Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Jotaro Tamura, Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) today announced the signing of a long-term time charter contract with JERA Co., Inc. for two very large gas carriers (VLGCs).
The vessels will transport low-carbon ammonia (Note 1) produced in the Blue Point Project in Louisiana, U.S.-in which JERA has invested-to JERA's Hekinan Thermal Power Station (Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture) beginning around fiscal year 2029. This contract marks a major step forward in MOL's initiative to develop a marine transport system for low-carbon ammonia and achieve Japan's first large-scale transport of low-carbon ammonia.MOL and JERA have been discussing a collaboration (Note 2) on the transport of fuel ammonia since November 2022. This contract was formally concluded based on the memorandum of understanding (MOU) executed in 2025 (Note 3) and aims to establish a commercial-scale value chain for low-carbon ammonia.
In addition to its use in power generation and as marine fuel, ammonia-recognized as a next-generation clean energy source that does not emit CO2 at the point of combustion-is expected to play an important role in a wide range of fields, including as a hydrogen carrier (Note 4), resulting in significantly higher demand.
MOL Group positions environmental strategy as a core pillar of its management plan, "BLUE ACTION 2035," and has set the goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 under "MOL Group Environmental Vision - BLUE ACTION 2035 Phase 2." By building a track record of high quality and safe ammonia transport and proactively participating in the development of a low carbon ammonia value chain, MOL Group aims to contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society.[Overview of the Vessel]
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Main Dimensions | LOA: Approx. 229.90 mBreadth: 37.20 mDepth (Moulded): 21.90 mSummer Draft (Moulded): 11.65 m |
| Ship Type | Approx. 87,000 m³ VLGC |
| Shipyard | Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. |
| Scheduled Delivery | First half of 2027 |
