World's First LNG-fueled Panamax Commences Operation
The world's first LNG-fueled Panamax-class1 coal carrier, which was being built by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha ("NYK") and Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. ("Kyuden"), was delivered on October 2. The vessel was named "Shoyo"2 in a naming ceremony held at the Koyagi Shipyard of Oshima Shipyard Co., Ltd., and began operations after completing the first bunkering.
NYK operates the vessel and transports coal from overseas to Kyuden's coal-fired power plants. The use of LNG fuel offers excellent environmental performance compared with traditional marine fuels, virtually eliminating sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions and reducing approximately 80% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and 30% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. We continue to contribute to realizing a low-carbon society amid the tightening of environmental regulations worldwide.
Shoyo received its LNG-fuel supply at the port of Tobata (Fukuoka Prefecture) on October 12. Bunkering was carried out via shore-to-ship, which supplies fuel directly from the handling facility on shore to the vessel. This was the first shore-to-ship bunkering for an oceangoing LNG-fueled vessel in Japan. The ship is designed to be compatible with both shore-to-ship and ship-to-ship bunkering, the latter of which is the supply of LNG fuel from an LNG bunkering vessel to a ship. From March 2024, a newly built LNG-fueled bunkering vessel based in the Setouchi and Kyushu area could deliver LNG fuel through ship-to-ship bunkering.
NYK and Kyuden will continue actively working to achieve stable fuel transportation and reduce environmental impact.
Vessel Particulars
- Name: Shoyo
- Operating company: NYK
- LOA: 235.0 meters
- Breadth: 38.0 meters
- Deadweight Tonnage: 95,233 tons
- Year built: 2023
- Shipyard: Oshima Shipyard
- Port of Registration: Matsuura (Japan)
Company Overviews
1. Shoyo
2. Naming Ceremony at the Koyagi Shipyard of Oshima Shipyard Co., Ltd., on June 26
Front row, fifth from left, Takashi Mitsuyoshi, Executive Officer Deputy Director Planning & Balance Optimization Division, Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.
Front row, sixth from left, Hironobu Watanabe , Managing Executive Officer Chief Executive of Energy Division, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
3. Shore-to-ship Bunkering at the loading facility of Kitakyushu Liquefied Natural Gas Co., Inc.,4 on October 12, 202
1 Panamax-class
Ships having a deadweight tonnage of 70,000 to 99,999 DWT are categorized as Panamax-class bulkers. According to a survey by NYK Research Group, as of October 2023, Shoyo is the world's first LNG-fueled Panamax bulker.
2 Shoyo
The name "Shoyo" was inspired by a sunset from the Tsuchiya terraced rice fields in the city of Matsuura in Nagasaki Prefecture, where Kyuden's coal-fired power plant is located. Tsuchiya terraced rice fields have been selected as one of the 100-best terraced rice fields. Shoyo means "brighten” and has a name that is similar to the LNG carrier "Pacific Enlighten," which is owned by NYK, Kyuden, and others. Shoyo’s port of registration is Matsuura, the origin of the ship's name.
3 Bunkering
Supplying LNG fuel to vessels.
4 Kitakyushu Liquefied Natural Gas Co., Inc., is a 75% owned subsidiary of Kyuden
President: Kenji Okada
Headquarters: Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
5 A long-term transport agreement between NYK and Kyuden was concluded on December 25, 2019.
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