JMU closes Q1 2025 with three eco-friendly vessel deliveries

Yokohama-based shipbuilding major Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) has wrapped up the first quarter of 2025 with the delivery of two eco-friendly boxships and one bulk carrier.

As disclosed, since March 19, the Japanese shipbuilder has rolled out the red carpet for Danish shipping colossal A.P. Møller – Maersk’s 12,800 TEU containership Maersk el Bosque, a 3,055 TEU container vessel Interasia Tribute, built for Taipei-headquartered Interasia Lines, and the 93,691 GT bulk carrier Frontier Hope, which had been booked by compatriot Southern Route Maritime, an arm of Imabari-based shipping player Nissen Kaiun.

Per JMU, Maersk el Bosque was handed over on March 19 at the Kure Shipyard in Hiroshima prefecture. The vessel features a length of 335 meters, a breadth of 51 meters, a depth of 27.1 meters, and a draft of 16 meters, with a 127,814 gross tonnage.

The Panama-flagged newbuilding will be able to run on methanol, having reportedly obtained the necessary NK Fuel Ready (MA FR(C)) notation.

As informed, Maersk el Bosque was outfitted with a number of solutions aimed at energy efficiency, such as JMU’s proprietary Surf-Bulb—said to ‘improve’ propulsion efficiency and slash energy consumption by around 3-7%— and the ALV-Fin (advanced low viscous resistance fin), described as aiding in better propulsive force and lowering fuel consumption, and the Twisted Rupas.

According to JMU, Rupas (short for Rudder with Parallel Section at trailing part) is a rudder with a smaller roundness at the tip and a hollow and parallel section at the rear end due to which it can obtain high lift at the same rudder angle while keeping resistance smaller than a conventional rudder, thus ‘boosting’ propulsion performance.

In addition to this, JMU said that the container vessel was also equipped with exhaust gas cleaning systems, otherwise known as scrubbers.

JMU has highlighted that owing to the amalgamation of technologies, the boxship complies with various environmental regulations, including compliance with NOx Tier III guidelines and the stipulations concerning the maintenance of an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM).

What is more, the shipbuilder shared that the vessel was equipped with AMSP (Alternative Maritime Shore Power), which allows it to shut down its diesel generators during cargo operations by using shore power.

A week following this delivery, namely on March 26, 2025, Japan Marine United Corporation turned over the 3,055 containership Interasia Tribute, the fourth unit of a series built for Interasia Lines Singapore, at the Kure shipyard.

The unit is 203.5 meters long, boasting a breadth of 34.8 meters, a depth of 16.6 meters and a draft of 11.5 meters. The 30,676 GT newbuilding is understood to have been fitted with the same solutions as the aforementioned ships, including the ALV Fin as well as the LV Fin, and a ballast water treatment system. It also possesses an IHM, keeping it compliant with global environmental regulations.

Representatives from JMU have noted that the newbuild was designed to meet the increasing demand for maritime transport to and within Asia, with the intention to deploy it on mid- to long-distance liner routes.

The very next day, that is, March 27, JMU and Southern Route Maritime celebrated the handover of the 93,691 GT bulker Frontier Hope at the Ariake Shipyard in Kumamoto prefecture.

The ship possesses an overall length of 292 meters, a breadth of 45 meters, a depth of 24.5 meters and a draft of 18.2 meters. The Panama-flagged bulker was also outfitted with the same technological solutions as Interasia Tribute and Maersk el Bosque, namely the Surf-Bulb and the ALV-Fin. As divulged, Frontier Hope was also equipped with the Super Stream Duct, which is claimed to decrease energy consumption by around 3%, the LEADGE-Bow, and a ballast water treatment system.

Similarly to Interasia Tribute, the bulk carrier allegedly features an electronically controlled engine, as well as low-friction hull coating and a large-diameter propeller, all of which are believed to contribute to ‘enhanced’ fuel efficiency.

To remind, since the beginning of February, Japan Marine United Corporation has marked a spree of deliveries.

On February 6, the shipbuilding player delivered the 211,981 dwt bulk carrier Mount Anjin to Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS). A week later, Japan’s shipping titan Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) welcomed the liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered dual-fuel dry bulk carrier SG Twilight.

At the very end of that month, JMU turned over a 181,000 dwt bulker named Sakura Queen, which had been ordered by compatriot maritime transport company Green Spanker Shipping. Finally, on March 5, Mount Yotei, a 211,928 dwt bulker, was added to EPS’s roster.