NYK has signed an order for a fifth liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dual-fuel very large LPG/ammonia gas carrier (VLGC) from Kawasaki Heavy Industries Sakaide Works shipyard for delivery in 2026.
This vessel is the seventh in NYK’s fleet of LPG-fuelled LPG carriers and the fifth in a new type of vessel that is also capable of carrying ammonia and will be equipped with separate cargo tanks designed to carry LPG and ammonia at the same time to flexibly respond to various trade patterns. Total cargo capacity will be about 86,700m3.
In addition to the LPG dual-fuel engine, the ship will have a shaft generator that can generate electricity during the voyage meaning that full navigation with LPG fuel will be possible except for the use of a small amount of diesel pilot fuel. When LPG is used as fuel, exhaust gas will contain at least 95% less SOx and 20% less CO2 compared to NYK’s conventional VLGCs using HFO-fuelled engines.
This new 230m long VLGC will comply not only with the SOx Global Cap regulations that were tightened from January 2020 but also with the IMO’s EEDI Phase 3 regulations, which implemented stricter CO2 emission standards from April 2022. Moreover, the vessel is expected to be classed by ClassNK under a preparatory design notation for a vessel that may use ammonia fuel in the future.
