Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, held the christening and launch ceremony on 9 October for HAMANASU, the second of two large ferries ordered by Shinnihonkai Ferry Co., Ltd. and the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT).
The ceremony took place at the Enoura Plant of MHI’s Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Named by Shinnihonkai Ferry President Yasuo Iritani, HAMANASU—after a native Japanese shrub rose—will operate between Otaru in Hokkaido and Maizuru in Kyoto Prefecture.
Nozomi Kobayashi, ship travel ambassador for the Japan Passengerboat Association, performed the ceremonial rope cut. Delivery is set for June 2026 following outfitting and sea trials.
Energy-Saving Innovations
The vessel features advanced energy-saving designs, including a buttock-flow stern hull, ducktail, and KATANA BOW, making it one of the first ferries in Japan to incorporate these technologies.
Its propulsion resistance is reduced through a roll-damping system combining an anti-rolling tank and fin stabilisers, achieving an estimated 5% energy saving over conventional vessels.
The first ferry in the series, KEYAKI, was launched in April 2025 and is scheduled for delivery in November.
