Japan begins air-lubrication experiment

Claimed to be the world’s first permanent installation of the system using an air-blower, it is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 10 percent. The experiments will be conducted using two heavy load carriers operated by an NYK Group company, NYK-Hinode Line, Ltd. Construction of the two vessels named Yamatai and Yamato is being carried out at MHI’s Nagasaki Shipyard with delivery scheduled for 31 March and late November 2010.

Amid a strong demand for effective environmental measures to counter global warming, NYK has proactively taken initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions throughout its marine transport, while MHI has focused on the development of vessels that meet the needs for CO2 reduction as an important issue. Since the planning stage of the construction of the new module carriers, NYK-Hinode Line has been of the opinion that the air-lubrication system is physically optimal for installation on project and heavy load carriers, and has decided to proceed with an actual installation.

Compared to other large vessels, a heavy cargo carrier has a wide, shallow-draft hull that generates relatively little water pressure and accordingly minimizes the electric energy required by an air blower to supply air to the vessel’s bottom. Moreover, due to the flat, wide bottom, the supplied air is considered to be readily retained under the vessel’s bottom. For these reasons, it has been determined that experiments into the effectiveness of CO2 reduction can be verified using this type of vessel.

This project is subsidized through Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s ‘Support for Technology Development from Marine Vessels for Curtailing CO2’ project for fiscal 2009 and is also supported by ClassNK and the Nippon Foundation.