New LNG Carrier for KEPCO Named 'LNG Sakura'
Today, a naming ceremony was held at the Sakaide shipyard of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier that NYK and Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc. (KEPCO; head office: Osaka; president and director: Shigeki Iwane) will jointly own. At the ceremony, the ship was named 'LNG Sakura' by Mr. Iwane of KEPCO, and the ceremonial rope holding the vessel in place was cut by Mr. Iwane's wife. Tadaaki Naito, president of NYK, attended the ceremony, among others.
'LNG Sakura' is the first vessel to be co-owned between NYK (30%) and KEPCO (70%). After construction, the ship will transport LNG sourced from shale gas fields in North America and various other locations, in a 20-year charter agreement. Sakura, meaning 'cherry blossom' in Japanese, was included in the name as a symbol of friendship and goodwill between Japan and the United States, and to encourage the continual development of the project.
The new ship features a moss-type tank, the largest in the industry, having a capacity of about 177,000 m3, enabling highly efficient transport. In addition, the ship is an energy-saving carrier equipped with a new twin-screw and a dual-fuel diesel electric propulsion engine that improves fuel consumption and propulsion performance.
NYK will continue its efforts for stable and economical energy transport.
Outline of 'LNG Sakura'
Length overall: 300.00 meters
Breadth: 48.90 meters
Gross tonnage: 135,977 tons
Main engine: dual-fuel diesel electric propulsion engine
Shipbuilder: Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.
Flag: Bahamas
(Some of the above specifications are estimates.)
Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Visits NYK Maritime Museum
On December 9, Keiichi Ishii, Japan's minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism visited the NYK Maritime Museum in Yokohama.
NYK chairman Yasumi Kudo and museum director Tadashi Abe greeted the minister, who then reviewed the history of Japan's maritime transport industry through the story of NYK. Minister Ishii was shown a letter of appreciation sent by Japanese Admiral Togo Heihachiro to an NYK vessel requisitioned during the Russo-Japanese War (1904 - 1905), an early Showa period (1945 - 1989) menu from the cruise ship "Asama Maru," and a rain barrel used for fire protection at the Tsukumo Shokai Shipping Company. NYK traces its history back to the founding of Tsukumo Shokai in the 1800s.
NYK continues to make every effort to safeguard key items to preserve the historical links between the Japanese marine industry and society, and thus enhance the maritime spirit.
NYK Maritime Museum
Examines the history of Japan's maritime transport industry since the establishment of NYK in 1885. Website: http://www.nyk.com/rekishi/e/
Panel Discussion Held with NUS Enterprise to Promote Innovation in Shipping and Logistics
Symphony Creative Solutions Pte. Ltd. (SCS),* an NYK Group company, in cooperation with NUS Enterprise**, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore, held a panel discussion on November 27 at BLOCK 71 Singapore*** in Singapore to promote open innovation in the shipping and logistics industry.
At the event, titled ???Kopi Chat Deep Dive with SCS ??? Ocean of Opportunities in a Trillion Dollar Market,??? Jeremy Nixon, CEO of Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd.,**** spoke about shipping issues, the logistics business, and the expectations for utilization of advanced technology.
Joining him for the panel discussion were representatives from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the National University of Singapore, and a startup. Many questions were raised from participants who filled the seminar hall, and an active discussion followed. As a platform for open innovation in the shipping and logistics industry, SCS plans to hold a series of these events and also to sponsor a contest for startups next spring.
The NYK Group will continue to promote innovation and provide new value to the maritime and logistics industry by developing advanced, creative solutions.
* Symphony Creative Solutions Pte. Ltd.
Jointly established in Singapore in March 2016 by the NYK Group, Weathernews Inc., and Kozo Keikaku Engineering Inc. to develop and market next-generation solutions in the shipping and logistics fields.
** NUS Enterprise
NUS Enterprise promotes entrepreneurship, cultivates global mind-sets and talents through the synergies of experiential entrepreneurial education and active industry partnerships, and fosters ecosystem building for start-ups.
*** BLOCK 71 Singapore
Located in the Ayer Rajah industrial estate and recognized as an entrepreneurial enclave for tech start-ups in Asia.
**** Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd.
An operating company established by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha for the integration of their container shipping businesses.
New LNG Carrier for JERA Named 'Pacific Mimosa'
On December 13, a naming ceremony was held at the Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier that NYK had ordered from MI LNG Company Ltd.* The ceremony was attended by Toshihiro Sano, chairman of TEPCO Fuel & Power Inc. (headquarters: Tokyo, president: Seiji Moriya); Hendrik Gordenker, chairman of JERA Co. Inc. (headquarters: Tokyo, president: Yuji Kakimi); ** Yasumi Kudo, chairman of NYK; and a number of related parties.
At the ceremony, the ship was named 'Pacific Mimosa' by Mr. Sano of TEPCO Fuel & Power, and the ceremonial rope holding the vessel in place was cut by Mr. Sano's wife. The ship's main port of call will be in Australia, and the vessel derives its name from Australia's national flower, which is part of the Mimosa family.
The ship will be delivered in March 2018 and assigned to transport LNG for JERA from the Wheatstone LNG project in which JERA, Mitsubishi Corporation (head office: Tokyo; president and CEO: Takehiko Kakiuchi), and NYK participate. LNG Marine Transport Ltd.*** will be responsible for the operational management of the vessel.
NYK will continue its efforts for stable energy transport.
* MI LNG Company, Ltd.
Jointly established by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.
**JERA Co. Inc.
Jointly established by TEPCO Fuel & Power Inc. and Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc.
*** LNG Marine Transport Ltd.
Jointly established by JERA Co. Inc. (70%), Mitsubishi Corporation (15%), and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (15%). Responsible for operational management of the maritime transport of LNG.
Outline of 'Pacific Mimosa'
Length overall: 288 meters
Breadth: 48.94 meters
Main engine: steam turbine
Gross tonnage: 138,000 tons
Cargo tank capacity: 155,300 cubic meters
Shipbuilder: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.
Flag: Japan
NYK Holds Workshop on Fair Trade and SDGs
In November, NYK and three other companies* jointly held a workshop at DNP Plaza in Tokyo on the theme of fair trade and the U.N.???s sustainable development goals (SDGs)** with the support of Fairtrade Label Japan, a non-profit organization.
Fair trade plays a significant role in the achievement of eight of the 17 SDGs. In addition, compliance with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games sustainable sourcing code is being encouraged of all stakeholders in the games.
About 50 people interested in fair trade, including employees from companies that sponsored the event, took part and learned about regional disparity through a simulation game about international trade. In addition, the companies introduced their initiatives for fair trade product consumption in their offices and encouraged the participants to expand their cooperation for the achievement of SDGs. NYK has offered Fairtrade certified coffee and tea at its head office in Tokyo since 2015.
Increasing the awareness of fair trade products has recently become a more important issue for the NYK Group, which as a good corporate citizen will continue to take an active role in social issues and make efforts to realize a sustainable society.
* Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd., NTT DATA Corporation, and Konica Minolta Japan Inc., all of which encourage their employees to consume fair trade products.
** Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted at the U.N. Summit in September 2015, established 17 SDGs to realize a global society by 2030. In Japan, a department to promote SDGs was launched in May 2016 and comprises the prime minister (as general manager) and all Cabinet ministers.
- Reference
Announcement on October 30, 2015, ???NYK Switches to FairTrade Coffee,??? http://www.nyk.com/english/release/3710/004136.html
