Japanese shipbuilder Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has been awarded a contract by fellow shipping major Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) for a new 86,700 cum liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied ammonia gas (LAG) carrier powered by LPG.

The vessel will be delivered in 2023 and equipped with separate cargo tanks designed to carry LPG and liquefied ammonia at the same time. According to KHI, the 230 m long newbuild will meet the latest SOx emission standards set by the International Maritime Organization and EEDI Phase 3 regulations.

“The advantage of this dual-purpose vessel is its capability to simultaneously carry LPG, which is already used as a low-carbon energy source, and LAG, a new fuel contributing to the establishment of a decarbonized society,” KHI said in a statement.

The contract represents the 71st LPG carrier to be constructed by Kawasaki, and its eighth LPG-fueled LPG carrier. The sipbuilder said it plans to develop and build more LPG-fueled vessels that meet environmental standards and continue its work on vessels for transporting liquefied hydrogen.