BYD has taken another step in its global logistics strategy by unveiling the world’s largest car carrier, Shenzhen, which is preparing for its maiden voyage
The vessel is impressive in size: 219.9 meters long, 37.7 meters wide, and has a cruising speed of 18.5 knots (about 34 km/h). Shenzhen is capable of carrying up to 9,200 cars, making it the largest car carrier to date
Shenzhen is part of BYD’s extensive shipping program. The sixth vessel, Xi’an, has already been launched, reflecting the company’s rapid expansion of its maritime logistics capabilities. In 2022, BYD announced a RMB 5 billion investment in the construction of eight car carrier vessels, each capable of carrying more than 7,000 cars. Two of the vessels were built by Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited, and the other six by CIMC Raffles. All vessels are equipped with dual-fuel engines that run on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and conventional fuel
BYD’s fleet development is accelerating. In January 2024, the first vessel, Explorer No.1, set sail from Xiaomo Port in Shenzhen, delivering 4,000 electric vehicles to Europe. This was followed by Changzhou (December 2024) and Hefei (January 2025), which also set sail immediately. Shenzhen was undocumented in January 2025, and Changsha in March; its delivery is expected in May
BYD plans to complete its own fleet of eight ro-ro vessels by 2026, which will provide an annual logistics capacity of more than one million vehicles.
