New LNG carrier for Japan’s JERA named

A brand new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier to be chartered by Japan’s LNG importing giant JERA was named on Tuesday at Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Sakaide. 

The 164,700-cbm LNG carrier named Enshu Maru is owned by Trans Pacific Shipping 4 S.A, a joint venture consisting of K Line and Tokyo Century.

According to a K Line statement, the newbuild LNG carrier is powered by a reheat steam turbine.

It is a “next-generation LNG carrier propulsion plant of high thermal efficiency and high reliability, incorporating the most advanced materials and control technologies including improvements in steam conditions to raise the thermal efficiency,” the statement said.

The 293m-long vessel is expected to mainly serve the transportation route between the Freeport LNG export project in the US and Japan.

JERA, a joint venture comprising of two major Japanese electric companies Tepco and Chubu, has a 25 percent stake in the Freeport LNG export project expected to start operations next year.