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Members Corner
United European Car Carriers (UECC) greatly reduced CO2 emissions in 2025 – mainly through switching out more LNG with liquefied biomethane (LBM) in its fuel mix – as the company’s new sustainability manager pursues an array of measures to drive forward its low-carbon ambitions.
The Norwegian shipping company recorded an emissions reduction of 154,468 tons of CO2 last year, an improvement of around 44% on 2024 (107,173 tons), as it accelerates progress towards a target of 186,263 tons in 2030 – a 45% reduction from a 2014 baseline.
Cutting 154,468 tons of CO2 is equivalent to removing around 38,000 cars with internal combustion engines (ICE) from the road, eliminating emissions of around 514 round-trip flights from London to New York or growing 2.5 million tree seedlings over a decade.
Although the share of alternative fuels in UECC’s fuel mix remained basically unchanged at around 42% last year, the company realized significant gains in emissions cuts through expanding the use of high-impact LBM (or bioLNG) under its Sail for Change initiative as the low-carbon fuel was used more widely across its enabled tonnage.
“This programme has been a major factor behind UECC’s improved environmental performance in 2025 as bioLNG accounted for a much higher share of 71% of LNG consumption, versus 31% the previous year. This trend is set to continue as we further expand the volume of bioLNG used to fuel the fleet going forward,” said UECC’s recently appointed Sustainability Manager Steinar Rinvik Spinnangr.
‘Investments paying off’
UECC now has seven dual-fuel and multi-fuel LNG Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs) in its 16-vessel fleet – of which the first dual-fuel vessels were delivered in 2016 – with an additional four newbuilds on order.
Three of these PCTCs are currently deployed on the leading European sustainable RoRo carrier’s main North-South trading network that are bunkering LBM as part of Sail for Change, which is supported by major vehicle manufacturers including Toyota, Ford and JLR.
UECC Chief Executive Glenn Edvardsen asserted that the latest emissions data demonstrate the company’s exponential progress in fleet decarbonization from its proactive adoption of alternative fuels after initially piloting biofuels in 2020.
“The strong statistics show that our investments in newbuilds designed to run on LNG and bioLNG, as well as biofuel implementation on other vessels, are paying off,” he said.
“These figures translate into significant cost savings for our customers through reduced exposure to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and FuelEU Maritime, strengthening commercial advantage while underpinning our shared sustainability ambitions.
“At the same time, we are developing our bunkering network for available alternative fuels to expand their usage going forward, coinciding with a series of newbuild deliveries in the coming years towards UECC’s goal of achieving net zero by 2040.”
Expansion of eco-friendly fleet
UECC now has four multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid newbuild PCTCs on order at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Nanjing, having recently contracted two additional units at the Chinese yard, with deliveries scheduled as early as 2028 for both vessels.
“I am excited to be embarking on a new journey with a true pioneer of sustainability in shipping with an impressive track record in green technology innovation and piloting of alternative fuels – and I consider building on this strong legacy as my top priority,” Spinnangr said.
The Norwegian School of Economics graduate took over the position following six years at Oslo-based research firm Rystad Energy where he was engaged in various consultancy roles and most recently as project manager on a range of energy transition projects including offshore wind, batteries and solar power.
“Transitioning to shipping represents a new and positive challenge with the opportunity to explore broader application of new alternative fuels at UECC to further strengthen the sustainability of our fleet,” Spinnangr said.
Sustainability initiatives
As well as alternative fuels, he continues to focus on other sustainability initiatives such as increased implementation of measures to enhance energy efficiency across UECC’s existing vessels – including digital tools for voyage planning and route optimization, and hull cleaning systems to minimize drag.
At the macro level, Spinnangr sees a unified global regulatory regime as essential to facilitate industry decarbonization and is concerned the rise of fragmented regional regulation following postponement of the IMO’s Net Zero Framework can pose compliance challenges for shipping companies.
“There needs to be alignment of regional regimes as well as collaboration across the industry to promote common interests and advance progress towards net zero,” he said.
Spinnangr believes the connected corporate culture at UECC – both internally and with other stakeholders such as fuel developers and engine makers – has been a key factor in coming up with new sustainable solutions. “UECC is showing the way forward and it is great to be onboard,” he concluded.
For more information contact:
Bjorn O. Gran Svenningsen, Director Sales & Marketing, UECC Email: bsv@uecc.com Website: uecc.com
About UECC
UECC (United European Car Carriers) is a leading provider of sustainable shortsea RoRo transportation in Europe. UECC operates a fleet of Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs), delivering logistics solutions with a focus on sustainability. The company is committed to reducing its environmental impact through the Sail for Change programme and other initiatives.