65% Emission Reduction! World’s First Methanol Dual-Fuel Bulk Carrier Employs Low-Carbon Methanol.

Recently, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line) announced that its subsidiary, NYK Bulk & Projects, has put into operation the methanol dual-fuel bulk carrier “Green Future,” which uses low-carbon methanol fuel. This fuel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 65% over its entire lifecycle—from production to use—compared to conventional fuels.

This initiative applies to a voyage transporting copper concentrate for BHP, one of the world’s largest mining companies. The low-carbon methanol fuel used on this voyage is produced from biomass feedstock and has obtained ISCC EU certification. This certification is an international standard that ensures the sustainability and traceability of biomass and biofuels.

It is understood that the “Green Future,” built by Japan’s Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, is the world’s first Ultramax bulk carrier powered by dual-fuel methanol. It is also the first bulk carrier in the Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Group fleet equipped with a dual-fuel engine capable of running on both methanol and heavy oil. The vessel is leased from the shipowner Kaminara Steamship by NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers, a subsidiary of Nippon Yusen Kaisha.

The “Green Future” was completed and delivered in May 2025, and in September 2025, it was refueled with low-carbon methanol fuel at the Port of Ulsan in South Korea. In January 2026, the vessel loaded copper concentrate in Chile and is scheduled to discharge its cargo in China in March of the same year.

The “Green Future” is 199.99 meters long and 32.25 meters wide, with a deadweight capacity of 65,700 tons and a cargo hold volume of 81,500 cubic meters, and a draft of 13.8 meters. Compared to conventional heavy fuel oil-powered vessels, operating on methanol fuel can reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by up to 80%, sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions by 99%, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 10%. If green methanol is used as fuel, it can further achieve carbon neutrality and significantly reduce environmental impact.

To balance operational safety and loading efficiency, the vessel is equipped with a large-capacity methanol fuel tank on its aft deck. This design ensures convenient cargo handling operations without compromising the ship’s overall carrying capacity. The cargo hold has a volume of 81,500 cubic meters, while the deadweight tonnage remains at 65,700 tons, continuing the TESS66 design by Tsuneishi Shipbuilding’s advantage as the largest-class Ultramax vessel in terms of cargo-carrying performance. In terms of fuel economy, the vessel features a high-efficiency main engine and incorporates Tsuneishi Shipbuilding’s proprietary “AEROLINE” technology to reduce wind resistance, achieving outstanding energy-saving performance.

The NYK Group stated that it will continue to collaborate with shippers to promote the adoption of low-carbon fuels and contribute to the decarbonization of the international shipping industry.

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