Asia/Pacific News
MHI Starts Building Fuel-Saving LNG Carrier
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) says it has begun construction on the first ship in its new "Sayaendo" Series of fuel efficient liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.
The carrier, one of two ships ordered jointly by Osaka Gas Co. Ltd. and Misui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. in October 2011, promises a 25 percent reduction in fuel consumption per cargo unit thanks to weight and size reduction, and hull line improvement.
The carrier, with a capacity of up to 153,000 cubic meters of LNG, uses a peapod-shaped continuous cover rather than a conventional hemispherical cover to protect is four Moss spherical tanks, a change that allows for lower size and weight as well as improved aerodynamics.
The ship also uses MHI's "Ultra Steam Turbine Plant" for increased thermal efficiency.
MHI is building the ship at its Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Japan, with delivery planned in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015.
The company says it has received orders for five Sayaendo Series carriers altogether.
The Japanese shipbuilding industry is said to be focusing on eco-ships as a way to distinguish itself from lower-cost competition in South Korea and China, and the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) has found that such ships are worth a 25 percent premium over conventional vessels, but others in the shipping industry have questioned the value of fuel-saving designs.
