Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. has initiated a shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service, marking the first instance of a Japanese gas utility providing liquefied natural gas (LNG) to vessels from its terminal, according to the company's release.
The service began at the Senboku LNG Terminal in Takaishi City, Osaka Prefecture, with the first delivery to the VERDE HERALDO, an LNG-fueled vessel operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), which transports raw materials for JFE Steel Corporation.
Since 2019, Osaka Gas has offered a truck-to-ship LNG bunkering service through its subsidiary, Daigas Energy Co., Ltd., supplying LNG to the Ishin, an LNG-fueled tugboat operated by Nippon Eisen Shipping Corporation, a MOL group company.
The new shore-to-ship service complements this existing capability. Osaka Gas plans to introduce a ship-to-ship LNG bunkering service in fiscal 2026, using a dedicated LNG bunkering vessel currently under construction at Shitanoe Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Oita Prefecture, supported by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s 2023 LNG Bunkering Base Formation Project.
These initiatives address the limited availability of LNG bunkering facilities in Japan and support the growing number of LNG-fueled vessels, driven by the International Maritime Organization’s goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Osaka Gas is also exploring e-methane as a potential marine fuel, aligning with the Daigas Group Energy Transition 2050 initiative announced in February 2025.
Osaka Gas Co., Ltd., headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is a major energy company primarily engaged in the supply of natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the Kansai region. Founded in 1897, it operates LNG terminals, including the Senboku LNG Terminal, and has expanded into electricity generation and renewable energy.