LNG bunkering to commence at Japan’s Yokohama port

NYK Line, NYK Cruises, Ecobunker Shipping, and Yokohama City have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to carry out LNG bunkering operations at Japan’s Port of Yokohama.

LNG bunkering for Yokohama Port is part of the Japanese government’s plans to make Yokohama a carbon-neutral port, in order to get a step closer to achieve its 2050 zero-emission target.

The city of Yokohama has agreed with the Japanese companies to cooperate on safe and smooth LNG bunkering of cruise ships.

Japanese owner and operator of LNG bunkering vessels Ecobunker Shipping launched its first ship at the Fukuoka Shipbuilding yard last year. Ecobunker Tokyo Bay is a multi-bunkering vessel capable of both ship-to-ship LNG and VLSFO (very low sulphur fuel oil) bunkering. It is expected to be delivered by the end of the year.

The city of Yokohama is building a dedicated mooring facility for Ecobunker Tokyo Bay at the port. The ship will deploy LNG bunkering operations from its base at Yokohama port to other Tokyo bay ports.

NYK Cruise, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japanese shipping major NYK, plans to launch a new LNG-fuelled cruise ship in 2025.