zoomImage Courtesy: MPA Singapore

Japanese companies Uyeno Transtech, Sumitomo Corporation and Yokohama-Kawasaki International Port Corporation have concluded a memorandum on conducting a joint study on ship-to-ship (STS) liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering in Tokyo Bay.

In hoping to turn Tokyo Bay, a gateway to Asia for ships sailing in the Pacific Ocean, into an LNG bunkering hub, the three companies will jointly study the commercial feasibility of supplying LNG-fueled vessels with LNG by using LNG bunkering vessels all the while remaining open to possible participation in such a business venture by LNG-related companies.

Together with its partner companies, Sumitomo Corporation will be building an industrial platform for procuring and supplying eco-friendly and low-cost LNG, complementing its conventional shipping fuel supply operations by meeting new customer demand for LNG.

YKIP, the port operating company for Keihin Port, manages and operates the container terminals for Yokohama Port and Kawasaki Port in an integrated fashion, and undertakes measures in pursuit of a policy of establishing strategic international container ports to further bolster the international competitiveness of Japan’s ports. As one of those measures, YKIP has endeavored to set up a LNG bunkering hub in Tokyo Bay, centered on Yokohama Port, to comply with SOx emission restrictions in general sea areas scheduled to go into effect in 2020.

In cooperation with its partners, YKIP will be creating an environment to encourage port calls by LNG-fueled vessels to ensure that this eco-friendly hub port in East Japan supports sustained social development.