Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) announced the decision to build an LNG-fueled tugboat, which is going to be the first in Japan. The vessel will be equipped with dual fuel engines, that allows high-speed operation and environmental performance.
MOL said that the tugboat will conform to the IGF code issued this year and is subject to be examined by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
The owner of the tugboat is going to be MOL, it will be constructed at Kanagawa Dockyard and operated by Nihon Tug-Boat. The new tugboat will be deployed in Osaka Bay in April 2019. The development of this tugboat will also spur the initial development of an LNG fuel supply system for vessels in Osaka Bay and it will be the first LNG-fueled tugboat to escort large-scale freighters in Osaka Bay and the Seto Inland Sea.
The construction of this tugboat is aligned with the company’s aim to promote LNG as a fuel, reducing the environmental impact of the global shipping industry.
