Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Business Department
The first two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled ferries in Japan, ordered by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), were designed and built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (hereafter "Mitsubishi Shipbuilding") at Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works Enoura Plant, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. The first of the two, named Sunflower Kurenai (hereafter "the vessel"), was delivered in December 2022 and has been in service since January 2023 on the Osaka-Beppu route operated by MOL Sunflower Ltd. (The sister vessel, Sunflower Murasaki, has been in service since April 2023.) The vessel not only achieves excellent environmental performance, with CO2 emissions reduced by approximately 20% compared to conventional vessels and SOx (sulfur oxides) emissions virtually zero, but it also realizes an increase in the number of vehicles that can be loaded and the space per passenger in order to respond to the modal shift from land transportation to sea in terms of CO2 reduction, long-distance driver shortages, and work style reforms. The cabins on the vessel are private (or group) rooms, eliminating the traditional shared large rooms. The vessel offers an evolved casual cruise experience through a significant increase in the area per passenger, enhancement of the truck driver rooms, expansion of the large-scale baths and restaurant, and the provision of spacious and open public spaces, including a three-story atrium. As a result, the vessel has received various awards.
