Coastal Dry Bulker named “Kaiei Maru”; New Vessel Will Serve Kaita Biomass Power
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. yesterday announced that naming and delivery ceremonies for the coastal dry bulker Kaiei Maru were held at Murakami Hide Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (Eiji Murakami; Headquarters: Imabari-shi, Ehime Prefecture). Among those on hand for the event were Takeshi Tanimura, president of Kaita Biomass Power Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kaita-cho, Aki-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture). The Kaiei Maru will be operated by MOL Group company MOL Coastal Shipping, Ltd. (President: Masatoshi Nakajima; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) and serve Kaita Biomass Power.
The Japanese name “Kaiei” is the combination of the letter “kai” derived from the city name Kaita-cho” and the letter “ei,” which expresses wishes for prosperity. The vessel’s name reflects its role in contributing to the future growth of the power plant and Kaita-cho.
The Kaiei Maru is a coastal dry bulker equipped with a self-unloader (Note 1) and will serve in routine transport of mainly woody biomass fuels, which will be used for thermal plants, from relay terminals in Japan to the Kaita Power Plant.
Biomass is a plant-derived woody fuel, and is referred as a fuel that can realize the goal of becoming “carbon neutral;” in other words not increasing density of combusted carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, based on the idea that CO2 is absorbed by trees in the atmosphere.
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LOA: 99.99m
Breadth: 18.40mDraft: About 5.00mGross tonnage: 2,137 tonsDeadweight tonnage: About 3,800 tonsCargo hold capacity: About 4,300 m3Main engine: Diesel internal combustion engineSpeed: 11.8 knotsLoading capacity: 1,000m3/hShipbuilder: Murakami Hide Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.Ship operator: MOL Coastal Shipping, Ltd.