Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), held a christening ceremony for a next-generation LNG carrier under construction for TRANS PACIFIC SHIPPING 5 LTD., a joint venture of JERA Co., Inc. and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL). The new ship, named NOHSHU MARU, is the fourth vessel of the latest model “Sayaringo STaGE” type, featuring significant improvements in both LNG carrying capacity and fuel performance due to the adoption of a more efficient hull structure and an innovative hybrid propulsion system.
The NOHSHU MARU, a name derived from the old provincial name for the southern region of Gifu Prefecture, has a length of 297.5m, width of 48.94m, and depth of 27.0m, with a draft of 11.1m. Deadweight tonnage is approximately 80,300 tons, with total tank holding capacity of 180,000m3. Completion and delivery is scheduled for February 2019, after which the NOHSHU MARU will be put into service, transporting LNG for the Freeport LNG Project in the U.S. state of Texas (in which JERA is participating), among other ventures.
The Sayaringo STaGE is a successor to the “Sayaendo,” a vessel highly acclaimed for its reliability and innovatively refined MOSS-type spherical tanks. The use of apple-shaped tanks allows for greater LNG carrying capacity without increases to the ship’s width, while the hybrid propulsion system further improves fuel efficiency over the previous model.
STaGE, an acronym derived from “Steam Turbine and Gas Engines,” is a hybrid propulsion system combining a steam turbine and gas-fired engines. Effective utilization of waste heat from the engines for the steam turbine provides a substantial improvement in plant efficiency, allowing for high-efficiency navigation in both low and high-speed areas.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and MHI Marine Structure will continue the development of next-generation LNG carriers, in order to contribute to stable energy supplies and environmental conservation.
Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
