Suardiaz invests in sustainable vessels for a stronger Atlantic service

In the fourth quarter of this year Suardiaz Group will deploy its first pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) powered by dual fuel liquified natural gas (LNG) engines. The RS Atlantico is the first of two dual-fuel LNG vessels that the Spanish maritime logistics provider has ordered from China’s Xiamen shipyard. It makes Suardiaz the first Spanish company to have an LNG-powered car carrier and the vessel will be deployed on its Atlantic route between North Africa and Morocco, with the option to open out the deployment into the Mediterranean coast. 

A second dual-fuel LNG vessel will be delivered by the middle of 2027. Together they are part of Suardiaz’s journey to decarbonise rolling cargo vessels sailing between north Africa and north Europe, and the company says it is open to adding more in the future. The delivery of the vessels follows a collaboration agreement Suardiaz signed with Singapore’s Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) last year. 

The RS Atlantico is also the largest PCTC Suardiaz has so far operated, with capacity for 5,500 CEUs. The 190-metre-long vessel can carry passenger vehicles, rolling machinery and other high and heavy cargo. 

Investing in integration

The investment in the two vessels is part of sustained investment strategy that Suardiaz Group has been developing to strengthen its position as a global logistics provider, expanding its capabilities and enabling it to respond to the transformation of inbound and outbound supply chains.  

Over the past six years Suardiaz has invested more than €360m ($409m) in its international logistics service, including renewal of fleet and logistics infrastructure. The company is developing integrated multimodal options that bring together maritime, road and rail transport. 

“International logistics is undergoing a period of profound transformation, and the industry needs reliable partners capable of offering increasingly sophisticated solutions that are prepared to address new challenges,” said Juan Riva, CEO of Suardiaz Group. “Control over logistics chains is becoming a fundamental asset for the global economy, and this is where Suardiaz, through its investment plan, is positioning itself as an essential player for our customers.”  

Eliminating emissions

Suardiaz has been focused on making its regular vehicle shipments more sustainable in line with maritime legislation on emissions and in response to demand for decarbonised services by its vehicle-making customers.  

The dual-fuel propulsion system used on the two forthcoming vessels is a transitional technology aligned with the decarbonisation of international maritime transport and the evolution of the sector’s environmental regulations. 

In terms of maritime legislation, under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) companies are encouraged to move to less contaminating alternative fuels, such as biofuels, by not having to pay for emissions generated by the use of heavy fuel oil and higher carbon output. In addition, as of May 2025, the Mediterranean Sea has become an Emission Control Area (ECA) for sulphur oxides (SOx) under Marpol Annex VI Regulation 14. 

Continuous improvement

According to Suardiaz, the addition of the RS Atlantico reflects a much broader investment and growth strategy aimed at strengthening the company’s services for the automotive sector. With more than seven decades of experience, Suardiaz has evolved to specialise in comprehensive logistics and is now focused on consolidating its position as a sustainable global logistics operator, responding to the current and future needs of its customers. 

The newest dual-fuel PCTCs join a fleet of vessels that includes three dedicated pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs), one flexible carrier for finished vehicles and trailers for inbound parts, and a vessel for pure truck and trailer shipments. For those vessels Suardiaz is improving efficiency through a range of measures that include re-blading propellors and repainting vessel hulls to reduce friction and fuel consumption, which in turn leads to lower emissions.