BYD has placed an order for ten additional 9,200 CEU pure car and truck carriers (PCTC), according to multiple industry chain sources cited on LinkedIn. The vessels will be built by China Merchants Industry at its Jinling and Haimen shipyards, with deliveries phased between 2027 and 2029. The new order adds to BYD's existing fleet of eight PCTC vessels — Pioneer 1, Shenzhen, Changzhou, Xi'an, Hefei, Changsha, Zhengzhou and Jinan. Once the new ships are delivered, BYD's owned fleet will grow to 18 vessels, with a combined capacity exceeding 130,000 CEUs. The expansion reflects BYD's continued push to control its own sea logistics as it scales up vehicle exports, reducing reliance on chartered tonnage amid tight global capacity for car carriers. China Merchants Industry, the shipbuilding arm tasked with the newbuildings, has already been involved in constructing vessels for BYD's existing fleet, positioning the group as a key partner in the automaker's maritime logistics buildout. With car carrier demand remaining strong on the back of rising Chinese vehicle exports, BYD's move to further expand its dedicated shipping fleet underscores the scale of its international sales ambitions and the broader trend of automakers investing directly in ocean transport capacity.
