Recently, Tadotsu Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Imabari Shipbuilding, delivered the 7,000 CEU liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered dual-fuel pure car and track carrier (PCTC) “Turquoise Ace” to Japan’s shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL).
“Turquoise Ace” has an overall length of 199.93 meters, a beam of 38.0 meters, a depth of 22.85 meters, a deadweight of 18,439 tons and a gross tonnage of 77,695. Equipped with a 6S60ME-C10.5-GI main engine, it has a speed of about 18 knots, is classed by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) and flies the Panamanian flag. The main engine is supplied by German engine manufacturer MAN ES.
According to Imabari Shipbuilding, “Turquoise Ace” is equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system that reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 25-30%, nitrogen oxides by 80-90%, and produces virtually no sulfur oxides emissions, compared to car carriers that use conventional marine fuels.
Since this PCTC is equipped with LNG fuel tanks that continuously produce boiled off gas (BOG), the produced evaporated gas can be used in generators and boilers, making it more eco-friendly.
In addition, the PCTC adopts a no partition structure with widened ramps arranged in a straight line, which can simplify vehicle routes and improve safety and loading/unloading efficiency; the height of the lifting deck can be adjusted vertically, which allows it to load not only passenger cars, but also trucks, trailers, and other large freight vehicles.
In 2023, MOL officially named the LNG dual-fuel powered PCTCs the “BLUE” series and unveiled a new hull color scheme. The “BLUE” series is designed to reflect MOL’s corporate mission: “From the blue ocean, sustaining people’s lives and securing a prosperous future”.
In March of this year, Japan’s Shin kurushima Dockyard delivered a 7,000 CEU LNG-powered PCTC “Cerulean Ace,” the first of 11 new LNG-powered automobile carriers in MOL’s “BLUE Series”. This is the first of 11 new LNG dual-fuel-powered PCTCs in MOL’s “BLUE Series,” which will transport cars produced by Japanese automaker Mazda Motor Corporation.
