Mitsubishi Heavy Names KEPCO’s 2nd LNG Carrier

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. hosted a naming ceremony today at its Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works for the newbuilding liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier LNG Jurojin, which is co-owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (KEPCO).

KEPCO President and Director Makoto Yagi, named the new vessel, and his wife cut the rope.

After delivery, the LNG Jurojin, will serve a broad range of LNG transport projects, including the Ichthys LNG Project.

LNG Jurojin is the second of two LNG carriers MOL and KEPCO ordered in 2013. Under the contract, Kansai Electric Power holds a 70% share in the Bahamas-based MOL subsidiary that owns the two carriers, with MOL holding the remaining 30%.

The first vessel is a Moss-type carrier with a 164,700m³ cargo tank capacity, based on a new design from Kawasaki Heavy Industries. It will be the largest ship in its class that can pass through the expanded Panama Canal, while maintaining a hull size allowing it to call at major LNG terminals around the world.

The second vessel has a 155,300m³-class cargo tank capacity, and is one of the Sayaendo series carriers developed by MHI, featuring a continuous cover over its four Moss-type spherical tanks.

Both vessels adopt a new steam turbine engine that reuses steam for heating.

MOL and Kansai Electric Power jointly own a total of three vessels following the LNG Ebisu’s delivery in 2008, the first such vessel directly owned by KEPCO.

Once delivered, MOL will manage and operate the vessels, which will transport LNG for Kansai Electric Power.