A consortium of Japanese companies that also includes shipowner NS United Naiko Kaiun Kaisha (NSU Naiko) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have agreed to construct a new limestone-carrying vessel with a hybrid propulsion system combining a gas-only engine and a lithium-ion battery.
The 93-metre vessel will replace Shimokita Maru (pictured), an older limestone carrier in the NSU Naiko fleet. It is scheduled to be operational by February 2024.
The partners said the new ship will use LNG propulsion for long-distance sailings while the battery will be utilised for low-emission navigation when entering and leaving ports.
