Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has selected the Orca energy storage system (ESS) from Corvus Energy to be installed on-board the all-electric e5 tanker in construction by the Japanese KOA Industry and Imura Shipyard for the also Japanese Asahi Tanker.

KHI was awarded the contract for the ship's propulsion system in September 2020 and will integrate the 3,480 kWh Orca ESS to power the vessel.

The e5 tanker has been designed by e5 Lab, a consortium of Japanese shipping and maritime services companies (incl. the 137-big-fleet Asahi Tanker) set up to build infrastructure services focused on electrically-powered vessels.

The e5 tanker is the first of two e-vessels to be built from the e5 Lab initiative. She is expected to start her bunkering operations in Tokyo Bay by 2022.

The vessel will also make its battery power available to emergency services in the case of a natural disaster in Tokyo.

"Like Norway, Japan is a maritime nation with a clear path towards a green future. The government has already announced ambitious plans to be free of carbon emissions by 2050, which will require significant decarbonization initiatives in its world-leading shipping industry," Geir Bjørkeli, CEO, Corvus Energy, commented.

Photo: Asahi Tanker