Japan: naming ceremony held for JERA-chartered LNG newbuild

LNG carrier Pacific Mimosa (Image courtesy of NYK)

A naming ceremony was held on December 13 at Japan’s Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for a brand new liquefied natural gas carrier that will transport volumes for LNG importing giant JERA from Chevron’s Wheatstone project in Australia.

Shipping giant NYK had ordered the 155,300-cbm vessel back in 2014 from MI LNG, a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Imabari Shipbuilding.

The 288m-long ship was named Pacific Mimosa. It is a “Sayaendo” peapod-shaped series ship equipped with four Moss spherical tanks that are protected by a continuous cover integrated with the ship’s hull.

The vessel is expected to be delivered in March 2018 and assigned to transport LNG for JERA under a charter contract from the Wheatstone LNG project — in which JERA, Mitsubishi Corporation, and NYK participate.

LNG Marine Transport, jointly established by JERA (70%), Mitsubishi Corporation (15%), and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (15%), will be responsible for the operational management of the vessel.