Asia/Pacific News
Mitsubishi Launches Fuel-Efficient Ferry in Japan
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has launched a new fuel-efficient ferry built for Japan’s Shinnihonkai Ferry.
The Hamanasu is designed to be one of Japan’s most energy-efficient ferries, featuring several systems that together reduce bunker use by about 5% compared to earlier vessels, Mitsubishi said in a press release on Thursday.
These include a specially shaped stern known as a ‘buttock-flow hull’ and a ‘ducktail’ extension that helps the ship move more smoothly through the water, reducing drag.
It also has an energy-saving roll-damping system that keeps the ship steady in rough seas. This system combines an anti-rolling water tank with movable fins on each side of the hull, both of which counter the vessel’s motion to maintain balance and reduce resistance.
The vessel was christened on Wednesday at the company’s Shimonoseki Shipyard in Yamaguchi Prefecture and is set to enter service in mid-2026 on the route between Otaru-Maizuru route.
The Hamanasu is the second of two sister ferries ordered by Shinnihonkai Ferry and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT).
The first, named Keyaki, was launched earlier this year and will be delivered in November.
