Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., on Tuesday launched the Sunflower Murasaki, the second of two large LNG-fueled ferries built for Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. This follows the March launch of Japan’s first LNG-fueled ferry, the Sunflower Kurenai.

The new vessel will go into service on a regular route between Osaka and Beppu, which is on the southern island of Kyushu.

The main engine of the Sunflower Murasaki can run on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and A-type heavy oil. It offers good environmental performance, achieving a reduction of more than 20% in CO2 emissions and close to zero emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx).

The vessel is 199.9 meters long and 28 meters wide, with a gross tonnage of approximately 17,300 tons. It can accommodate 716 passengers, an estimated 137 13-meter trucks, and roughly 100 passenger cars. 

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding is aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of the maritime industry through construction of LNG-fueled ships.