BYD Adds 10 More Vessels to Its Own Car Carrier Fleet

BYD has purchased another 10 vessels for its car carrier fleet, as confirmed by Stella Li, the company's executive vice president, in an interview with 21News. The acquisition adds to the eight vessels the Chinese automaker already operates and aims to strengthen control over its international deliveries.

According to information published by CNSS, the 10 vessels are large PCTCs (Pure Car and Truck Carriers) with capacity exceeding 8,000 vehicles each, equipped with dual-fuel propulsion systems, and will be delivered between 2029 and 2031. The total order exceeds US$1 billion, at a cost of more than US$100 million per unit. With this addition, BYD's own fleet will grow from eight to 18 vessels, with a combined capacity of over 130,000 CEU.

BYD's first program, launched in 2022, combined chartered tonnage with vessels ordered directly by the automaker and required an investment of around RMB 5 billion, according to CNSS. It included two 7,000 CEU vessels built by CIMC Raffles and brought in through a charter with Zodiac Maritime, two 7,000 CEU units from Guangzhou Shipyard International, and two 9,200 CEU vessels built by China Merchants' Nanjing Jinling and Haimen shipyards. The BYD EXPLORER NO.1 entered service in January 2024, and the program was completed in September 2025 with the delivery of the BYD JINAN, following the entry into service of the BYD SHENZHEN that April.

According to Li's statements to 21News, the decision to expand the fleet stems from the difficulty of matching available logistics capacity with rapidly growing demand, which led the company to prioritize control over shipping schedules and gain flexibility in its shipments. The executive added that BYD continues to seek additional capacity from partners in Italy and France, meaning chartered transport will remain part of its logistics setup.

BYD's case reflects a broader shift in vehicle shipping: while automakers used to rely almost exclusively on specialized RoRo carriers, more and more Chinese manufacturers are entering the capacity business through long-term charters, joint orders, or their own fleets, according to CNSS. Xinde Marine News also noted that production at plants outside China, such as BYD's operation in Thailand, which exported DOLPHIN vehicles to Europe aboard the BYD ZHENGZHOU, is adding new shipping demands to the automaker's logistics network.