New LNG-powered car carrier joins K Line’s fleet

Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has taken delivery of the newbuild LNG-fueled car carrier from China Merchants Jinling Shipbuilding (Jiangsu).

The 7,000 CEU vessel named Nereus Highway is the first LNG-fueled ship built by the Chinese shipyard for K Line as part of the order from September 2021.

Classed by DNV, the newbuild measures nearly 200 meters in length and 38 meters in width. It runs on a dual-fuel electronically controlled WinGD 7X62DF-2.1 engine which reduces methane emissions when using LNG as a fuel.

Compared to conventional heavy fuel oil, LNG is expected to reduce CO2 by 25% to 30%, sulfur oxide (SOx) by almost 100%, and nitrogen oxide (NOx) by approximately 75%, complying with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) NOx Tier 3 regulations.

K Line’s first LNG-fueled car carrier, Century Highway Green, was built and delivered by Tadotsu Shipyard Co., part of the Imabari Shipbuilding Group, in March 2021.

The Japanese company also charters two LNG dual-fuel 7,000 CEU car carriers from Bermuda-based shipowning and chartering company Ship Finance International Limited (SFL), namely Odin Highway and Thor Highway.

The vessels have a total length of 200 meters, a width of 38 meters, a design draft of 8.6 meters, and a design speed of 19 knots. Two out of 13 decks can be loaded with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.