NYK Names Dual-Fuel LPG Carrier Newbuild

A newly built very large gas carrier (VLGC) was named Lucent Pathfinder at a ceremony held at Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ Sakaide Works, marking the seventh dual-fuel LPG carrier using LPG ordered by NYK.

The vessel, which will be chartered by United Arab Emirates-based LPG trader BGN INT DMCC, is designed for the global transportation of liquefied petroleum gas and is capable of operating on both heavy fuel oil and LPG.

The naming ceremony was attended by around 30 stakeholders. Takayuki Koike, LPG director at BGN, named the vessel, followed by a ceremonial rope cutting performed by Wendy Jungsuk Kwon, an LPG trader at BGN.

Lucent Pathfinder is equipped with a dual-fuel engine and a shaft generator system that uses rotational energy from the main engine to generate electricity, reducing reliance on diesel-powered generators and enabling near-complete operation on LPG fuel alone.

When operating on LPG, emissions of sulfur oxides are reduced by more than 95%, while greenhouse gas emissions are cut by over 20% compared with conventional heavy fuel oil. The vessel is also designed to transport ammonia, a fuel expected to play a growing role in the energy transition due to its zero carbon emissions during combustion.

The ship has an overall length of 229.9 meters, a breadth of 37.2 meters and a depth of 21.9 meters, with a summer draught of 11.65 meters. It has a cargo tank capacity of 86,938 m3, placing it among the larger vessels in the VLGC segment.

The name Lucent Pathfinder reflects a focus on decarbonization and future-ready energy transport, combining the concept of charting new paths with an emphasis on safety and sustainability, NYK said.