Japan’s first LNG bunkering vessel is expected to start operations in 2020 in preparation for IMO 2020

Central LNG Shipping Japan Corporation (CLS), the joint venture of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Chubu Electric Power, Toyota Tsusho, and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha has ordered an LNG bunkering vessel (LBV) from Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

The LBV, which is scheduled to be delivered between September and December 2020, will be the first to be operated in Japan. The four companies established CLS and Central LNG Marine Fuel Japan Corporation (CLMF) earlier this year in May to launch the LNG Bunkering Business in the Chubu (central) region of Japan.

The LBV will be owned and managed by CLS, and LNG will be supplied to end-users through CLMF.

The LNG bunkering vessel comes as plans to comply with regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which will come into place in the year 2020. These regulations will see a reduction on the global limit on sulphur content in fuel oil used on ships, reducing the maximum sulphur content from 3.5% to 0.5%.

For more information, visit: global.kawasaki.com

16th July 2018