MacGregor to Retrofit PLCs on 35 Wallenius Wilhelmsen PCTCs

A Fleet-Wide Obsolescence Upgrade

MacGregor has won an order to retrofit programmable logic controllers (PLCs) on 35 Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessels for Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the company said in a press release on 30 October 2026, also carried by Maritime Executive. The order sits in MacGregor’s third-quarter 2026 order intake, and the upgrades will be carried out to fit each vessel’s sailing schedule and availability.

The scope for the 35 ships is a PLC upgrade of their quarter ramps, the ramps used to load and discharge rolling cargo such as cars and trucks. MacGregor supplied equipment to these vessels during their original design and newbuilding phases.

Why Quarter Ramp Controls Matter

Quarter ramps on a PCTC are worked at almost every port call. Electronic control hardware can become obsolete well before the hydraulic and structural systems it controls. If a maker stops supplying spares or software support for an ageing controller, owners may face unplanned downtime during cargo operations.

In line with Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s sustainability targets, the replaced PLCs will stay onboard as spare parts for the remaining RoRo equipment, or for other vessels fitted with the same equipment, according to MacGregor.

The Operator’s Perspective

Tom Forrester-Coles, Fleet Manager, Technical Marine Operations Management at Wallenius Wilhelmsen, said that in a tight market with high customer expectations the company is focused on reducing operational disruptions. He said keeping systems up to date and taking a standardised approach to obsolescence management across the fleet gives seafarers dependable operational tools.

Tomas Hakala, Executive Vice President, Global Services at MacGregor, said the company’s involvement with the vessels goes back to their initial design and newbuilding phase, making the retrofit a natural continuation of the partnership. He said lifecycle support helps ensure equipment reliability, operational consistency and minimised downtime.

What This Means for Fleet Managers

Control-system obsolescence is a fleet-management question as well as a technical one. PLCs and other electronic controllers age on a different timeline from steel and hydraulics, so a quarter ramp, hatch cover or cargo gear can be structurally sound while its control hardware has lost support from the original manufacturer. Owners of ageing PCTC, RoRo or bulk tonnage may want to assess control systems separately from mechanical condition when planning drydock or retrofit budgets.

A fleet-wide approach can cut the number of different spare parts to stock, but it also means the specification has to be right from the start.

Reviewed by Apeks Marine Editorial Team.