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MOL Signs 1st Long-Term LNG Carrier Charter Contract with INPEX
- Naming Ceremony Held for Newbuilding LNG Carrier Harmonic Breeze -
April 17, 2026
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Jotaro Tamura, Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) today announced the signing of a long-term charter contract for a newbuilding LNG carrier with INPEX Shipping Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of INPEX Corporation (INPEX President: Takayuki Ueda; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo), through its wholly owned subsidiary MOL Encean Pte. Ltd. This is the first LNG carrier to sail under a long-term charter contract with the INPEX Group, equipped with technologies designed to reduce environmental impact.
The naming ceremony was held at Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd.'s Geoje Shipyard in South Korea. INPEX Representative Director, President and CEO Takayuki Ueda and MOL Representative Director, Chairman of the Board Takeshi Hashimoto attended the ceremony. In the presence of numerous stakeholders, the vessel was named the Harmonic Breeze. After delivery, the vessel will contribute to the stable transportation of LNG and INPEX's reliable energy supply.
In addition, the vessel is equipped with an Air Lubrication System (Note 1) and a Shaft Generator (Note 2) as environmental impact reduction systems, and is designed to achieve superior fuel efficiency and reduced GHG emissions compared to conventional LNG carriers.
Based on the management plan "BLUE ACTION 2035," the MOL Group is driving forward a portfolio transformation aimed at increasing the proportion of its stable revenue businesses. This project will help transform the group's earnings foundation, reducing susceptibility to fluctuations in the shipping market-by further expanding its LNG carrier fleet, which is among the largest in the world, and steadily securing long-term charter contracts.
MOL will strive to further deepen and develop its partnership with INPEX, while working to expand its low-carbon and decarbonization businesses as outlined in the "Environmental Vision -BLUE ACTION 2035 Phase 2-." As a leading company in LNG transport, MOL remains committed to providing safe, high-quality services that contribute to reducing environmental impact.
[Harmonic Breeze Main Specifications]
| LOA/Breadth | 294.9m/46.4m |
|---|---|
| Tank type | 174,000m3 membrane type |
| Main engine | ME-GA |
| Environmental mitigation devices |
|
| Shipyard | Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd. |
| Ship management company | MOL Global Ship Management Pte. Ltd. (MOL's wholly owned subsidiary) |
[Outline of INPEX]
| Company name | INPEX Corporation |
|---|---|
| Location | Akasaka Biz Tower, 3-1 Akasaka 5-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Representative | Takayuki Ueda |
| Businesses | Survey, exploration, development, production, and sale of oil, natural gas, and other mineral resources; related businesses; and investment in or financing of companies engaged in these activities |
(Note 1) A device that reduces frictional resistance between the hull and seawater by injecting compressed air from the bottom of the vessel. It improves the main engine's fuel efficiency and reduces GHG emissions.
(Note 2) A generator on the main engine's intermediate shaft that utilizes a portion of the main engine's output for power generation. It enables the shutdown or load reduction of diesel generators during navigation, reducing GHG emissions.
The MOL Group Sustainability Issues
MOL Group identifies "Sustainability Issues" (Materiality) as our key issues for sustainable growth with society through realization of the Group Vision.
We anticipate this initiative to contribute especially to the realization of "Environment."
