Completion of "Tomakomai Port LNG Bunkering Study Group"

Tomakomai Port Authority and Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX) announced that "Tomakomai Port LNG Bunkering Study Group" (hereinafter "the study group") was completed in April 2020 with the planned proceedings and discussions since launched the study group in February 2019.

The study group has worked to extracted issues and clarified the path to resolution for implementing LNG bunkering based in Tomakomai Port, Hokkaido (Tomakomai City, Hokkaido-Atsuma Town, Yufutsu District) for facilitating the coordination in the upcoming specific application procedure.

The 25 members participated in the study group, which were Tomakomai Port Authority as the port authority, relevant government agencies and port-related associations including the Tomakomai Port Office of the Muroran Development and Construction Department of the Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the Tomakomai Maritime Office of the Muroran Transport Branch of the Hokkaido Regional Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and private companies including the shipping industry such as Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., and JAPEX as the organizer.

A total of 6 meetings were held since the first meeting in late February 2019 to this spring, and the issues to be clarified by each implementation method of LNG bunkering at Tomakomai Port were mainly identified. And we examined how to make their solutions and rules based on applicable laws and regulations and concluded several key factors for the solution. The outcome of the study group has uniqueness, particularly in the more practical examination and consideration, including the specific features of each quay in Tomakomai port such as berth specifications and target ship types.

Please refer to the attached document about the summary of the report, as the outcomes of the study group.

The study group hopes that the outcomes will be utilized by the members for the early introduction and improvement of LNG bunkering at Tomakomai Port, also promotion of LNG bunkering in Japan and overseas, aiming contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) and sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions by the diffusion of LNG as a marine fuel.

<Attachment: please refer the PDF version>

1. Overview of Tomakomai Port LNG Bunkering Study Group

Related News

• Press release on February 26, 2019 "Launch of Study Group for LNG Bunkering at Tomakomai Port"