Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., MOL, President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto, announced that, through a subsidiary, it has signed time charter contracts for four newbuilding liquefied natural gas carriers with NOVATEK Gas & Power Asia Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Russia’s PAO NOVATEK. The vessels will be constructed at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. , South Korea, and are slated for delivery in 2024.
The newbuilding LNG carriers are equipped with the cutting-edge MAN Energy Solutions engines, which offer major improvements in fuel efficiency. It also adopts a new design that generates less boil-off gas from cargo tanks through the use of the re-liquefaction unit on board, and a shaft generator system that uses the rotating propeller shaft for power generation.
With the 174,000m3 membrane type ship, these vessels are considerably more environmentally friendly than current LNG carriers.
MOL addresses environmental issues in accordance with the “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.1”, and as a united team, it continually strives to achieve sustainable GHG net zero emissions, contributing to the realization of a low-carbon society.
The MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.1 suggests, or the next generation on board this planet, the MOL Group will work collaboratively with their partners and stakeholders with creativity to resolve environmental issues. They will continue to provide solutions for issues of high importance such as the preservation of the marine environment, protection of biodiversity and prevention of air pollution, and in order to tackle climate change with utmost urgency, the MOL Group will make a concerted effort to achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
Design renderings of the vessels. Image: MOL