Kawasaki Receives Order for Two 177,000 m³ LNG Carriers

Tokyo, September 9, 2015 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it had concluded contracts to build one 177,000 m³ LNG carrier for Trans Pacific Shipping 7 Limited and one for Trans Pacific Shipping 8 Ltd., both 50-50 joint ventures between Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. and NYK Line, and Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, respectively. The vessels are to be built at Kawasaki’s Sakaide Shipyard and are scheduled to transport LNG procured by Chubu Electric Power primarily from Freeport, USA, after delivery in 2018.

These vessels are MOSS type LNG carriers with a cargo tank capacity of 177,000 m³ that Kawasaki developed for North American shale gas projects. The vessels feature a hull size capable of entering the world’s major LNG terminal ports and have a breadth that can pass through the new Panama Canal, which is scheduled to open in 2016. These are highly versatile vessels that will respond to diverse LNG trends with a hull structure and cargo tank form improved to increase the cargo tank capacity by 12,300 m³ from conventional 164,700 m³ LNG carriers. The new vessels also come loaded with various improvements to deliver maximum propulsion performance, including a lighter weight enabled by an optimized hull structure, the adoption of a twin-screw system, and an optimized hull shape. In addition, a DFD electric propulsion system^* has been adopted to increase fuel efficiency at all speeds.

The vessels' principal particulars are outlined below.

Principal Particulars
Overall length: approx. 300 m
Molded breadth: 48.90 m
Tank capacity: 177,000 m³
Speed: 19.5 knots

Kawasaki will continue to actively pursue its shipbuilding operations in light of the expected rise in demand for LNG and other clean energy fuels.

*

The dual fuel diesel (DFD) engine is capable of burning both oil and gas while a conventional generator engine can only burn oil for fuel. The propulsion system is comprised of four generator diesel engines, two variable speed propulsion motors and other components. Either gas or oil is supplied to the engines to generate electricity, which drives the propulsion motors that power the propeller.