Japan’s shipping giant NYK said it would order two LNG-powered large coal carriers from compatriot Oshima Shipbuilding, as it continues to build a fleet of LNG-fueled vessels.
NYK said in a statement on Wednesday the 95,000-mt vessels would be 235 meters long and 38 meters wide.
The firm said it expects to take delivery of the two LNG-fueled ships in 2025, but it did not reveal the price tag.
This ship order makes part of a bulk carrier fleet development aimed at achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in NYK’s oceangoing businesses by 2050, according to NYK.
The two ships would emit approximately no sulfur oxides (SOx), 80 percent less NOx, and 30 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) compared to existing conventional heavy oil-fueled vessels, it said.
Additionally, the vessels will be compliant with the IMO’s NOx (nitrogen oxide) emission regulations (Tier III).
NYK is positioning LNG fuel as a bridge solution until future zero-emission ships can be realized, the firm said.
The company ordered what it says is the world’s first LNG-fueled large coal carrier in 2019 and its first LNG-fueled capesize bulk carrier in 2021, in addition to four more LNG-fueled capsize bulk carriers in January 2022.
“Going forward, we will continue with the gradual planned introduction of LNG-fueled vessels until the realization of zero-emission vessels that use marine fuels such as hydrogen or ammonia, which would have an even lower environmental impact,” NYK said.
