Osaka Gas debuts ship-to-ship LNG bunkering in Japan

Osaka Gas recently announced that it has commenced ship-to-ship LNG bunkering for vessels in Japan, becoming a supplier for LNG marine fuel with all three primary supply methods—ship-to-ship, truck-to-ship, and port-to-ship.

On 21 April, LNG fuel was supplied from the LNG bunkering vessel SETO AZURE to a dual-fuel Capesize bulk carrier at JFE Steel Corporation’s West Japan Works in Fukuyama District, Hiroshima, marking the first operation under the ship-to-ship method.

This milestone enables Osaka Gas to deliver a flexible and stable LNG bunkering service by offering multiple supply options tailored to vessel location and operational conditions.

“The availability of all three methods enhance supply reliability, operational efficiency, and overall service resilience,” the company said in a statement. 

The company said the ship-to-ship method enhances operational redundancy and supply resilience by enabling LNG loading at Osaka Gas’ Senboku LNG Terminal in Osaka and Himeji LNG Terminal in Hyogo.

The SETO AZURE, owned by an Osaka Bay LNG Shipping Co Ltd, an affiliated company of Osaka Gas, was delivered on 9 April. The vessel will primarily operate in the Osaka Bay and Setouchi areas as part of Osaka Gas’ LNG bunkering operations.

The company added that while LNG-fuelled vessels have been attracting increasing attention as one of the solutions for decarbonising the shipping sector and their numbers have been rising globally, LNG bunkering infrastructure has remained limited in Japan. 

Photo credit: Osaka Gas
Published: 29 April, 2026