K-Line has decided to apply for a Green Passport for the LNG carrier Arctic Discoverer. The ship was built by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. and delivered last month. This was the first Green Passport issued in Japan.

The concept of a Green Passport and DNV’s procedure were first introduced in Japan in October 2005 via the maritime newspapers the Kaiji Press and Japan Maritime Daily. This was followed by an article in the magazine Kaiun (meaning Shipping in Japanese) in November and a comprehensive seminar took place in Tokyo last December.

This Green Passport is expected to be the first of a chain of requests for Green Passports for newbuildings in Japan. The statement of compliance with the IMO Guideline on Ship Recycling, Res.A962 (23) for the Arctic Discoverer will be issued by DNV in Norway with assistance from DNV’s Approval Centre in Japan.

Date: 2006-03-13