Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has taken delivery of its latest dual-fuel methanol carrier, Kohzan Maru VII, built by HD Hyundai Mipo (HMD) in South Korea.
The vessel was officially handed over on May 30, just a week after its christening ceremony. Under a long-term charter deal announced in May 2023, the Kohzan Maru VII will serve Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company (MGC).
According to MOL, the Panama-flagged newbuild measures 186 meters in length and 32 meters in beam. It is the first-ever ocean-going methanol dual-fuel vessel to operate under a long-term charter from a Japanese company.
MOL and MGC have emphasized that this delivery marks a significant milestone in their ongoing efforts to support carbon-neutral operations through innovative marine technologies.
The 47,960 dwt Kohzan Maru VII follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the original Kohan Maru, which debuted in 1983 as Japan’s first methanol-dedicated tanker.
The new ship will continue transporting environmentally sustainable methanol from renewable sources while also using methanol as marine fuel. This capability is expected to significantly reduce sulfur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx), and particulate matter emissions.
This initiative is part of MOL’s broader sustainability strategy, “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2,” which aims to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The company plans to operate 90 methanol or LNG-powered vessels by 2030.
MOL currently runs one of the world’s largest methanol-dedicated fleets, with 19 vessels in service. These include the Cypress Sun (delivered in 2023) and the Capilano Sun (delivered in 2021), both constructed by HD Hyundai Mipo—the same shipbuilder behind the Kohzan Maru VII.
Since the 2016 delivery of what was considered the world’s first methanol dual-fuel vessel, MOL has placed orders for eight additional ships of this type.
In March 2023, MOL partnered with five other Japanese firms—MOL Coastal Shipping, Tabuchi Kaiun, Niihama Kaiun, Murakami Hide Shipbuilding, and Hanshin Diesel Works—to develop the country’s first methanol-fueled coastal tanker.
A little over a year later, in July 2024, the vessel was launched and christened as the Daiichi Meta Maru. The 65.5-meter-long newbuild is now in operation, transporting methanol cargo for Mitsubishi Corporation.
