Japan’s latest energy-efficient ferry sees light of day

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, part of Japan’s heavyweight Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has launched the first of two eco-friendly large car ferries booked by compatriot Shinnihonkai Ferry and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT).

As disclosed, the newbuilding hit the water for the first time on April 29, 2025, at the Enoura Plant of MHI’s Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture. A christening ceremony was held on the same day as the launch, and the vessel was named Keyaki.

The unit possesses a length of approximately 199 meters, a beam of roughly 25.5 meters and a gross tonnage of around 14,300 tonnes.

The new environmentally friendly ferry, which is set to operate a shipping route between the city of Otaru in Hokkaido, northern Japan, and Maizuru in Kyoto prefecture, is expected to be handed over in December this year, following completion of outfitting work and sea trials, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has shared.

According to the Tokyo-headquartered shipbuilding player, Keyaki—the ninth unit built by the company for Shinnihonkai Ferry—is Japan’s inaugural vessel boasting a novel energy-saving hull form, including a Katana bow, said to minimize water resistance by optimizing the shape of the stern, and buttock-flow stern hull with ducktail.

As elaborated, the ship’s propulsion resistance is suppressed by an energy-saving roll-damping system that combines an anti-rolling tank and fin stabilizers. Owing to these specifications, the car ferry is anticipated to achieve at least a 5% reduction in energy consumption compared to earlier vessels.

Japan is one of the three leading shipbuilding nations in the world today, ranking third after China and South Korea. It is understood that the nation’s shipbuilding industry completed vessels with a combined gross tonnage of circa nine million in 2024, while the order value for units at manufacturers in Japan in 2023 amounted to roughly 1.71 trillion yen (around $11.97 billion).

Per Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, the country has also been going through a modal shift to sea transport in a bid to minimize ecological impact by cutting down on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and to compensate for truck driver shortages stemming from workstyle reforms. The shift has reportedly placed ferry transport under the spotlight.

To support Japan’s wider decarbonization efforts, the company, which is reportedly the fifth biggest shipbuilding player in the country, said that it plans to keep focusing on green technologies and eco-friendly vessel designs with an emphasis on clean fuels, as well as energy efficiency (as was done with Keyaki).

Amid the growing adoption of clean-fuel-powered vessels, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has noted that it would continue working with partners to deliver more solutions, including fuel-efficient ferries and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ships running on a clean energy source, with the purpose of aiding shipowners and operators to improve their environmental performance.

To remind, by the end of fiscal 2028, the company is projected to hand over at least five RoRo cargo ships, all meant for domestic maritime transportation firms. For instance, in June 2024, Mitsubishi clinched an order for two methanol-powered units, one for Toyota Group’s Toyofuji Shipping and one for Fukuju Shipping. The ships are due to be delivered by the end of 2027.

In March 2025, Mitsubishi was tapped by Toyofuji Shipping once again, as well as by Miyazaki Sangyo Kaiun and Nichitoku Kisen, for the construction of three vessels fueled by methanol. The units are projected to be delivered to their owners by the end of 2028.