In March 2024, Chinese carmaker BYD ordered seven new transport ships to meet the goals and the increasing demand for electric cars in Europe. The first of the new ships (BYD Changzhou) set sail from the port of Yantai in late November with 5,000 new EVs.

The 200-meter-long ship, with a capacity of 7,000 vehicles, headed for the ports of Bristol (UK) and Rotterdam (Netherlands) with vehicles produced in several plants. It was built to high international standards and uses a dual-fuel LNG drive, which reduces carbon emissions during the journey.

These seven ships will help BYD to transport its cars around the world faster. Currently, Chinese companies own fewer than 50 car cargo ships, and their combined capacity is less than 150,000 vehicles. In comparison, Japanese companies have ships that can transport 1.6 million vehicles.

“Having our own ships helps us better control our exports. We can now deliver our environmentally friendly vehicles to customers around the world in an even more efficient manner,” the company said.

Since the beginning of the year, Chinese manufacturers have exported 5.28 million vehicles, up 25 percent from 2023. BYD currently operates in 99 countries and regions around the world, and plans to acquire more ships to enhance its global supply of quality and environmentally friendly vehicles.

Source: BYD