Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, recently held a christening and launch ceremony for the second of two large car ferries ordered by Shinnihonkai Ferry Co and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT).
The ceremony took place at the Enoura Plant of MHI’s Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The new ferry will serve on a shipping route between the cities of Otaru in Hokkaido and Maizuru in Kyoto Prefecture. Shinnihonkai Ferry President Yasuo Iritani christened the new ferry Hamanasu, the Japanese word for a species of native rose. Handover is scheduled for June 2026 following completion of outfitting work and sea trials. The Hamanasu is the 10th ferry built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding for Shinnihonkai Ferry.
The 199m long Hamanasu features an energy-saving vessel design, including a buttock-flow stern hull and a ducktail, along with a Katana bow. Propulsion resistance is suppressed by an energy-saving roll-damping system combining an anti-rolling tank and fin stabilisers, together providing energy and emission savings of 5% compared to conventional ships.
Japan is currently undergoing a modal shift to sea transport to mitigate environmental impacts by reducing CO2 emissions, and to compensate for truck driver shortages.
Image: Launch of ferry ‘Hamanasu’ (source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)
