K LINE Names LNG Carrier for LNG Canada Trade Ahead of 2026 Delivery

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Japanese carrier Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. named a new 174,000 cubic meter LNG carrier at Samsung Heavy Industries on May 19, marking the company’s first long term charter contract tied to a newly built LNG vessel for Mitsubishi Corporation’s LNG Canada interests.

The vessel, named DIAMOND GAS JADE, will be deployed in the LNG Canada project through a joint venture company linked to Mitsubishi Corporation subsidiary Diamond Global Energy Pte. Ltd. Delivery is scheduled for August 2026.

“K” LINE names LNG carrier for LNG Canada project amid long term charter expansion

The naming ceremony took place at the Geoje shipyard of Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. in South Korea. Executives from both companies attended, including Diamond Global Energy Chief Executive Officer Tetsuro Wada and “K” LINE Chairperson Yukikazu Myochin.

The vessel’s name references jade, a mineral strongly associated with Canada’s British Columbia province, where the LNG Canada export terminal is being developed. According to the companies, the naming reflects hopes for long term prosperity tied to the project.

For LNG shipping markets, the announcement signals another step in the steady buildout of tonnage linked to North American LNG exports. Canada’s west coast LNG projects are expected to reshape Pacific basin gas trade flows over the coming decade, particularly into Asia.

The vessel will operate with a membrane type cargo containment system and feature an ME GA propulsion engine. It will have an overall length of approximately 290 meters, a beam of 45.8 meters, and a service speed of 19.5 knots.

“K” LINE said the charter agreement with Diamond Global Energy represents the company’s first long term charter arrangement involving a newly constructed LNG carrier.

That detail matters in a shipping market where energy majors and trading houses increasingly seek dedicated tonnage to secure supply chain reliability. LNG shipping capacity has tightened in recent years during periods of strong export demand and geopolitical uncertainty. Long term charter structures can provide stability for both vessel owners and cargo interests.

In its medium term management plan released in 2022, “K” LINE identified LNG transportation as one of its priority investment sectors. The carrier has steadily expanded its presence in the LNG shipping segment as global demand for natural gas transportation continues to grow.

The LNG Canada project itself remains one of the largest private sector energy investments in Canadian history. Once operational, the facility is expected to export LNG primarily to Asian markets through the Pacific route, offering shorter sailing distances compared with US Gulf Coast exports moving via the Panama Canal.

For shipowners, the trade lane raises a practical question. As Asian energy demand continues to rise, who controls the ships capable of moving that cargo efficiently across the Pacific?

With DIAMOND GAS JADE now entering the final construction phase, “K” LINE is positioning itself deeper inside that answer.