Höegh Autoliners and China Merchants Group formally signed a contract on 22 Sep 2026 for six additional Aurora Class vessels, expanding the total Aurora Class programme to 18 ships. The new vessels will be built by China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) and delivered between 2029 and 2031. The dual-fuel LNG vessels are described as zero-carbon-ready, each with capacity for up to 9,100 cars. Höegh Autoliners says the design has the potential to cut carbon emissions per transported car by up to 58% compared with conventional pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). The vessels carry DNV ammonia-ready and methanol-ready notations and are engineered to be converted to run on future zero-carbon fuels as they become commercially available. The agreement extends a long-running cooperation between Höegh Autoliners and China Merchants Group, as well as its shipbuilding arm, China Merchants Heavy Industry. The company said the expanded order underscores its continued investment in vessels intended to support long-term capacity and emissions goals in the deep-sea car-carrier segment. With the latest addition, the Aurora Class now comprises 18 vessels on order, reinforcing the fleet renewal strategy Höegh Autoliners has pursued in recent years to meet growing global demand for car transport while working toward decarbonisation targets across its operations.