Kawasaki Heavy Industries, the Japanese conglomerate that owns the motorcycle manufacturer of the same name, has completed the delivery of a large oil tanker capable of operating using natural gas. This ship, named Tsurugidake, is the group's fourth Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The delivery ceremony took place on October 14th, and the vessel was transferred to the shipping company Sequoia Navigation. The handover was conducted at the shipyard maintained by Kawasaki in partnership with the Chinese company Cosco, located in Dalian, China.
With dimensions of 339.50 meters in length—equivalent to more than three football fields side by side—the ship has holds with a capacity to store 352,151 cubic meters, which corresponds to approximately 2.2 million barrels of oil.
In terms of design, the hull was modified with a redesigned bow, replacing the conventional bow bulb, aiming to reduce wave resistance. The main engine, characterized by low speed and extremely long stroke, operates in conjunction with a large diameter propeller to optimize fuel consumption.
The engine, manufactured by MAN, has seven cylinders and a displacement capacity of about 13 thousand liters, and it is dual-fuel. It can use LNG or low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO). Each piston in this engine measures 80 cm in diameter and travels 3.72 meters inside the cylinder.
According to information provided by Kawasaki, the use of LNG results in significant emission reductions: carbon dioxide ($ ext{CO}_2$) decreases by between 25% and 30%, nitrogen oxides ($ ext{NOx}$) drop by about 85%, and sulfur oxides ($ ext{SOx}$) are completely eliminated when compared to engines running on heavy fuel oil.
Additionally, the ship is equipped with scrubbers installed in the exhaust of the engine and generators. These devices remove sulfur, allowing the use of conventional oil to remain compliant with current regulations since 2020, which contributes to reducing operational fuel costs.
The Tsurugidake meets the requirements of Phase 3 of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), an international standard that stipulates that tankers ordered from 2025 must show a 30% reduction in $ ext{CO}_2$ emissions compared to Phase 0. The ship sails at an approximate speed of 15.45 knots (28.6 km/h), has a crew of 37 people, and flies the flag of Panama.
In Brazil, Kawasaki participated as a partner, holding 30% of the Enseada do Paraguaçu shipyard, located in Bahia. This shipyard was established with the purpose of building survey vessels for the pre-salt layer and was affected by the crisis known as Seven Brazil.
