Japan plans Tokyo Bay LNG bunkering hub

Marine transportation companies Uyeno Transtech Ltd and Sumitomo Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding with Yokohama-Kawasaki International Port Corporation (YKIP) to conduct the study, based on the ship-to-ship (STS) Tokyo Bay transfer model.

Uyeno said it wants to promote the use of LNG as an alternative fuel for marine transportation in the next generation with the aim of striving “to become a truly sustainable business group through its ongoing contributions to the prevention of global warming and to the further development of society.”

LNG supply

Although it is now forecast that around one-quarter of all shipping fuel used worldwide will be switched to LNG by 2030, until now the Asian countries including Japan, have been accused of lagging far behind due to inadequate LNG supply infrastructure.

As the port administration company for the Tokyo-Yokohama region,YKIP provides integrated operation and management services for container terminals in Yokohama Port and Kawasaki Port and develops measures to further strengthening the international competitiveness of Japan’s ports in line with its Strategic International Container Port Policy.

YKIP sees the MoU, which will be centred on Yokohama Port, as being the answer to handle SOx emission regulations which will come into force across the world’s ocean areas from 2020.

Its plan is to continue to contribute to the sustainable development of the port to turn it into a hub for East Japan in a way that will encourage frequent port calls by LNG-fuelled ships.

Masamichi Morooka, President & CEO of YKIP has recently been elected as a board member of SEA/LNG, the industry wide organisation which works in pursuit of promoting LNG as a marine fuel.