A naming ceremony has taken place at the Sakaide Works of Kawasaki Heavy Industries for a newly built very large gas carrier (VLGC), the sixth dual-fuel LPG/ammonia carrier ordered by NYK.
On completion, the ship will be chartered by Astomos Energy Corporation, one of the world’s leading LPG companies, for the domestic and global transportation of LPG.
The vessel name, Luna Pathfinder, is said to reflect NYK’s commitment to future decarbonisation, as the VLGC is designed to also carry ammonia. ‘Pathfinder’ denotes a guiding marker, while ‘Luna’ represents the Roman goddess of the moon.
The vessel is equipped with a dual-fuel engine capable of using both heavy oil and LPG as fuel. By utilising the rotation of the shaft connected from the main engine to the propeller to generate electricity, the diesel generators can be shut down during regular navigation, enabling operation primarily on LPG fuel. When using LPG, emissions of SOx are reduced by more than 95% and GHG by over 20% compared to conventional heavy fuel oil.
Demand for ammonia is expected to increase, as it is attracting attention as a means of realising future decarbonisation.
Image: ‘Luna Pathfinder’ (source: NYK)
