On June 21, Mitsui O.S.K, Air Water, Techno Chubu, Kyodo Kaiun, MOL Coastal Shipping, CEnergy and IHI Power Systems announced that they successfully implemented the proof to use liquefied bio-methane (LBM) for marine fuel on a coastal LNG fueled ship in Ise Bay.

The LBM used this time has been produced from the animal manure in Hokkaido Tokachi Region which Air Water technologically developed in the verification project subsidized by the Ministry of the Environment. Mitsui O.S.K has so far made verifications of use with boilers or trucks in the plant aiming to utilize LBM as a fuel to substitute LNG. They say about 7 tons of LBM have been supplied to the coastal LNG tanker this time.
　
In the verification, it has been found that the cargo can be transported by sea, LBM is transported by the current LNG supply chain and bunkering (truck to ship) of LBM is done by LNG lories. It proved that LBM can be used stably using the existing facilities of coastal LNG fuel ship. This verification is based on the memorandum exchanged between Mitsui O.S.K and Air Water in February this year for the marine use of LBM.

The Ise Mirai of the coastal LNG-driven cargo ship used is time having a gross tonnage of 64,455 was built in December 2020 in collaboration with Mitsui O.S.K, Techno Chubu and Kyodo Kaiun under the support of the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.