Osaka Gas to launch STS LNG bunkering service in April

Japanese utility company Osaka Gas plans to start ship-to-ship (STS) LNG bunkering operations in Japan next month using its new LNG bunkering vessel, Seto Azure.IMAGE: An illustration of an LNG bunkering vessel. ENGINE via ChatGPT

The vessel is being constructed at Shitanoe Shipbuilding in Usuki City, Oita Prefecture, and is expected to commence operations next month.

Once operational, Seto Azure will supply LNG to LNG-capable vessels, including bulk carriers operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” LINE), and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), the company said.

The STS bunkering method will complement Osaka Gas’s existing bunkering operations, which currently use truck-to-ship and port-to-ship supply methods.

“Osaka Gas is dedicated to providing a stable supply of LNG to meet the growing demand from LNG-fueled vessels,” said Masataka Fujiwara, president of Osaka Gas.

The global LNG-capable fleet currently consists of 915 vessels, with an additional 678 vessels scheduled for delivery by 2033, according to DNV.

By Tuhin Roy

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