MOL Presents Design for Next-Generation Coal Carrier

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has unveiled a new vessel design for a next-generation coal carrier, developed in cooperation with domestic shipyards.

The new design, called EeneX, is for a 90-type 90,000 dwt coal carrier, developed by MOL and Japanese shipyards in an effort to provide safe, reliable and economically efficient transport of coal.

One of the main characteristics of EeneX is the adoption of a double-hull structure that allows cargo holds with completely flat sides and eliminates the work of scraping out coal, which boosts the efficiency of discharging operations and speeding up cargo handling.

In addition, the design has the semi-box shape of the hold that also prevents cargo from accumulating inside, for further improvement in discharging operations and speeding up cargo handling.

Another characteristic is eliminating the ballast hold, so as to be a cargo hold only. Unlike conventional coal carriers, on which the cargo holds are sometimes filled with ballast water to maintain the ship’s stability during ballast voyages, the EeneX carrier has only dedicated cargo holds with safe stability.

This saves the effort of preparation time for ballasting into cargo hold and reduces the risk of salt and rust contamination due to rust in the cargo hold, according to MOL.

The EeneX carrier design features a length of 235 meters, a breadth of 38 meters and a deadweight tonnage of about 89,900 tons.