Japan’s NYK, Kyushu Electric Power, and two other partners have named a newbuild LNG bunkering vessel with a capacity of 3,500 cubic meters at a yard owned by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
KEYS Bunkering West Japan Corporation, a joint venture in which NYK and Kyushu Electric each have a 40 percent stake, Itochu Enex has a 15 percent stake, and Saibu Gas owns a 5 percent stake, ordered this 82.4 meters long ship at Mitsubishi Heavy in March last year.
Mitsubishi Heavy’s Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works’ Enoura Plant held a launching and naming ceremony for the vessel on July 12.
The vessel was named “KEYS Azalea” after the azalea, the official flower of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, where KEYS is based, according to a joint statement.
After delivery in March 2024, the vessel will participate in the LNG coastal transportation business, in addition to LNG bunkering for oceangoing vessels calling at ports in the Kyushu-Setouchi area, the statement said.
This will be Japan’s first LNG bunkering project to supply LNG to vessels over the vast Kyushu and Setouchi area, the partners said.
KEYS Azalea will be Japan’s first LNG bunkering vessel to be equipped with a dual-fuel engine that can operate on both LNG and fuel oil, they said.
