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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Ports and Harbours Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan (MLIT) have agreed to hold a working group to conduct a feasibility study on LNG bunkering for car carriers operating between Japan and Singapore.

The working group, which was announced at the inaugural Singapore and Japan Port Seminar 2017, held in Singapore on Monday, is to include Japan's big three shippers: Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL).

The study will focus on the technical details such as fuel tank capacities and refuelling requirements to assess the feasibility of running LNG-fuelled car carriers between Japan and Singapore.

The joint feasibility study was announced at the inaugural Singapore and Japan Port Seminar 2017 held in Singapore today. The study will be one of the activities jointly undertaken by MPA and MLIT under the memorandum of cooperation (MOC) that was signed between MPA and MLIT in April 2017. The MOC envisages cooperation between the two entities in areas such as port planning, port management and technological development in the port sector.

Both Singapore and Japan are in the process of commencing LNG bunkering operations using trucks and are now looking into the next phase of LNG bunkering for ocean-going vessels.

MPA and MLIT also signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2016 to widen the network of LNG bunker-ready ports in Europe, US and Asia.

Khaw Boon Wan, Minister for Transport of Singapore, said: "Shipping can be less pollutive and the International Maritime Organization has introduced a 0.5% global sulphur cap by 2020. This is an opportunity for Singapore and Japan to co-lead in a global search for solutions to make shipping greener. In particular, the joint study on the feasibility of LNG bunkering for car carriers between Japan and Singapore offers great promise. It extends bilateral cooperation to shipping and raises bilateral cooperation to [a] new level."

Keiichi Ishii, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan, remarked: "I believe that Singapore, the world's top bunkering port, and Japan, the world's top LNG importer, have the responsibility to contribute to the development of global shipping through jointly promoting the use of LNG as marine fuel."

"The joint feasibility study will play an important role in ensuring that the collaboration between the two countries yield concrete results."