Wallenius Wilhelmsen has launched a major programme to upgrade cargo-handling control systems across 35 PCTC car carriers.

The contract has been awarded to MacGregor, a specialist in marine cargo-handling and Ro-Ro equipment.

The programme will involve replacing PLCs — Programmable Logic Controllers used to control the vessels’ quarter ramps.

These ramps are critical components on car carriers, as they are used to load and discharge cars, trucks and other wheeled cargo.

The reliability of the ramp control system directly affects a vessel’s ability to carry out cargo operations in port.

Even a relatively minor electronic failure can delay loading, keep a vessel alongside for longer and disrupt its onward schedule.

The main objective of the Wallenius Wilhelmsen project is therefore not to redesign the ramps themselves, but to modernise and standardise their electronic control systems.

MacGregor will replace ageing PLCs with more modern controllers, helping reduce the risk of equipment failures and simplify maintenance across the fleet.

The work will be carried out progressively, depending on the operational schedule and availability of each of the 35 vessels.

This approach will allow the upgrades to be completed without taking a large number of car carriers out of service at the same time.

MacGregor is already familiar with the equipment installed on the vessels.

The company originally supplied cargo-handling systems during the design and construction stages of the ships, giving it extensive technical knowledge of the existing installations.

The removed PLCs will not necessarily be discarded.

Under the programme, some of the older controllers will be retained on board as spare parts for other Ro-Ro equipment.

Others may be transferred to vessels that continue to operate compatible systems.

This allows Wallenius Wilhelmsen to modernise critical equipment while maintaining a stock of components for systems that remain in service.

The project also addresses an increasingly important challenge for the global merchant fleet — electronic component obsolescence.

The mechanical structure of Ro-Ro equipment can remain operational for decades, while controllers, circuit boards and other electronic components may become obsolete much sooner.

As manufacturers discontinue older systems, sourcing original replacement parts can become increasingly difficult and repairs may take longer.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen is therefore adopting a more standardised approach to managing equipment obsolescence across a significant part of its fleet.

According to Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s Fleet Manager Technical Marine Operations Management, Tom Forrester-Coles, the company is focused on reducing operational disruptions in a busy market with demanding customer requirements.

Keeping shipboard systems up to date and taking a standardised approach to obsolescence management should provide seafarers with more reliable tools for day-to-day vessel operations.

For crews, the upgrade also means that a more consistent control-system architecture can be used across different vessels in the fleet.

This could simplify fault diagnosis, maintenance and technical support.

MacGregor Executive Vice President, Global Services, Tomas Hakala, described the project as a continuation of the long-standing relationship between the two companies.

According to Hakala, MacGregor’s involvement with these vessels began during their original design and construction.

The new retrofit programme is expected to support equipment reliability, operational continuity and reduced downtime throughout the remaining service life of the vessels.

The order covering the 35 ships was booked in MacGregor’s third-quarter 2026 order intake.

The financial value of the contract has not been disclosed.

A specific completion date has also not been announced, as the retrofits will be carried out progressively in line with the fleet’s operating schedules.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen operates one of the world’s largest fleets of vessels dedicated to transporting cars and other rolling cargo.

For these ships, reliable Ro-Ro ramps are essential: without functioning cargo-access equipment, even an otherwise fully operational PCTC cannot perform its primary loading and discharge operations.

As a result, upgrading relatively small electronic components can have a much greater operational impact than the physical scale of the equipment might suggest.

The 35-vessel programme shows how electronic and digital upgrades are becoming just as important as major mechanical retrofits, with Wallenius Wilhelmsen aiming to reduce failures, standardise equipment and minimise the risk of costly port downtime.