Japan's MOL, Asahi Tanker perform bunkering operations using pure battery tanker

Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Asahi Tanker said that the world's first pure battery tanker -- Asahi -- made her first bunkering operation on a MOL operated car carrier, paving the way for both companies to forge ahead with their targets to cut greenhouse gases emissions.

The Asahi Tanker-owned tanker operated completely on electricity bunkered fuel on the MOL-operated car carrier -- Victorious Ace -- at the Daikoku Pier C-1 Wharf in Yokohama, the two companies said in a statement April 27.

Asahi's large-capacity lithium-ion batteries powered every phase of its operations, including cargo handling, berthing, unberthing, and navigation. That helped in achieving zero GHG emissions from the ship and reduce crewmembers' workloads by lowering engine maintenance requirements.

MOL initiatives

The latest move was in line with MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.1 as MOL implements efforts to achieve sustainable net-zero GHG emissions and contributes to a low-carbon society. The company has also launched other initiatives in the past.

Last August, MOL said it planned to have four 7,000-unit capacity car carriers running on LNG as their main fuel, a move targeted toward launching 90 LNG-fueled vessels by 2030.

MOL also said in 2021 it was forging ahead with an agreement for the construction of LPG-fueled very large gas carriers to transport LPG and ammonia. In February, MOL said it completed a concept study on an ammonia floating storage and regasification unit and embarked on the development of alternatives.

MOL said Feb. 1 it had completed developing a hard sail system at the Oshima shipyard under its "Wind Challenger" project that harnesses wind as a propulsive force for merchant ships.

In March, MOL forged a partnership with other maritime players to develop Japan's first methanol-fueled domestic tanker. Earlier in April, MOL said its subsidiary MOL Chemical Tankers, or MOLCT, global commodity trading company Trafigura and its vessel fuel supply joint-venture TFG Marine, had inked an agreement for a joint study on full-scale supply of biodiesel fuel.

As part of the joint study, the companies had conducted a sea trial using TFG Marine-supplied biodiesel fuel on the MOLCT-operated chemical tanker Niseko Galaxy, MOL said, adding that about 200 mt of biodiesel fuel were bunkered at the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, early March.

The use of biodiesel fuel was expected to achieve a 25%-30% reduction in CO2 emissions on a mix of 30% biodiesel fuel and 70% conventional heavy fuel oil, MOL had said.