Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) has collaborated with Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) to design a 200,000 dead-weight tonnage (DWT) bulk carrier fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
JMU, a leading Japanese shipbuilder, formed the basic design of the heavy-oil-fuelled bulk carrier with the Japanese logistics giant.
By using LNG fuel, JMU has decreased the Energy Efficient Design Index (EEDI) of the ship and aligned with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) new greenhouse gas (GHG) emission regulations, boosting its fuel efficiency by 40%.
Sean Strawbridge discusses the impact of LNG export facilities coming online in the U.S. in a recent Port Technology technical paper
The new design proves that bulk carriers of this size can adhere to the IMO’s EEDI reductions.
Using LNG as a primary fuel can reduce the emission of GHGs such as CO2 by 30%.
As a result, LNG fuels are predicted to become a widely used and clean alternative to environmentally damaging heavy oils.
Receiving the certification reception. L-R: Toshiyuki Shigemi, NK Executive Director, Senior Executive Vice President; Takayuki Sasaki, JMU Director and Senior Managing Officer; Taizo Yoshida, NYK Corporate Officer
Furthermore, the LNG-fuel tank and LNG-fuel supply-system equipment are arranged to increase the cargo-hold volume and ensure that less fuel is used compared to other bulk carriers of the same size.
After an inspection to receive an approval in principle, the collaborating organizations will begin to negotiate with customers for their newly-designed bulk carriers, although modifications could still be made.
