Recently, Japanese shipbuilder Kawasaki Heavy Industries announced the delivery of the “AURORA BOREALIS”—an 86,700 m³ dual-fuel LPG/ammonia carrier—to Kumiai Navigation (Pte) Ltd.
The “AURORA BOREALIS” has an overall length of 229.9 meters, a beam of 37.2 meters, a depth of 21.9 meters, and a full-load draft of 11.65 meters. It features a design speed of 17 knots, accommodation for 29 crew members, and a cargo hold capacity of 87,058 cubic meters. The vessel is equipped with a Kawasaki-MAN B&W 6G60ME-C10.5-LGIP main engine, is classed by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NK), and sails under the Singaporean flag.
This vessel is an upgraded version of Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ 84,000 m³-class LPG carrier. To meet the berthing requirements of major LPG terminals worldwide, the design of this vessel further increases cargo hold capacity to the 86,700 m³-class without significantly altering the hull’s primary dimensions. This vessel is Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ 14th 86,700m³-class dual-fuel LPG/liquid ammonia carrier, its 21st vessel equipped with an LPG propulsion system, and its 84th LPG carrier.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries stated that the delivered LPG/ammonia carrier is equipped with independent cargo tanks, allowing for the transport of LPG and ammonia—either separately or as a mixed cargo. The vessel also features a shaft generator, which utilizes power output from the main engine to supply electricity on board. By operating this shaft generator, the ship’s diesel generators can be shut down during normal transit; this enables the vessel to run entirely on LPG (with the exception of a small amount of pilot fuel), thereby further enhancing its environmental performance.
In light of increasingly stringent global environmental regulations and specific action plans—such as those embodied by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—Kawasaki Heavy Industries has stated that it will continue to develop and supply a range of commercial vessels that comply with environmental standards. These include LPG-fueled LPG carriers, LPG/ammonia carriers, and liquefied hydrogen carriers—a vessel type garnering significant attention as a solution for next-generation energy—thereby contributing to the realization of a low-carbon and decarbonized society.