Japan’s K Line has set up a new company in Singapore to improve ship safety.

K Line Marine & Energy (KME) was created to improve ship safety and quality management; procurement and development of crew members capable of handling new fuels and new technologies, as well as other tasks that are currently carried out by the head office in Tokyo with the goal of strengthening the company’s global structure for safety and quality management, including maritime technologies, it said.

KME will also serve as a commercial hub for the movement of energy resources including LNG carriers, oil tankers, and ships related to carbon neutrality, such as liquified CO2 carriers, LNG/ammonia fuel supply ships and others.

K Line Marine & Energy will officially start operations on 1 August.

Asia is a growing market for K Line.

“In particular, Singapore is home to the business locations of many resource majors and is a place where business and information accumulate,” the shipping giant said.

“The city has become an important location for us to meet the needs of customers and expand our businesses.

“We will facilitate the evolution of our community-based, organisational operating capabilities including our capabilities connected to energy resource transport in Asia, think outside-the-box in seeking the solutions our customers desire and demonstrate organizational operating capabilities integrating the sales and technical divisions.

“In this way, we will meet the needs of various customers in reducing their environmental impact and other areas.”