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Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) and Kyushu Electric Power Co. Inc. have agreed to partner in various fields, including the transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Under the agreement, Kyushu Electric Power will be able to use NYK ships for short-term LNG transportation requirements. The deal is designed to enable NYK to improve its profitability through efficient vessel allocation and Kyushu Electric Power to improve its flexibility in LNG transport.

NYK and Kyushu Electric Power are to also consider the feasibility of cooperating in complementary businesses, including LNG bunkering.

As previously reported, NYK is part owner of LNG bunker supply business Gas4Sea together with Engie and Mitsubishi Corporation. Gas4Sea uses the world's first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel, the Engie Zeebrugge, to carry out LNG fuel deliveries in northern Europe.

In May, Gas4Sea signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Petronas, through its subsidiary Petronas LNG Ltd. (PLL) and its shipping affiliate MISC Berhad (MISC), to explore ways to collaborate and identify potential business opportunities in relation to LNG bunkering.

Last year, Bunker Index reported that NYK had teamed up with Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Tokyo Gas to examine the possibility of establishing LNG bunkering stations in Japan, with Yokohama being used as a test case.