K Line welcomes first LNG dual-fuel Capesize bulker

Cape Hayate, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel bulker built at Tsu shipyard of Japan Marine United, has been delivered to Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line).

As informed, the vessel was delivered to the shipowner on May 30, 2024. Cape Hayate has a length of almost 300 meters, a width of 50 meters, a draft of 18 meters and 210,000 deadweight tons. It is classed by classification society ClassNK and will sail under the Japanese flag.

K Line noted that this is the first Capesize bulk carrier in the fleet to be equipped with a dual-fuel diesel engine that uses LNG as its primary fuel.

The company expects that LNG fuel will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas (GHG), by 25% to 30%, emissions of sulfur oxide (SOx), which causes air pollution, by almost 100%, and emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) by approximately 75%. By using this fuel, K Line aims to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Tier III NOx regulations.

The vessel is equipped with the dual-fuel electronic control engine, 7X62DF-2.1 iCER, developed by engine manufacturer WinGD, which should reduce methane slip when using LNG fuel. 

Additionally, K Line plans to install Seawing, an automated kite system using wind power, to increase the effects of carbon-free technology.

To remind, in February this year, K Line revealed that it acquired French wind propulsion specialist Airseas, the company that developed Seawing.

Cape Hayate will be engaged in carrying steel raw materials for JFE Steel Corporation under a long-term consecutive voyage charter contract.

In ‘K LINE Environmental Vision 2050 -Blue Seas for the Future’, K Line has set the 2030 interim target of improving CO2 emissions efficiency by 50% compared with 2008, surpassing the IMO target of a 40% improvement.

Furthermore, the shipper set its new target for 2050 as “The Challenge of Achieving Net-Zero GHG Emissions.”

“As an action plan, we will continue to work on the introduction of new fuels which have a low environmental impact and take on the challenge of achieving the targets we have established,” the company concluded.