NYK takes delivery of LNG-fueled PCTC Plumeria Leader

Japanese shipping major Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) has taken delivery of Plumeria Leader, the second large LNG-fueled pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) built in Japan.

The ship was built at the Shin Kurushima Dockyard of Shin Kurushima Toyohashi Shipbuilding.
This is NYK’s second LNG-fueled car carrier following the Sakura Leader.

Both vessels will be carrying vehicles produced by the Toyota Motor Corporation and other car manufacturers.

By switching to LNG, Plumeria Leader will make the ship up to approximately 40 per cent more energy efficient. In other words, it will reduce CO2 emissions per unit of transport compared to ships using conventional heavy oil-fired engines. The vessel is also to reduce SOx emissions by approximately 99 per cent and NOx by approximately 86 per cent.

NYK said in a statement that the ship’s name “Plumeria Leader” expresses its wish for “to leave beautiful flowers to the future.”

The vessel will be one of the world’s largest PCTCs, capable of transporting approximately 7,000 units per voyage. It will start with vehicles produced by the Toyota Motor Corporation.

NYK set a long-term target of net-zero emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) by 2050 for its oceangoing businesses.

The company is positioning LNG fuel as one of the bridge solutions until future zero-emission ships are available. It also plans to take delivery of a total of 20 new LNG-fueled car carriers by 2028.

As soon as innovation progresses, NYK wants to switch zero-emission vessels using low-emission marine fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia.

On 24 March 2022, NYK announced the NYK Group ESG Story 2022. The document introduces initiatives and measures of the company’s sustainable growth strategy from a very long-term perspective.

To promote it, the Automotive Transportation Headquarters has set up the Sail GREEN project. The project is to expand the network of environmental value chains at the NYK Group. Thus, it is to create new value as a sustainable solution provider.

Therefore, the Sail GREEN project is to reduce CO2 emissions at all the transportation stages of vehicles and contribute to the eco-friendly supply chains of customers. The main component of the project is a switch to LNG-fueled PCTCs.

In addition, reducing CO2 emissions at finished-car logistics terminals that NYK operates throughout the world, as well as during short sea and inland transportation, is also an important target of this project.