Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) based in Yokohama, recently held a christening ceremony for a next-generation LNG carrier under construction for Trans Pacific Shipping 5 Ltd., a joint venture of JERA Co., Inc. (JERA) and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL).
The new vessel, named NOHSHU MARU, is the fourth vessel of the latest model ‘Sayaringo STaGE’ type, featuring significant improvements in both LNG carrying capacity and fuel performance due to the adoption of a more efficient hull structure and an innovative hybrid propulsion system.
Completion and delivery is scheduled for February 2019, after which the NOHSHU MARU will be put into service, transporting LNG for the Freeport LNG project in the US state of Texas (in which JERA is participating), among other ventures.
The christening ceremony, held at the Koyagi Plant of MHI’s Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, was attended by representatives of the ship owner, along with many other guests. Chubu Electric Power President, Satoru Katsuno, announced the name of the ship, while his wife performed the ceremonial rope cutting.