Japan’s Toyofuji Shipping, part of Toyota Group, expects to start using its first LNG-powered car carrier in February 2025.
Toyofuji Shipping has two LNG-powered car carriers on order at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, a unit of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The naming and launching ceremony for the first vessel in this batch, Trans Harmony Green, was held at the Enoura Plant of MHI’s Shimonoseki yard in Yamaguchi Prefecture on June 7.
Toyofuji Shipping said in a statement the vessel is scheduled to enter service in February 2025 as the first LNG-fueled car carrier for Japan and AWS: Asia Weekly Service.
It will be engaged in transporting cars, including for Toyota Motor.
Mitsubishi said in a separate statement that it expects to deliver the LNG-powered roll-on/roll-off ship in late January 2025.
The vessel has about 195 meters in overall length, 30.6 meters in breadth, and has gross tonnage of about 49,500.
It can transport about 3,000 passenger cars and has a service speed of 19.5 knots.
The ship’s main engine and main generator engine are dual-fuel engines each accommodating LNG or diesel fuel.