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Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (K Line) has announced the delivery of the 88,000-deadweight-tonne (dwt) special coal carrier Corona Wisdom at Imabari Shipbuilding Group's Shin Kasado Dockyard on Jan 19.

The vessel is equipped with fuel-saving, eco-friendly technology such as the Weather Adapted Duct (WAD), which is designed to offer propeller efficiency.

K Line's Corona series of vessels for transporting thermal coal are equipped with a wide beam and shallow draft to facilitate entering ports with thermal power stations, in order to discharge cargo.

As Bunker Index previously reported, during K Line's fiscal 2016, which covers the 12-month period between April 2016 and March 2017, the company's fleet of ships bunkered 3,872,000 tonnes of fuel, which was a decrease of 70,000 tonnes, or 1.8 percent, compared with 3,942,000 tonnes in fiscal 2015.

Since 2007, K Line's bunker consumption has fallen by 678,000 metric tonnes, or 14.9 percent.

K Line has previously said that it is keen to promote environmental measures that are in line with 'K Line Environmental Vision 2050' - the group's long-term environment management vision towards 2050.

A recent fuel-saving addition to K Line's fleet was the peapod-shaped continuous cover integrated with the ship's hull in lieu of a conventional hemispherical cover for the liquefied natural gas carrier (LNGC) Oceanic Breeze.

The lightweight continuous cover is said to improve aerodynamics, substantially reduce wind pressure and slash fuel consumption. It is part of the 'Sayaendo' series of ships designed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

In September, K Line and K Line Kinkai agreed to work on a joint study to develop an LNG-fuelled passenger ferry for K Line Kinkai.

K Line also forms part of a working group to conduct a feasibility study on LNG bunkering for car carriers operating between Japan and Singapore.