Japan’s First Dual-Fuel LNG Bunkering Vessel Delivered to Industry Partners
KEYS Bunkering West Japan Corporation - a joint venture established by Kyushu Electric Power, NYK Line, Itochu Enex, and Saibu Gas – has taken delivery of KEYS Azalea vessel, said to be Japan’s first LNG bunkering vessel equipped with a dual-fuel engine.
The delivery ceremony for the vessel was held on March 28, 2024, at the Yamatomachi Shipyard of Mitsubishi Shipbuilding in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture.
KEYS Azalea will provide domestic coastal transport of LNG to consumers in the Kyushu and Setouchi areas and LNG bunkering for oceangoing vessels calling ports in the region.
It is Japan's first LNG bunkering vessel equipped with a dual-fuel engine that can use both LNG and heavy oil as fuel for the main power generation system.
The vessel is 82.4 meters long, with the beam of 18.2 meters. It’s LNG loadable capacity stands at 3,500 cubic meters.
As part of Japan's first LNG bunkering project to supply LNG to vessels in this vast area, the construction of the ship was funded by a subsidy adopted under MLIT’s FY2021 LNG Bunkering Base Formation Project.