Sixth LNG-Fuelled NYK Car Carrier Enters Service

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday October 20, 2023

A sixth LNG-fuelled pure car and truck carrier owned by Japanese shipping firm NYK has entered service.

TheĀ Sumire LeaderĀ arrived at the port of Hiroshima on October 17 and has started work for the Mazda Motor Corporation, NYK said in a LinkedIn post on Friday.

The vessel is the last in a series of four LNG-fuelled PCTCs built for NYK by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, and the company's sixth overall.

"Sumire Leader will transport finished vehicles, including those made by Mazda Motor Corporation, and seeks to fulfil customers' demands for a lower environmental burden in the logistics field," NYK said in the post.

LNG remains the dominant alternative fuel choice for now, with supply set up at almost all major bunkering locations. But the future viability of LNG-fuelled ships will rely on the rollout of bio- and synthetic LNG at these ports as well, as shipping firms seek to deliver lower GHG emissions.