New Methanol Carrier Joins MOLs Fleet

MOL Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has taken delivery of the Cajun Sun, a 50,000 dwt methanol carrier, from its compatriot shipbuilder Minaminippon Shipbuilding. Equipped with 2-stroke dual-fuel low-rev main engine capable of running on methanol, the Cajun Sun is the third vessel in a series of three eco-ships ordered in July 2015. In addition, MOL said that the vessel is equipped with a ballast water treatment system, ahead of treaty requirements mandating such systems, and adopts energy-saving accessories in front of and astern of the propellers. The 30,000 gross ton ship, which features a length of 186 meters and a width of 32.2 meters, will be chartered to Waterfront Shipping Company Limited under a long-term charter contract signed in 2013. Market value of the Cajun Sun currently stands at USD 34.56 million, according to data provided by VesselsValue. In a separate announcement, MOL said it has finalized the hull logo design of its next-generation car carrier FLEXIE, which will be built by Minaminippon Shipbuilding. MOLs new car carriers will feature a rounded bow shape which is expected to minimize wind resistance and reduce CO2 emissions by about 2 percent compared to todays car carriers. The new shape is the result of joint research by MOL, MOL Techno-Trade, Japanese technology trading company, and Akishima Laboratories. The first in a series of four FLEXIE ships is slated to join MOLs fleet in late 2017, according to the company.