K Line debuts bio-LNG use on new car carrier

July 1, 2025, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has begun using bio-LNG to power its vessels as part of a wider strategy to embrace renewable fuels and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.

On July 1, 2025, the company announced the first use of bio-LNG fuel supplied by Shell Western LNG, part of energy giant Royal Dutch Shell, to the car carrier Oceanus Highway.

The vessel received 500 tons of bio-LNG from Shell at the Belgian Port of Zeebrugge on June 16, 2025.

The 6,900 CEU LNG-powered pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) joined K Line in February this year after it was delivered by Shin Kurushima Toyohashi Shipbuilding. The newbuilding features a gross tonnage of 75,259t, a length of 199.95 meters, and a beam of 38 meters.

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The bio-LNG fuel (liquefied bio methane or LBM), derived from renewable organic waste and residue, is ISCC-EU certified to have a carbon intensity of less than zero on a lifecycle basis, from fuel production to consumption. Bio-LNG is a drop-in solution that is fully compatible with existing LNG infrastructure, making it an effective means of decarbonization for the shipping industry.

“Bio-LNG is a scalable solution we can use today. It is great for Shell to collaborate with key shipping players like “K” LINE that are taking the lead in the adoption of bio-LNG. Together, we’re helping to build industry-wide momentum in the transition to renewable fuels. Bio-LNG’s increasing availability and commercial viability gives our customers confidence that their dual-fuel LNG fleets are ready to further reduce emissions,” Dexter Belmar, Vice President of Shell Downstream LNG, commented.

“Our goal is to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transport is one of our top priorities. Our beginning to use bio-LNG fuel is a significant step towards our net-zero GHG emissions goal. Additionally, we feel that our partnership with Shell, a leading global energy company, puts us in a position where we will be able to substantially impact the shipping industry’s transition to renewable fuels,” Hiroto Arai, General Manager of the “K” LINE Environmental/Technical Strategy Group, said.

To note, the company has set a 2030 interim target of improving CO2 emission efficiency by 50% from 2008, surpassing the IMO target of a 40% improvement. Furthermore, K Line has set our new target for 2050, net-zero GHG emissions.

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