“K” LINE Environmental Vision Initiative to Achieve Net-Zero GHG Emissions in 2050 —

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement to facilitate the long-term procurement of carbon-neutral bio-LNG fuel (liquefied bio methane, LBM), and it has started to use this fuel for LNG-fueled car carriers. It is expected that this procurement agreement will enable “K” LINE to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by around 60,800 tons^*1 per year.

Bio-LNG fuel is an alternative to liquefied natural gas (LNG) that is produced from livestock excrement, food residue and other organic waste. It has been confirmed that the GHG emissions from the entire product lifecycle, from the manufacturing to the consumption of the fuel, are lower than the emissions from traditional fuels, and it can be used as-is in existing LNG-fueled vessels, making it very useful. Taking advantage of this characteristic, “K” LINE expects to use it in its existing LNG-fueled car carriers.

The bio-LNG that “K” LINE is now using is ISCC-EU certified,^*2 ensuring a degree of sustainability that is in compliance with the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED). By proactively adopting internationally certified fuels like this, “K” LINE will help decarbonize entire supply chains in collaboration with cargo owners and other stakeholders.

In the “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 – Blue Seas for the Future –^*3 , “K” LINE set the target of achieving net-zero GHG emissions in 2050. In line with this, “K” LINE has been working to introduce and operate LNG-fueled ships. The continuous use of bio-LNG is one of its key initiatives to achieve this target. “K” LINE will continue to work hard on the decarbonization of the marine transport industry, including through the use of carbon-neutral fuels and zero-emissions fuels.

*1 Greenhouse gas emissions reduction equivalent to 60,800 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂).

*2 The ISCC-EU certification program certifies that sustainable fuels derived from biomass and waste fulfill the European Union’s legal requirements. This certification is an assurance that sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions reduction standards are met in accordance with Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III).

*3 “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 – Blue Seas for the Future – is a set of long-term guidelines regarding the environment that was established in 2015 and revised in 2020. It lays out action plans for reducing GHG emissions, including the introduction of ammonia, hydrogen and other zero-emission fuels and bio-LNG, synthetic fuels and other carbon-neutral fuels.