MOL Methanol Carriers Win Technology Awards
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that a series of three MOL-operated 50,000 DWT methanol carriers — the Taranaki Sun, Manchac Sun, and Cajun Sun - received the "Technology Special Prize" in the Ship of the Year 2016 awards sponsored by The Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers (JASNAOE).
Every year, the Ship of the Year judges select the made-in-Japan vessels that represent the highest levels of technology, design and social responsibility.
The Technology Special Prize goes to the most technologically advanced ships, and only four vessels, including the series of three MOL methanol carriers selected this year, have received this award.
The three vessels that received the prize are the world's first methanol carriers equipped with main engines that use methanol as fuel, (announced on December 10, 2013. These are a series of newbuilding vessels jointly developed by four companies including MOL.
Methanol is an environment-friendly fuel, and significantly reduces emissions of sulfur oxide (SOX) and nitrogen oxide (NOX). In addition, these state-of-the-art methanol carriers adopt the latest communication technology, as well as IoT and AI technologies, and were evaluated for technologically advancement as cutting-edge "eco ships."
