Osaka Gas has completed what it says is the first-ever ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation in Osaka Bay, Japan, supplying LNG fuel to a pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) at the Port of Kobe.

The operation was carried out using Seto Azure, an LNG bunkering vessel owned by Osaka Bay LNG Shipping Co., Ltd., an affiliated company of Osaka Gas. The LNG fuel is said to have been supplied to an LNG-fuelled PCTC operated by an overseas shipping company, with the transaction facilitated through Singapore-based trader and broker Integr8 Fuels Pte Ltd.

Seto Azure was built by Shitanoe Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and has a total length of 86.29 metres, a breadth of 17.60 metres, and a gross tonnage of approximately 4,350 tonnes. The vessel is fitted with an IMO Type C independent tank system with a capacity of approximately 3,610 cbm, and it uses an electric propulsion system based on an LNG/fuel oil dual-fuel engine.

According to Osaka Gas, ship-to-ship bunkering will help ensure a stable supply of LNG fuel in the Osaka Bay area and support the development of the Port of Kobe as a carbon-neutral port. The company already provides LNG fuel through truck-to-ship and port-to-ship bunkering, meaning it now has capabilities across all three major LNG bunkering modes.

The announcement comes amid broader growth in the uptake of LNG as a marine fuel. Data cited by Osaka Gas shows the number of LNG-fuelled vessels globally — excluding LNG carriers — has grown from 62 in 2015 to 869 in 2025, with projections pointing to 1,271 vessels by 2030.

Osaka Gas argues that LNG offers carbon dioxide emissions reductions compared with conventional fuel oil, and that the use of e-methane-based LNG and bio-LNG could enable further emissions reductions over the longer term. The company noted that LNG bunkering infrastructure in Japan remains insufficient, underlining the need to build out a stable fuel supply network to support wider adoption of LNG-fuelled vessels.

The move forms part of the Daigas Group Energy Transition 2050 plan, under which Osaka Gas is expanding its LNG bunkering services and promoting e-methane as part of its decarbonisation strategy across multiple sectors, including shipping.