Automotive ocean carrier Sallaum Lines announced the launch of its new LNG dual-fuel flagship, Ocean Breeze, the first of six such vessels that the carrier plans to add to its fleet by 2027.

The company celebrated the launch of the Ocean Breeze at its Sallaum Terminal at the Port of Antwerp on September 19, where local government officials, port executives and industry professionals were given a tour of the vessel. The ship has a 7,500 car equivalent unit (CEU) capacity, and is expected to deliver what Sallaum believes will be "substantial" reductions in carbon emissions compared to vessels running on conventional heavy fuel oil. 

“The Ocean Breeze is not just about capacity, but about shaping a cleaner, more resilient supply chain for the decades ahead," said Sallaum Lines chief relationship officer Natalie Sallaum. "More than a vessel, it represents a new chapter in automotive logistics, preparing us for the next wave of vehicle flows between Asia, Europe, and beyond."

By 2027, Sallaum Lines is hoping to add more than 45,000 CEUs in capacity carried by LNG dual-fuel vessels. The carrier is also planning to add shore power connections and solar energy systems to its Antwerp terminal hub, as part of its goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.

As of the end of August 2025, alternatively-fueled vessels account for 81% of all orders for ships with capacities of 8,000 twenty-foot equivalent units or more, according to data from shipping association BIMCO. LNG has also become the most popular alternative fuel among shipowners, as the choice to power roughly two-thirds of all alternatively fueled ships on order. Across ships of all sizes, alternatively-fueled vessels account for 53% of all container ships currently on order.