Third LNG Carrier Named "Aman Hakata"
The "Aman Bintulu" successfully made its 100th delivery of Malaysian LNG on September 24.
On October 6, NKK held a naming ceremony at its Tsu Works for an 18,800m3 LNG carrier built for the owner, Asia LNG Transport Dua Sdn.Bhd.(ALT), jointly owned by Malaysia International Shipping Corporation (MISC) and Japan's NYK Line. At the naming ceremony were many distinguished guests, including senior executives of NYK Line,MISC, PETRONAS, Malaysia LNG Sdn.Bhd., which will charter the vessel, and Saibu Gas Co., Ltd.,the fourth-largest city gas company in Japan that will import LNG. Named the "Aman Hakata," the vessel is the third LNG carrier NKK has built for the same Malaysian owner. After completing cold gas trials at the Fukuhoku terminal of Saibu Gas in the northern part of Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan,the vessel will be delivered to ALT in November.The vessel will then enter service, carrying LNG from Malaysia's Bintulu port to the Fukuhoku terminal of Saibu Gas. Before the Aman Hakata, NKK had built two18,800m3 sister ships. The first vessel, "Aman Bintulu," was completed in October 1993, also for the Malaysia-Fukuoka route serving Saibu Gas.The second vessel "Aman Sendai" was completed in May 1997 to transport Malaysian LNG to the Sendai City Gas Bureau in northern Japan. In addition, in December 1997, NKK received a fourth order. This latest order is for a 22,500m3 LNG carrier to transport Indonesian LNG to Hiroshima Gas Co., Ltd. in Hiroshima City and Nippon Gas Co., Ltd. in Kagoshima City in western Japan. NKK will lay the keel for the fourth vessel in March1999, with completion scheduled for October 2000. It is notable that the Aman Bintulu is currently in its fifth year of regular service, earning recognition for its safe, efficient and reliable transportation record. On September 24, the carrier successfully delivered its 100th cargo of Malaysian LNG to the Saibu Gas Fukuhoku terminal, demonstrating the technical superiority of NKK-built LNG carriers.The occasion was marked in a ceremony attended by many guests, including the vessel's crew, executives of Saibu Gas and ALT, and representatives from the local maritime safety agency. Building on its past construction achievements and reputation, NKK hopes to take part in future LNG projects worldwide. 
Guests at the naming ceremony for the "Aman Hakata"
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