Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, which is part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, won orders from Toyofuji Shipping and Fukuju Shipping for Japan’s first methanol-fueled roll-on/roll-off (roro) cargo ships.
The two ships will be built at the Enoura Plant of MHI’s Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture, with scheduled completion and delivery by the end of fiscal 2027.
The ships will be approximately 169.9 meters in overall length and 30.2 meters in breadth, with 15,750 gross tonnage, and loading capacity for around 2,300 passenger vehicles.
No price has been disclosed for the two ships ordered.
Methanol-fueled roro ships have already entered into service as ocean-going vessels around the world, but this is the first construction of coastal vessels for service in Japan, as claimed by the shipbuilder.
Meanwhile the new ships will have dual-fuel engine that can use both methanol and A heavy fuel oil, reducing CO2 emissions by more than 10% compared to ships with the same hull and powered by fuel oil.
A windscreen at the bow and a vertical stem are used to reduce propulsion resistance, while fuel efficiency is improved by employing MHI’s proprietary energy-saving system technology combing high-efficiency propellers and high-performance rudders with reduced resistance.
Furthermore, the significant increase in vehicle loading capacity and transport capacity per voyage compared to conventional vessels will provide greater leeway in the ship allocation schedule, securing more holiday and rest time for the crew, thereby contributing to working style reforms.
