NYK Line orders LPG-fuelled gas carrier

Japanese shipping company NYK Line has ordered its sixth dual-fuel LPG/ammonia carrier from Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI).

PHOTO: NYK Line’s LPG-powered LPG/NH3 VLGC. NYK Line

The very large gas carrier (VLGC) can run on LPG or conventional marine fuels. It will also be equipped with shaft generators – which utilise waste heat from the main engine to generate additional power, thereby reducing fuel consumption.

The vessel can also be retrofitted to run on ammonia in the future. The concept design for a system to do so has been approved by the classification society Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), NYK Line says.

“When LPG is used as fuel, exhaust gas from the ordered VLGC will contain at least 95% less sulfur oxide (SOx) and 20% less CO2 than NYK’s conventional VLGCs using heavy-oil fired engines,” the company adds.

The carrier will be fully capable of carrying ammonia in addition to LPG. The vessel is the eighth LPG-fueled LPG carrier in NYK Line’s fleet and the sixth capable of carrying ammonia. It will be built at the KHI Sakaide Works shipyard and is expected to be delivered in 2026.

The global LPG fleet is currently made up of 71 vessels with another 43 expected to join the fleet this year, according to data from the classification society DNV.

By Tuhin Roy

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