The vessel, measuring 339.5 meters in length with a deadweight of 309,400 tons, will be built by Nihon Shipyard (NSY), a joint venture between Imabari Shipbuilding and Japan Marine United.
The VLCC is based on a design developed in collaboration with Idemitsu Tanker, Iino Kaiun Kaisha (Iino Lines), and NSY. It will be capable of operating on both methanol and conventional fuel oil.
The vessel will also feature a shaft generator that uses the rotation of the main propeller shaft to produce electricity, contributing to significant reductions in carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions.
Transition to Sustainable Energy
NYK stated that the new build will support the company’s decarbonization goals and lead the transition to sustainable crude oil transportation. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will operate under a charter agreement with Idemitsu Tanker.
This follows a similar move by Iino Lines, which in October 2023 became the first Japanese shipowner to order a methanol-fueled supertanker, also chartered to Idemitsu and expected to be delivered in 2027.
Globally, China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) was the first to enter the methanol dual-fuel VLCC market. In September 2023, CMES ordered a 306,000 dwt unit from Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC), with delivery expected by April 2026.
