New Japanese car ferry has an innovative energy-saving hull

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has launched a new car ferry that aims to reduce energy consumption with one simple move: tweaking the hull design.

The company boasts energy savings of five per cent purely due to its unique hull form, without any other modifications or features.

The ship was christened ‘Keyaki’ at the company’s Shimonoseki Shipyard in the Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, after a native species of Zelkova trees.

This next-generation vessel will serve the busy maritime corridor between Otaru, Hokkaido and Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture.

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Ferries will ease pressure on trucking industry

The launch is part of a bigger move in Japan to shift more freight from trucks to ships.

This is driven largely by efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and to ease pressure on a trucking industry facing labor shortages.

Keyaki is the first of two large car ferries being built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding for Shinnihonkai Ferry and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT).

The ferry is 656 feet long, with a service speed of 28 knots, and can carry up to 286 passengers, 150 trucks, and 30 cars.

Keyaki is due to be delivered in December this year, after the ferry completes the final outfitting and sea trials.

The company is also developing methanol-fueled cargo ships, which reduces carbon emissions by more than 10 per cent compared to heavy oil vessels.

These ships are scheduled to be completed and delivered by the end of 2027.

Hull shaped like a Japanese Katana

However, size is not the only thing that makes this ferry stand out.

What sets Keyaki apart from your average car ferries is its ground-breaking design, tailored for energy efficiency and sustainability.

It is Japan’s first ferry to feature the advanced ‘Katana Bow’ design, which is inspired by the curved blade of the traditional Japanese sword.

It also features a ‘buttock-flow stern hull with ducktail’ design, which reduces water resistance by having the stern protrude like a duck’s tail.

If you’re still confused what this means, just know that these features give the ferry a sleek profile that reduces propulsion resistance and enhances fuel efficiency.

Combined with a sophisticated roll-damping system using both anti-rolling tanks and fin stabilizers, the ferry is kept nice and steady, even in choppy seas.

The result? A smoother ride for passengers and significant energy savings compared to older ferries.

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