In February, Sanoyas Shipbuilding obtained AIP (Approval in Principle) on the gas supplying system of low-pressure type for LNG-fueled ships which was jointly developed with Seika Engineering.

Sanoyas Shipbuilding obtained the approval of the Japan Ship Classification Society (ClassNK) in August last year, but ABS is an overseas classification society of which approval will enable the company to develop more business abroad as well as at home in the future. Like the approval obtained by the ClassNK in Japan, the system for which AIP was granted this time consists of the 4-stroke dual-fueled main engine, LNG tank, vaporizer, pressurizing evaporator and buffer tank.

ABS is a classification society to which comparatively many ships of nationalities other than the Japanese registry are applied. As it is also adopted in Singapore and Indonesia, Sanoyas Shipbuilding keeps a keen eye to not only the two countries, but also the other Southeast Asian countries as would-be customers of the system. Hideto Urai chief of Development Office of Sanoyas Shipbuilding pointed out the reason that both are island countries needing ships in so many cases that their economic growth is prospective, and that we can expect them to be LNG refueling points for the ships sailing between Europe and Asia passing through the neighboring Strait of Malacca. For reference, in October last year Singapore and MLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) signed a memorandum as to the re-development of LNG bunkering base between the ports of Yokohama and Singapore. At this moment no order has been recorded domestically, but they say that several enquiries have been given by some companies including those having ships of foreign nationality.