Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. (Kyuden) have announced that a Panamax coal carrier, which uses low environmental impact LNG as its main fuel, was delivered and started operation on 14 November 2023. In a naming and delivery ceremony held at the Imari Shipyard and Works of Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., the new vessel was named Reime.
The Reimei, a large LNG-fuelled coal carrier, is operated by MOL to transport coal from overseas to Kyuden's coal-fired thermal power plants. Compared to conventional marine fuel, LNG can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide by about 30%, sulfur oxides by about 100%, and nitrogen oxides by about 80%.
The Reimei departed from Imari Port on 14 November 2023 for shore-to-ship bunkering at Tobata Port in Fukuoka Prefecture on 15 November, where it will receive fuel directly from the onshore LNG shipping terminal. In the future, ship-to-ship bunkering from an LNG bunkering vessel can also be adopted as a way for the vessel to receive fuel.
Sources: world coal, Thursday-Nov 27,23