Energy is at the core of every aspect of life. But, in the race towards cleaner and greener solutions, it is vital to ensure safety, sustainability, and efficiency not just in the energy sources themselves, but also in the logistics surrounding their distribution.
Since 1951, Asahi Tanker Co. Ltd. has been in the business of providing safe, sustainable, and efficient transportation solutions to ensure a stable supply of energy and materials that are vital to daily life. Through its wide range of vessels providing seamless and secure marine transport services, the company strives to be the transportation solutions provider for traditional and renewable energy products, alike, especially in the ASEAN region.
“We provide transportation services, mainly in Southeast Asia, for petroleum products. We have 20 overseas tankers and 120 coastal tankers in Japan. In 1998, we entered into joint operations with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in Tokyo, for product tankers.
We hope to expand our new EV technology to transport the petrol products that power Asian countries; Southeast Asian ports like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Manila. We view this as the future of shipping.
Shigekazu Haruyama, President of Asahi Tanker
We’ve also entered into joint ventures with other companies—for instance, with Swedish company Stena Bulk for the Suezmax tanker. While we have developed our shipping business in various regions, our strong interest from Japan is in Singapore as it represents the global shipping market,” shares Shigekazu Haruyama, Asahi Tanker’s President.
Now on its 45th year in Singapore, having started in 1978, Asahi Tanker is looking to further maximize its industry expertise in one of its most important subsidiaries outside of Japan.
“For decades now, Singapore has been a big market for the shipping industry. We intend to leverage our history in Singapore and develop new solutions to expand our business there,” Hiroaki Hamano, General Manager of the company’s Overseas Business Division, says.
Asahi Tanker’s business expansion includes future-ready technology such as its recently-launched EV tankers. In 2020, the company decided to build two electric tankers equipped with lithium-ion batteries, the first-ever in the world. One zero-emission electric propulsion vessel went into operation in 2022.
“Our EV tanker was completed one year ago, while the second one will be delivered next month. We hope to expand our new EV technology to transport the petrol products that power Asian countries; Southeast Asian ports like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Manila. We view this as the future of shipping,” Haruyama notes.
