World's First All-electric Tanker Launched

[Sherman A1]

An all-electric, battery-powered tanker—said to be the world's first—has been launched at the Koa Sangyo Co., Ltd. shipyard in Japan.

The new vessel, named Asahi, was built for Japanese shipping company Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd. and is scheduled to enter service in Tokyo Bay as a bunker fuel supply ship following completion and delivery in late March 2022. The 62-meter-long vessel has a tank capacity of 1,280 cubic meters.

The battery-powered vessel was designed by e5 Lab Inc., a consortium of leading Japanese shipping and maritime services companies set up to build infrastructure services focused on electrically powered vessels. The ship is classed by ClassNK.

https://www.marinelink.com/news/worlds-first-allelectric-tanker-launched-493166

[Wounded Bear]

1. Almost feels like an oxymoron...

[brush]

2. Ironic, right? A tanker that can't use the fuel it carries.

[cloudbase]

3. It's fine for bunker services,

but not practical for port-to-port carriage of cargo.

[Irish_Dem]

5. A bunker ship does not travel long distances?

[cloudbase]

6. No.

Bunkering is refueling larger ships when in port, while alongside the dock or at anchor. It's usually done from a barge and its associated tug, though smaller tankers are sometimes used. If docked at a refinery, a ship can take fuel directly from the refinery while loading or discharging its main cargo.

The name comes from the fuel common back in the steamship days, which was known as bunker "c," which was a heavy fuel made from the residuals after crude oil was cracked into its mostly lighter components.

[Irish_Dem]

9. Where does the bunkering ship get the fuel?

I always assumed that there were storage tanks at port and the big ships got the fuel that way.

I guess that the US Navy must have tankers that refuel ships out at sea?
They don't always go back to port to refuel?

Kind of like air refueling squadrons for military air craft?

I know they have nuclear subs but I am not sure if they have nuclear ships that don't need fuel.

[cloudbase]

11. Usually from a refinery.

You are correct that the Navy has tankers for refueling at sea, called underway replenishment (UNREP). These days, almost all of them are operated by either the Military Sealift Command civilian mariners or by private companies operating ships for the MSC. While Navy ships have names that begin with USS, MSC ships begin with USNS (United States Naval Ship). The ships operated for MSC run with smaller crews, much like merchant ships in the commercial fleet.

There were a couple of nuclear merchant ships built (Otto Hahn, Savannah) but they weren't commercially viable.

[Irish_Dem]

12. Thank you! One last question.

Does the USN have nuclear ships? Not just subs?
Seems like a logical solution to the fuel issue.

All your information is wonderful thank you.

I am an Air Force brat, but recently have been really interested in Naval history. Very different from the AF.

[cloudbase]

13. There are nuclear carriers besides the submarines. The Nimitz Class for sure.

I don't know how many of the old conventional steam plants are left. It seems like the rest of the fleet has moved to gas turbines. There might be some diesel and diesel-electric stuff around as well.

Have a wonderful 2022.

[Irish_Dem]

14. Thanks!

Last edited Wed Dec 29, 2021, 07:40 PM - Edit history (1)

Wow, I didn't know there were nuclear carriers.
So they don't have to worry about tankers then.

It is so cool to see airplanes land on carriers.

I thought the diesel subs had been phased out but I better go do some research. I am fascinated by subs. Totally amazed by them.
And love carriers.

Thank you again!

Have a great new year!

[ProfessorGAC]

15. The Last Combustion Based Carrier, The Kitty Hawk....

...was retired in early 2009.
The last 2 (I forget the other) were retired a couple months apart.
I only remember this because I was so surprised there were carriers not based on a reactor as late as 2009.
I guess I thought those were relics by then.

[Irish_Dem]

4. Amazing that a large ship can be powered by batteries.

[RussBLib]

7. about time

shipping produces a quite large proportion of greenhouse gasses

[blugbox]

8. Very exciting to hear this...

I can't help but chuckle though, as it will be used to carry fuel for other ships

Progress is progress though!

[Emile]

10. Hydrogen powered ships will be in the near future! They

are already making them.