Posted on 28 May 2025
Geely Holding, the parent company of Volvo Cars and Polestar, has announced the maiden voyage for its first own roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel, Kallanish reports.
The ship, known as Geely JISU Fortune, left the Taicang port in China on 23 May, headed to Southampton, UK. According to maritime tracking data, it’s expected to arrive on 30 June, sailing under the flag of Liberia.
With an overall length of nearly 200 metres and a 12-storey car deck, the Ro-Ro vessel can carry up to 7,000 cars, heavy trucks and other models. It can transport both ICE and electric vehicles, as well as hydrogen and natural gas-powered vehicles.
The ratio of the inaugural shipment has not been disclosed.
“This landmark voyage enables Geely to efficiently ship vehicles from our diverse portfolio of brands including Geely Auto, Lynk & Co, Zeekr and more, to customers worldwide,” a spokesperson says. “It marks a significant step in Geely’s journey to strengthen its global presence.”
Geely says the vessel, which is operated by its logistics arm JISU Logistics, will enhance the brand’s competitiveness in the international market as it boosts export efficiency. It will primarily serve the export transport needs of Geely and its affiliated brands, covering the core markets of Europe, Asia and the Americas.
“Moving forward, Geely will continue to expand its strategic partnerships with its global logistics partners to provide better products and services worldwide,” the company says, without elaborating.
Its Chinese peer and the world’s largest EV company, BYD, has four Ro-Ro ships. The BYD Shenzhen is deemed to be the world’s largest such vessel to date, with capacity to carry 9,200 vehicles.
Data released by the European auto trade body ACEA shows that new battery electric car sales in the EU increased 34.1% year-on-year in April to 145,341 units. In the UK, sales rose 8.1% to 24,558 units.
Source:Kallanish
