A naming ceremony was held on Thursday at Shitanoe Shipbuilding in Usuki-City, Oita Prefecture for the LNG bunkering vessel currently under construction by Osaka Bay LNG Shipping, in which Osaka Gas International Transport Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Osaka Gas, has invested.

Japan-based Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. (Osaka Gas) said the newbuilt LNG-bunkering vessel was named Seto Azure after the beauty of the Seto Inland Sea, one of the locations where the company’s Ship-to-Ship bunkering business will take place – the bunkering vessel is scheduled to commence operations upon its launch in April 2026.

With Osaka Gas selling and providing LNG, the newbuild LNG bunkering vessel will supply LNG to LNG-fuelled ships including capesize bulkers operated by the Japanese shipowners Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE), and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK). 

The introduction of the Ship-to-Ship bunkering method from April 2026 complements the company’s existing LNG bunkering operations, which currently utilize the Truck-to-Ship and Port-to-Ship LNG supply methods.

Masataka Fujiwara, president and representative director of Osaka Gas, said: “We are excited to commence our Ship-to-Ship LNG bunkering operations next month,” adding that, “Amid the global momentum towards decarbonization and low-carbon initiatives, Osaka Gas is dedicated to providing a stable supply of LNG to meet the growing demand from LNG-fuelled vessels.”