Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (‘K’Line) has applied for the Specified Vessel Introduction Plan with Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU), as a shipping company working on the Introduction of Vessels with Excellent Environmental Performance (Specified Vessels) based on the Maritime Industry Strengthening Act, and has been certified by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).
This certification, concerning an LNG-fuelled dry bulk vessel equipped with automated Seawing wind assisted propulsion, is one of the first since the start of the System for Specified Vessel Introduction Plans.
Based on the Maritime Industry Strengthening Act, a law to strengthen the foundations of the maritime industry responsible for maritime transportation related to Japan, which came into effect in August 2021, ship operators and shipbuilders certified as a business foundation strengthening plan can jointly formulate a plan for the introduction of Specified Vessels (Specified Vessel Introduction Plan) and apply to MLIT for certification. In case the plan has been recognised to meet the prescribed requirements, and will be certified by MLIT.
‘K’ Line has revised a part of its long-term environmental guideline, the Environmental Vision 2050, to set a new goal for 2050: “to achieve net zero GHG emissions”. The company will actively work to reduce environmental impact by researching, developing, and introducing ships with excellent environmental performance.
