Höegh Autoliners on September 3 named its sixth Aurora-Class vessel, the Höegh Moonlight, at the Port of Gothenburg, Sweden’s largest port.
The naming ceremony was sponsored by Jenny Westermark, Senior Vice President, GTO Production Logistics at Volvo Group, who performed the traditional bottle-breaking.
Volvo Group showcased a range of sustainable cargo as part of the event. With a capacity of 9,100 car equivalent units, the Höegh Moonlight joins a fleet of 12 next-generation pure car and truck carriers.
The fifth sister vessel, Höegh Sunrise, was named at Omaezaki Port in Japan in June 2025. The Aurora-Class vessels are designed for transition to clean fuels, with the first eight powered by LNG via dual-fuel engines and ammonia-ready features.
The final four, scheduled for delivery from 2027, will be able to operate on ammonia from delivery.
CEO Andreas Enger said: “The naming of Höegh Moonlight demonstrates our strong commitment to decarbonising deep-sea shipping – not in the future, but right now, today.” Jenny Westermark described the partnership between Höegh Autoliners and Volvo Group as “a shared commitment — a joint force — to drive real, lasting change.”
COO Sebjørn Dahl stated that the vessel reflects “the transformation we are leading across the maritime sector.” CSO Oskar Orstadius added that the naming “marks more than the arrival of a vessel; it is a celebration of our close collaboration with key customers.”
The Port of Gothenburg emphasized its strategy to reduce carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030 through investments in shoreside power, green shipping corridors, electrification, and alternative fuels.
CEO Göran Eriksson said: “With the introduction of these new vessels, that connection can now be made in an even more efficient and climate-smart way than before.”
The Aurora Class supports Höegh Autoliners’ goal of reaching zero emissions by 2040. All vessels are classed by DNV and fly the Norwegian flag.
Höegh Autoliners ASA is a Norwegian public limited company headquartered in Oslo, specializing in global ocean transportation of cars, trucks, and heavy machinery. The company operates worldwide trade routes and is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
Volvo Group (AB Volvo) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. It produces trucks, buses, construction equipment, and marine and industrial engines, and is a publicly traded company listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
Port of Gothenburg is owned by the City of Gothenburg and managed by Gothenburg Port Authority. It is Scandinavia’s largest port by cargo volume and serves as a multimodal logistics hub with rail, road, and sea connections.
