NYK is stepping up its relationship with Japanese LPG trader and importer Astomos Energy Corp by co-owning a new VLGC.
The shipping giant said the two companies will co-own the 87,000-cbm Gas Garnet (built 2024), an LPG dual-fuel gas carrier built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
This is the first joint vessel partnership between the two companies since 2003, when they co-owned the Mitsubishi-built 78,900-cbm Gas Capricorn (built in 2003), which is still trading.
NYK said the cooperation with Astomos will strengthen their long-standing relationship and contribute to supply chain decarbonisation by promoting environmentally friendly fleet development.
The Gas Garnet has a shaft generator that generates electricity by rotating the shaft connecting the main engine to the propeller, enabling the vessel to stop operating its diesel generator during standard navigation and realise full LPG-fuelled navigation.
“Compared to conventional heavy oil-fuelled vessels, SOx and CO2 in the exhaust gas are reduced by more than 95% and 20%, respectively, when the ship is fuelled by LPG,” NYK said.
NYK ordered eight dual-fuelled VLGC newbuildings at KHI between the end of 2021 and July last year.
Six of them can carry both LPG and ammonia.
