MSC-controlled Global Car Carriers (GCC), formerly known as Gram Car Carriers, has expanded its newbuilding programme with an order for eight additional LNG dual-fuel pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) at Chinese shipyards.
The latest orders take GCC’s total newbuilding programme to 20 vessels, representing an investment of more than $2 billion. The company’s expanded orderbook comprises 16 vessels of 8,600-CEU capacity and four 7,000-CEU vessels, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2030.
The eight newly ordered 8,600-CEU PCTCs will be constructed at three Chinese shipyards. China Merchants’ Weihai Shipyard will build four vessels, while Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) and Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding will each construct two vessels.
GCC’s fleet expansion comes amid renewed activity in the global car-carrier sector, supported by strong growth in Chinese vehicle exports. Rising vehicle volumes have tightened available PCTC capacity, with approximately 1 million cars now being transported in containers, highlighting the shortage of dedicated car-carrier capacity.
GCC’s newbuilding programme has expanded rapidly since MSC acquired the company in 2024 for around $700 million. The company was subsequently taken private and renamed Global Car Carriers earlier this year. As recently as July 2026, GCC had 12 vessels on order.
Alongside its fleet expansion, GCC has also been recycling older and smaller tonnage. In July, the company sold two 2,000-CEU car carriers to Polaris Autoliners for approximately $44 million, reflecting its strategy of renewing and increasing the capacity of its fleet.
The latest orders strengthen GCC’s position in the growing PCTC market and underline the continued investment by major car-carrier operators in larger, LNG dual-fuel vessels as global vehicle trade volumes increase.