Osaka Gas has launched Japan’s first shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service, marking a key development in the country’s maritime decarbonization efforts. The service was inaugurated on April 21 with the bunkering of the bulk carrier Verde Heraldo at the Senboku LNG Terminal in Osaka Prefecture. Operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and supplying raw materials to JFE Steel, the Verde Heraldo is a 2024-built Liberian-flagged vessel. This new shore-to-ship service complements Osaka Gas’s existing truck-to-ship LNG bunkering, which began in 2019, and precedes the planned introduction of ship-to-ship bunkering expected by fiscal 2026. The upcoming bunkering vessel, under construction at Shitanoe Shipbuilding, will have a 1,500-ton capacity. Osaka Gas is also exploring e-methane production as part of its broader strategy to support cleaner marine fuel options.
