Japan's First LNG Bunkering Vessel Launched

Japan’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel has been launched at Kawasaki Heavy Industries' Sakaide Works shipyard ahead of planned delivery at the end of September 2020.

The 3,500-cubic-meter-capacity vessel is scheduled to begin ship-to-ship bunkering for LNG-fueled vessels at at JERA’s Kawagoe Thermal Power Station starting this autumn. It will be the first LNG bunker ship to be operated in Japan

In 2018, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. (“K” Line), JERA Co. Inc., Toyota Tsusho Corporation, and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) jointly established Central LNG Shipping Japan Corporation (CLS), which owns the bunker ship and ordered its building.

Central LNG Marine Fuel Japan Corporation (CLMF) will promote the LNG bunkering business in Japan’s Chubu region.

LNG cargo tank capacity: 3,500 m3
Gross tonnage: 4,100 tons
Length overall: 81.7 m
Breadth: 18.0 m