market with New Europe Ro-Ro Service
Key Takeaways
- •Ningbo Ocean Shipping has launched its first car carrier service to Europe using the newly built 7,000 CEU LNG dual-fuel vessel Clean Star, initially loading over 5,400 new energy vehicles for delivery to Italian and Spanish ports.
- •The company has chartered Clean Star from Atlas Maritime and European Maritime Finance for a two-year term at $80,000 per day, expected to generate approximately $56 million in revenue for the vessel owners.
- •China exported 5.096 million vehicles in the first half of 2026, representing a 65.3% year-on-year increase, with new energy vehicle exports more than doubling to 2.355 million units.
- •Ningbo Ocean Shipping becomes the latest Chinese carrier to enter the PCTC segment, joining COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers and SAIC Anji Logistics in expanding vehicle export capacity.
- •The service marks the first time Ningbo Ocean Shipping, traditionally focused on container and bulk trades, has extended its network to continental Europe, establishing direct ro-ro connections to Mediterranean gateways.
Ningbo Ocean Shipping has entered the car carrier sector, launching its first roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) service to Europe aboard the newly built 7,000 CEU LNG dual-fuel vessel Clean Star.
A maiden voyage ceremony was held earlier this week at the Meixi Ro-Ro Terminal in Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. The vessel is currently loading more than 5,400 new energy vehicles (NEVs) before departing for Gioia Tauro in Italy and Barcelona in Spain. The transit from eastern China to the Mediterranean is expected to take approximately 20 days.
The service represents Ningbo Ocean Shipping's formal entry into vehicle transportation and marks the first time the company has extended its network to continental Europe. Ningbo Ocean Shipping becomes the latest Chinese carrier to move into the pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) segment, joining state-owned operators such as COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers and SAIC Anji Logistics in expanding capacity dedicated to vehicle exports.
The 7,000 CEU Clean Star was built by Yantai CIMC Raffles and has been chartered by Ningbo Ocean Shipping for a two-year period at a reported rate of $80,000 per day. The vessel measures nearly 200 meters in length and features 12 vehicle decks capable of carrying passenger cars, trucks, construction machinery, and other high-and-heavy cargoes. It is designed to operate on either LNG or conventional fuel, is shore-power capable, and carries an ammonia-ready notation. The $80,000-per-day charter rate reflects a PCTC market that has sustained historically elevated levels as Chinese vehicle export volumes outpace available carrier capacity.
The charter contract is expected to generate approximately $56 million in revenue for the vessel's owners, Atlas Maritime and European Maritime Finance, over its initial term.
Ningbo Ocean Shipping is the largest liner operator based in Zhejiang province. The company operates a fleet of approximately 120 vessels and has traditionally focused on container, dry bulk, and breakbulk trades.
Its expansion into PCTCs comes amid surging Chinese vehicle exports. China shipped 5.096 million vehicles overseas during the first half of 2026, a 65.3% increase year-on-year, with new energy vehicle exports more than doubling to 2.355 million units. Europe has been a primary destination for Chinese NEV shipments, making direct ro-ro connections from Chinese ports to Mediterranean gateways such as Gioia Tauro and Barcelona strategically significant for Chinese automakers seeking to consolidate export supply chains.
