Imabari Launches LNG-fueled Car Carrier for 'K' Line

Imabari Shipbuilding Group's Tadotsu Shipyard in Japan has launched a new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled car carrier vessel for compatriot shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" Line).

Construction is ongoing with an estimated delivery within the 2020 fiscal year.

The main engine on this vessel is a dual-fuel diesel Mitsui MAN B&W ME-GI engine with exhaust gas recirculation system (EGR) to apply with MARPOL Annex VI NOx Tier III.

The vessel, ordered by "K" Line in December 2018, is equipped with a fuel gas supply system (FGSS) engineered by TGE Marine Gas Engineering GmbH of Mitsui E&S Group. The FGSS is composed of LNG fuel tank and high-pressure pump. The LNG fuel tank on the vessel is an independent tank of type C, which allows the design pressure to be set higher than other types of LNG fuel tanks. Because the boiling point of methane which is the main component of LNG is -161.5℃, LNG is constantly vaporized due to heat input from outside of the tank. Therefore the tank pressure is increased by the vaporized gas inside of the tank. The type C independent tank allows vaporized gas to be kept in the tank for a relatively longer period of time.

Auxiliary engines are also dual-fuel diesel engines which conform to NOx Tier III in gas mode. The auxiliary engine with a selective catalytic reduction System (SCR) is designed to meet NOx tier III requirements even in diesel mode, offering flexibility in the choice of fuel.

Length overall: about 199.9 meters
Width: about 37.2 meters
Maximum number of vehicles loadable: About 7,020
Gross Ton: about 73,800 tons
Country of Registry: Japan

(Photo: "K" Line)