Japanese shipping giant, NYK Line, has taken delivery of the final vessel in its four-ship series of LNG-powered pure car truck carriers (PCTCs) from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co.
The vessel, named Sumire Leader, was handed over to NYK on August 14th, remarkably 139 days ahead of schedule, as reported by the shipyard.
Sumire Leader is a 7,000-CEU car carrier that was originally ordered by NYK Line from China Merchants’ shipyard in 2020, as part of this four-vessel series.
The first unit, Jasmine Leader, was delivered earlier this year, while Wild Rose Leader and Freesia Leader followed in April and July, respectively.
These vessels boast impressive dimensions, with a total length of 199 meters and a molded width of 38 meters, establishing them as some of the largest ships in their class.
The utilization of LNG fuel, coupled with various energy-efficiency enhancements such as hull modification, is poised to yield substantial environmental benefits. Specifically, it is anticipated to lead to a staggering 99% reduction in sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions compared to conventional heavy fuel oil-fueled ships. Furthermore, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are set to be curtailed by 96%, and CO2 emissions by approximately 40% (per unit of transportation), as outlined by NYK Line.
This strategic move aligns with NYK Line’s broader plan to gradually replace their existing vessels with around 40 newly built LNG-fueled PCTCs over the next decade. This transition aims to reduce CO2 emissions per ton-kilometer of transport by a noteworthy 50% by 2050. Beyond LNG, NYK Line is also looking forward to incorporating low-emission marine fuels like hydrogen and ammonia, marking a shift away from LNG as a transition fuel, anticipated to begin around the mid-2030s.
