NYK orders heavylift ships for wind and LNG projects

Tokyo - Japan’s shipping line NYK wants to strengthen its position in the heavylift market and has signed a contract with Nanjing Jinling Shipyard Co. Ltd., which is part of the China Merchants Group, to build two next-generation energy-saving heavy-lift vessels.

NYK seeks to leverage its strength as the only shipping company that owns and operates heavy-lift vessels in Japan, and will respond to the demand for transporting cargos such plants, wind-turbine blades, and equipment.

The new ships will be equipped with two 400-ton cranes and be able to lift up to 800 tons of heavy cargo. The hold will be about 95 meters in length at its maximum without any bulkheads, i.e., upright walls within the hold. The ships will be hatch coverless, which will allow for navigation with the hatch cover open, and the bridge will be placed at the ship front, enabling the loading of tall and large cargo without worry of any disruption to forward visibility during navigation.

In accordance with its medium-term management plan “Staying Ahead 2022 with Digitalization and Green,” NYK continues to improve its competitiveness by responding to diversified needs and is making efforts to contribute to realizing a sustainable society through the operation of environment-friendly ships.

The heavy cargo ship market has been sluggish since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, but due to the recent increase in environmental awareness, the cargo movements of wind-power plants and LNG plants have become active, and these ships are expected to meet market needs. We will maintain and accumulate the technical know-how of heavy-lift vessels by owning and operating these vessels, and as the only heavy shipping company in Japan, we will respond to the needs of plant cargo customers.