MOL’s third LNG dual-fuel ferry enters service

Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines’ (MOL) has launched its third LNG dual-fuel ferry, Sunflower Kamuy, which can operate on both LNG and conventional marine fuel.

PHOTO: MOL’s third LNG-capable ferry Sunflower Kamuy. MOL

Owned by MOL and operated by its subsidiary MOL Sunflower, the ferry will serve the Oarai-Tomakomai route, connecting Ibaraki Prefecture and Hokkaido, replacing the current vessel on this route.

Sunflower Kamuy is the third LNG-capable ferry in MOL Sunflower's fleet, joining Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki, which have been operating on the Osaka-Beppu route since 2023. The fourth ferry, Sunflower Pirka, is set to enter service in the summer of 2025.

By the end of 2025, MOL Sunflower plans to operate four LNG dual-fuel ferries across the Oarai-Tomakomai and Osaka-Beppu routes.

By Tuhin Roy

Please get in touch with comments or additional info to news@engine.online