Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. and Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd. has announced that the AKARI, the world's second pure battery tanker, owned and operated by Asahi Tanker, she completed her historic first bunkering operation in Kawasaki on April 14, supplying the MOL-operated iron ore career UNTA. She was delivered on March 28, then sailed from shipyard to Tokyo Bay to enter services, according to MOL's release.
The AKARI will conduct zero emission bunkering in the Keihin region along with the first pure battery tanker, the ASAHI, which was delivered in March 2022.
Large-capacity lithium-ion batteries on the ASAHI and AKARI power every phase of their operations, including cargo handling, berthing/unberthing, and navigation. This results in zero emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the vessel. The tankers deliver outstanding environmental performance, and are expected to reduce crewmembers' workloads by reducing engine maintenance requirements.
MOL and Asahi Tanker will continue bunkering using electric powered tankers to help reduce GHG emissions.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) is a leading global shipping company operating about 800 ships across the world and headquartered in Japan. MOL develops various social infrastructure businesses centering on ocean shipping, and technologies and services to meet ever-changing social needs including environmental protection. The MOL fleet includes dry bulkships, liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, car carriers, tankers, and so on. In addition to its traditional shipping businesses, MOL also offers Wellbeing & Lifestyle Business such as real estate, cruise ships, and ferries.
Asahi Tanker is a shipping company extensively engaged in the transport of petroleum-related products, both in Japan and overseas. It operates various types of vessels, including white oil carriers, black oil carriers, lubricant carriers, LPG carriers, and chemical carriers, and plays a fundamental role in ensuring that its vessels safety navigate domestically and internationally, as a leader in domestic ocean transport of bonded bunkers (bonded fuel oil) for ocean-going vessels.