Sakaide shipyard of Japanese Kawasaki Heavy Industries hosted a naming ceremony today for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, jointly owned by NYK and Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO).
The ship was named LNG Sakura, meaning “cherry blossom” in Japanese, and it is the first vessel to be co-owned between KEPCO, which is the majority owner of the vessel with 70 percent stake, and NYK, which holds 30 pct ownership in the ship.
Once delivered, the ship will transport LNG sourced from shale gas fields in North America and various other locations, in a 20-year charter agreement.
The Bahamas-flagged ship features a moss-type tank, which is the largest in the industry according to NYK, having a capacity of about 177,000 m3, enabling highly efficient transport.
In addition, the 300 meter-long ship is equipped with a new twin-screw and a dual-fuel diesel electric propulsion engine that improves fuel consumption and propulsion performance.
Image Courtesy: Wikimedia /Sakaide Kawasaki Shipbuilding