News

TOKYO-Toho Gas Co., Ltd. (President: Yoshiro Tominari; Headquarters: Atsuta-ku, Nagoya) and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Junichiro Ikeda) today announced the implementation of a demonstration test to supply LNG (LNG bunkering) to the LNG-fueled (Note1) tugboat Ishin (Note2) in the Port of Nagoya. This marked the first LNG bunkering in the Port of Nagoya, and the test confirmed that LNG can be safely supplied to vessels at the port.

LNG was transported via truck from the Toho Gas Chita-Midorihama LNG Terminal (Chita-shi, Aichi Prefecture), and supplied with a truck-to-ship system (Note 3) to Ishin, berthed at the Port of Nagoya’s Garden Pier.

Also cooperating in the demonstration test were, Niyac Corporation (President: Kota Horie; Headquarters: Koto-ku, Tokyo), which provides LNG land transport for Toho Gas, MOL Marine Co., Ltd. (President: Toshikazu Inaoka; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo), which provides maritime consulting services, and Nihon-Tug-Boat Co., Ltd. (President: Tetsuro Nishio, Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Kobe), which operates Ishin.

Based on the findings of the demonstration test, Toho Gas and MOL will continue working to reduce the environmental impact of the maritime industry by promoting the use of LNG fuel by vessels calling at the Port of Nagoya.

From the left: Toho Gas, Executive Vice President, Shinji Niwa,
MOL, Executive Vice President, Takeshi Hashimoto

(Note 1)
Liquified natural gas (LNG) is drawing attention as an environmentally friendly vessel fuel because its combustion produces lower emissions of SOx, NOx, and CO₂ compared to conventionally used heavy oil.

(Note 2)
For details, please refer to the February 28, 2019 press release:
MOL Holds Delivery Ceremony for LNG-fueled Tugboat Ishin

(Note 3)
The truck-to-ship system is a procedure to supply LNG fuel from an LNG tank truck on shore to a vessel.

(Note 4)
Regulations to prevent air pollution from vessels were established in Annex VI issued in 2005 in the MARPOL Treaty adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Since then, exhaust gas regulations have become more stringent worldwide. Starting in January 2020, the limit for sulfur in fuel oil used on board ships operating outside designated emission control areas will be reduced to less than 0.50% m/m.