Japan’s Tsuneishi Shipbuilding has delivered what it claims is the world’s first LNG dual-fuel Kamsarmax bulk carrier.
Tsuneishi announced the delivery of Oceana Frontier in a statement on Tuesday, but did not reveal the owner.
According to VesselsValue data, Japanese firm Kambara Kisen, part of Tsuneishi Group, owns the vessel, while Global Chartering, jointly owned by ArcelorMittal and DryLog, will charter the vessel.
Tsuneishi said the vessel features a dual-fueled engine capable of operating on LNG as its primary fuel.
According to the shipbuilder, a key feature of the vessel is the LNG fuel tank installed on the aft deck, adopting an independent type C pressure tank design.
Tsuneishi said the manufacture of LNG fuel tanks requires advanced capabilities, including the precision fabrication of specialized materials, high-quality welding, and thermal insulation systems suitable for cryogenic environments.
Tsuneishi’s facilities carried out these processes, it said.
Prior to this project, Tsuneishi initiated efforts to establish in-house fuel tank manufacturing capabilities for future dual-fueled vessels, starting with the production of pressure-type tanks for LPG carriers.
“By utilizing its shipyard facilities and overcoming technical challenges such as forming dished end plates, the company accumulated manufacturing expertise. These capabilities have been applied to the LNG fuel tank of this vessel,” it said.
Furthermore, the low-temperature and pressure-handling technologies developed through LNG fuel tank manufacturing are expected to be applicable to future fuel tank solutions, including those for ammonia, the shipbuilder noted.
Tsuneishi Yura Dockyard, part of Tsuneishi, recently secured a license from French LNG containment specialist GTT, allowing it to repair and maintain membrane-type LNG carriers.
To date, Tsuneishi has focused on repair work for Moss-type LNG carriers, accumulating a total of 108 completed vessels since the first in 1982.