Catching the Harmonic Breeze: Inpex charts LNG fleet’s course with new carrier

April 17, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Inpex Shipping, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan’s Inpex, has sealed a deal with MOL Encean, an affiliate of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), to expand its liquefied natural gas (LNG) fleet with a newly christened vessel in South Korea.

Naming Ceremony of Harmonic Breeze LNG carrier; Source: Inpex — Naming ceremony of Harmonic Breeze LNG carrier; Source: Inpex

Inpex Shipping has concluded a long-term time charter contract with MOL Encean for one newly built LNG carrier (LNGC), which is currently under construction at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje Shipyard in Geoje, the Republic of Korea. This vessel is scheduled for completion in April 2026.

Before completion, the shipyard held a naming ceremony attended by Takayuki Ueda, Inpex’s President & CEO, and numerous distinguished guests involved in the LNG carrier’s construction. The ship was named Harmonic Breeze. Following delivery, it will be deployed to transport LNG cargoes from the Japanese energy player’s portfolio.

The vessel is equipped with a membrane-type cargo containment system featuring thin membrane tanks integrated with the hull structure, with a total cargo tank capacity of approximately 174,000 cubic meters. The fleet addition is anticipated to further strengthen the reliability of Inpex’s transportation system serving its LNG portfolio.

This, in turn, will support the expansion of the firm’s LNG business, which is one of its three growth pillars, enhancing LNG trading capabilities and enabling more flexible LNG supply. The carrier’s main engine is described as a high-efficiency, dual-fuel low-speed diesel engine (ME-GA), which delivers superior propulsion efficiency and reduced fuel consumption compared with conventional steam turbine-driven LNG carriers.

The ship is also fitted with a system that re-liquefies excess boil-off gas generated during navigation, enabling efficient transportation of LNG cargo while contributing to reduced environmental impact.

Inpex is expanding its LNG portfolio, as illustrated by its recent extension of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Indonesia’s PT Pertamina (Persero) (Pertamina) to collaborate on the implementation of an LNG project in the Arafura Sea.