Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has named its MOL FSRU Challenger during a ceremony held at the Okpo shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd in South Korea. The company claims the FSRU to be the largest in the world.
MOL president and CEO Junichiro Ikeda named the vessel on Thursday, September 28. The FSRU Challenger is the first such vessel’s for MOL to independently build, own, and operate.
The company said that the MOL FSRU Challenger, 345 meters long and 55 meters breadth would provide storage and regasification services to a project in Turkey after delivery during October. The operation is scheduled to begin within 2017.
The MOL FSRU Challenger has an LNG storage capacity of 263,000 m3 and LNG re-shipment and gas transfer capabilities. The vessel’s specifications allow the re-export of LNG and supply of LNG to neighboring regions where the vessel is located.
“FSRUs are drawing attention as a solution for flexibility and mobility in the LNG supply chain. MOL will promote the FSRU business, which meets customer needs for diversified LNG procurement, as one of the world’s largest LNG carrier operators, the only Japanese FSRU owner and operator, and the only Japanese shipping company that owns and operate FSRU,” the company said.
In addition to ownership and operation of the FSRU, MOL announced its decision to participate in an FSRU project in India.
“MOL is always ready to move assertively into progressive and creative business fields and contribute to the growth of the LNG business,” added MOL.