Sallaum Lines has ordered its largest vessels to date, signing a shipbuilding contract with Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry for up to four next-generation 8,600 CEU LNG dual-fuel car carriers. Featuring a highly flexible five-liftable-deck configuration and an ammonia-ready design, the vessels will inject critical capacity into global automotive supply chains while advancing Sallaum’s roadmap toward carbon neutrality by 2050.
Cyprus | June 15, 2026 – Continuing its aggressive fleet modernization and expansion strategy, Sallaum Lines has formalized a shipbuilding contract with China’s Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. (XSI) for up to four next-generation Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs).
The contract comprises two firm vessels and two optional units, with each vessel boasting a capacity of 8,600 Car Equivalent Units (CEU). Representing the largest vessels ever commissioned by the company, this order stands as the most significant single capital investment in Sallaum Lines’ history.
This contract comes on the heels of the operator’s recent string of newbuild deliveries, including the 7,400 CEU Ocean Express and Ocean Navigator from China Merchants Jinling, alongside the Ocean Explorer from Mawei Shipbuilding earlier this year.
Engineered for Unmatched Scale and Cargo Flexibility
The new XSI newbuilds are strategically designed to balance massive carrying capacity with broad global port accessibility. The technical specifications of these maritime giants include:
| Vessel Parameter | Technical Specification / Metric |
| Length Overall | 199.90 meters |
| Beam / Breadth | 38.00 meters |
| Air Draught | 46.00 meters |
| Cargo Capacity | 8,600 CEU (Car Equivalent Units) |
| Configuration | 5 Liftable Decks |
To accommodate a highly volatile and evolving global automotive supply chain, the vessels feature five liftable decks. This advanced internal deck configuration allows the carrier to seamlessly transition its loading profile between standard passenger cars, electric vehicles (EVs), light commercial trucks, heavy rolling stock (High & Heavy), and oversized breakbulk project cargo.
The physical dimensions are tightly calibrated, keeping the overall length just under the critical 200-meter threshold to guarantee smooth, uninhibited terminal access across Sallaum’s primary trading networks spanning Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.
Technical Innovation: Dual-Fuel Multi-Flex Propulsion and “Ammonia-Ready” Design
Sallaum Lines is leveraging this landmark order to future-proof its assets against tightening international climate legislation, such as the IMO 2030 intensity targets and the EU Green Deal’s FuelEU Maritime mandates.
Multi-Fuel Flexibility
The main and auxiliary propulsion systems will feature advanced dual-fuel capabilities, allowing the vessels to switch seamlessly between:
- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
- Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO)
- Marine Gas Oil (MGO)
The Ammonia Blueprint
Crucially, these vessels are being constructed under a strict ammonia-ready technical designation. This means the structural foundations, fuel tank layouts, and piping architectures are pre-engineered to undergo cost-effective retrofitting into zero-carbon green ammonia propulsion once supply infrastructure and marine bunkering networks reach commercial maturity.
Secondary Efficiency Systems
Beyond the engine room, the vessels incorporate a holistic suite of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic efficiency technologies:
- Onboard Photovoltaic Systems: Utilizing solar power arrays to offset hotel loads and auxiliary electrical demands.
- Advanced Hull Air Lubrication: Injecting a continuous layer of air bubbles beneath the hull to minimize frictional drag.
- Self-Polishing Anti-Fouling Coatings: Premium hull paint systems designed to optimize speed-to-power ratios and lower fuel consumption over extended operational cycles.
Strategic Alignment with Global Automotive OEMs
The massive capacity injection arrives amid exceptionally tight structural demand across Finished Vehicle Logistics (FVL). Sallaum Lines maintains long-term transport portfolios with many of the world’s primary original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Furthermore, this order directly supports Sallaum’s aggressive commercial expansion into the Asian market. Driven by its dedicated China operations office, the company is positioning these 8,600 CEU giants to service the exploding volume of vehicle exports pouring out of the Far East toward Western and emerging markets.
“This order is an important step in the next chapter of the company,” said Hasan Sallaum, Director of Sallaum Lines. “These vessels are not only an expansion of our fleet; they reflect the direction of our business and the responsibility we have towards our customers, our partners, and the future of shipping. With larger capacity, dual-fuel capability, and an ammonia-ready design, these ships give us the flexibility to serve growing market demand while continuing to invest in lower-emission transportation. For us, sustainability and commercial growth are not separate ambitions; they must move forward together.”
About Sallaum Lines
Sallaum Lines is a top-tier international roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) carrier specialized in global finished vehicle logistics. Backed by a rapidly growing owned and chartered fleet, the carrier provides deep-sea shipping solutions for cars, heavy machinery, and project cargo across a network connecting Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. Sallaum Lines operates under a formalized environmental roadmap targeting absolute carbon neutrality by 2050.
Source: Sallaum Lines