Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. announced that on July 29, its group company, MOL Energia Pte. Ltd. (Managing Director: Miki Ogura, Headquarters: Singapore), held a naming ceremony for the newbuilding very large crude carrier (VLCC) Energia Viking for Equinor ASA, a large international energy company (Headquarters: Stavanger, Norway) at the Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd. (DACKS Note 1). The Energia Viking is the first LNG dual-fuel VLCC delivered by the MOL Group and sailing under a charter contract with Equinor.
Equinor Senior Vice President Anne Mai Hatlem, MOL President & CEO Takeshi Hashimoto, and MOL Energia Pte. Ltd. Managing Director Miki Ogura were on hand for the event, as the Energia Viking was named in front of an enthusiastic audience.
The Energia Viking is equipped with an LNG fuel tank with a capacity exceeding 10,000m3, enabling long-distance transportation and allowing for flexible transport plans. In addition, with consideration for crew comfort, we have introduced a third place onboard called “IKOI”, which serves as a relaxing space distinct from both living places and working areas. This is the first time that “IKOI” has been introduced on a VLCC operated by MOL.
MOL has established the “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2” and set a target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. LNG fuel reduces GHG emissions by about 25%-30% compared to conventional fuel oil. To achieve sustainable decarbonization in the LNG shipping industry, the company is proactively adopting LNG as a low-carbon fuel through an immediate approach, aiming to deploy 90 LNG/methanol-fueled vessels by 2030. About 40 LNG fueled vessels, including the Energia Viking (Note 2), are being developed, and six VLCCs are scheduled to be delivered one after another starting in 2025. Three of those VLCCs, including the Energia Viking, are slated to operate under a charter agreement with Equinor. Under the collaboration with Equinor, the MOL Group take the lead in promoting the adoption of LNG fuel and contribute to reducing the environmental impact of VLCC operations.
Source: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines