Japan's NYK Names its 1st LNG-Fuelled Car Carrier

Japanese shipping company NYK Line held a naming ceremony for its first LNG-fuelled car carrier, it said on September 2.

The vessel, named Sakura Leader, is capable of carrying 7,000 units per voyage and has been built by the local Shin Kurushima Toyohashi Shipbuilding yard. It is scheduled for delivery next month, NYK said.  

Sakura Leader is expected to improve energy efficiency by about 40%.  The project was announced by NYK in September last year and was selected as a model project by Japan’s ministry of environment and ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism. 

NYK said it would take delivery of a second LNG-fuelled car carrier in 2022, having signed a contract for this vessel with Shin Kurushima earlier this year. The company is also expecting delivery of an LNG-fuelled coal carrier in 2023.