Page 36: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2026)

FERRIES JAPAN’S LONG-HAUL FERRY FLEETS| 28-knot Keyaki sets a new benchmark in ef? ciency on a long-distance Sea of Japan route.

Image courtesy Mitsubishi for each of two 199-metre ro-pax newbuilds booked with mixed goods. Each ship also has 157 passenger berths, ex-

Naikai Zosen. First-of-class Sun? ower Kamuy was phased pected to be most regularly used by truck drivers and busi- into service in January 2025, linking the Hokkaido port of ness travellers.

Tomakomai with Oarai, northeast of the Tokyo metropolis, Naikai Zosen’s 2025 output from its Setoda yard also followed by sister vessel Sun? ower Pirka during June. encompassed the 144-metre Blue Grace, commissioned by

As well as virtually eliminating SOx emissions, regular in- Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry for the seven-hour Muroran/Aomori gestion of LNG by the single MAN 12-cylinder S50ME-C8.5- route connecting Hokkaido with northern Honshu. Powered

GI two-stroke engine will contribute 25% to the prospective, by an MAN low-speed 6S50ME-C main engine of 8,300 kW, overall 35% diminution in CO2. Produced by licensee Mitsui Blue Grace can load 64 x 12-metre trucks and 30 cars, and

E&S, the 21,240 kW installation meets the service speed re- has capacity for 422 passengers. quirement of approximately 24 knots. The new ship’s arrival has led to the release by Tsugaru

Efficiency promoting elements include a streamlined Kaikyo of its 2020-built Blue Luminous for a logistic role hull shape featuring a fo’c’sle windshield and aerodynami- with Japan’s Ministry of Defense, to enable rapid deploy- cally-rounded bow form, and the attachment on both sides ment of troops and equipment to remote parts of the country of the bow above the waterline of a rectangular device in the event of an emergency or disaster. Likewise, Shin known as a spray tearing plate (STP), to reduce wave-in- Nihonkai’s current Hamanasu, in the aftermath of the de- duced resistance. livery of the newbuild Keyaki, has also been engaged for

The new vessels’ principal role on the dedicated service sealift duties. is freight transportation, catered for by a 155-truck intake, There are indications that the sealift ? eet may be expanded to shift fresh produce southbound to the densely populat- from two up to eight ro/ro equipped vessels over the coming ed Tokyo/Yokohama region, and return northbound with years, reportedly in the light of increased regional tensions.

36 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • February 2026

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