Singapore, Japan team up to study LNG-fueled car carriers

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the Ports and Harbours Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan will helm a group studying the feasibility of LNG bunkering for car carriers between the two countries.    The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Ports and Harbours Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan (MLIT) will helm a working group to conduct a feasibility study on liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering for car carriers between Japan and Singapore.
   The working group will include Japan’s three largest liner carriers – Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines – MPA said Monday.
   The study will focus on the technical details – including fuel tank capabilities and refueling requirements – to assess the feasibility of running LNG fueled car carriers between the two countries.
   The study will be one of the activities jointly undertaken by MPA and MLIT under a memorandum of cooperation they signed in April, which involves port planning, port management, and technological development in the port sector.
   MPA and MLI also signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding back in October 2016 to widen the network of LNG bunker-ready ports in Europe, the United States and Asia, MPA said.
   Classification society DNV GL noted several advantages of the use of LNG fuel for ships, expressing how LNG can be used to meet existing and upcoming requirements for the main types of emissions (SOx, NOx, PM and CO2). In addition, LNG can be competitive pricewise with distillate fuels, and in many cases, it does not require the installation of additional process technology, DNV GL said.