Asahi (electric tanker)

2021: Launching

On December 22, 2021, the Japanese shipbuilding company Koa Sangyou launched the first electric tanker. The tanker will be used to refuel large transoceanic vessels in the Gulf of Tokyo.

The tanker was launched at a shipyard in Kagawa Prefecture. The Asahi ship is named after the Asahi Tanker company, by order of which it was built. The length of the tanker reaches 62 meters, it is equipped with lithium-ion batteries, the total power of which is 3480 kilowatts and can cover a distance of 150-180 kilometers. It takes approximately 10 hours to fully charge them. The storage capacity of oil products at the Asahi vessel is 1.28 thousand cubic meters. The design of the vessel was developed by e5 Lab as part of its efforts to develop zero-emission vessels.

The world's first electric tanker Asahi launched

The tanker is also equipped with systems that allow the ship to be used as a source of electricity during emergencies. According to Asahi Tanker, electrification of the internal combustion engine will not only eliminate the problem of exhaust emissions, but also improve the working conditions of the crew. The level of vibration and noise from the novelty motors is significantly lower than from the usual ones, and the requirements for the maintenance of the tanker are also reduced. The introduction of various automated equipment and digital tools, including [[the Internet of Things (IoT)|Internet of Things (IoT)]], will also reduce the workload of the crew on board and increase the efficiency of the ship.

Asahi Tanker announced plans to build two battery-powered electric tankers in October 2020. The delivery of the first Asahi vessel is scheduled for March 2022. The second vessel will be built by Imura Shipbuilding and should be delivered a year later, in March 2023.^[1]

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