MOL Group yesterday announced that the second of Japan’s first two LNG-fueled ferries, the Sunflower Murasaki entered service on April 14.
The vessel is a sister ship to the Sunflower Kurenai, which began operation in January. It adopts a dual-fuel engine, which can run on both LNG and heavy fuel oil. According to MOL, the use of LNG fuel is expected to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) by about 25%, and sulfur oxide (SOx) by virtually 100%.
The MOL Group set a target to achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2050, and is promoting the wider adoption of LNG fuel through development and advancement of an LNG fuel supply system in Japan and overseas, as the Group stated.
In the ferry business, the MOL Group decided to integrate the businesses of its wholly owned consolidated subsidiaries, MOL Ferry Co., ltd. and Ferry Sunflower, with the new company launching operations on October 1st, 2023. The new ferry company plans to operate a total of four LNG-fueled ferries-adding two in 2025 to replace current vessels in service on the Oarai-Tomakomai route, in addition to the two vessels already operated by Ferry Sunflower.
