For decades, the Panama Canal’s original locks set a limit on the dimensions of ships that could pass through the waterway, giving rise to the Panamax class of vessels. However, as the expanded Neopanamax locks opened in 2016, a new phase of international maritime trade unfolded, enabling the passage of large and more advanced ships. Among these, a new class of RORO ships emerged, pushing the boundaries of efficiency and size. Image Credits: hoeghautoliners.com Though many monumental RORO ships have crossed the Panama Canal, one stands out, representing the pinnacle of its class. On February 21, 2025, the Hoegh Aurora became the largest vehicle carrier to ever pass through the Panama Canal. Operated by Hoegh Autoliners, its historic voyage became a milestone showing the canal’s capacity to handle the next generation of mega-ships. The successful crossing is evidence of the advanced infrastructure and skill of the canal’s pilots and crew who navigated the behemoth through the new locks. Ship Dimensions The Hoegh Aurora is 199.9 m long and 37.5 m wide. The ship was built in 2024 and is registered under the Norwegian Flag. Its cargo consists of cars, trucks and other rolling stock. Its capacity of 9100 CEU enables it to ship a massive number of vehicles in a single voyage, making it an integral part of the global automotive supply chain. Its maiden voyage saw it begin its journey in Asia with stops in China, South Korea and Japan before sailing towards Jamaica, Mexico and the U.S Gulf Coast. This sailing route highlights the role of the Panama Canal in connecting manufacturing centres in Asia with the consumer markets in the Americas. Design Features Sustainable & Efficient The Hoegh Aurora, as the flagship of its Aurora class, is a unique vessel, designed keeping sustainability and efficiency in mind. It is equipped with a dual-fuel engine from MAN Energy Solutions and is designed to run on LNG and low-sulphur oil. Even when running on LNG, the Aurora class is estimated to reduce carbon emissions per car transported by up to 58% compared to the industry standard. It received classification notations from DNV, signifying that its design, including its engines and tank systems, can be converted to run on zero-carbon fuels such as ammonia in future. Additionally, the last 4 ships in the 12-ship series are planned to be constructed with ammonia-powered engines from the beginning, a move that will eliminate carbon emissions from their operations. Strengthened Decks & Modern Ramp System It has strengthened decks and a modern internal ramp system, enabling the vessel to carry electric vehicles on all 14 decks. This is vital as EVs are heavy due to their batteries. However, this feature ensures that the carrier can accommodate this growing segment of cargo, along with heavy agricultural machinery, mining equipment and other break-bulk goods, with a ramp capacity of 375 metric tonnes. The top deck has 1500 m2 of solar panels, which decreases the reliance on generators for electrical power, cutting their energy production by 30 to 35%. Designed by Deltamarin, the hull is optimised for maximum hydrodynamic efficiency to reduce drag and fuel consumption. The ship can connect to shore power grids while in port, enabling it to shut down its auxiliary engines, cutting down emissions and noise pollution. Digitalisation and AI The vessel boasts a cloud-based information system that takes data from different onboard machines and uses it to optimise operati