The NIRAIKANAI, a high speed roll-on/roll-off cargo ship in regular service between Osaka and Okinawa was completed at Onomichi Dockyard Co., Ltd. and delivered to Ryukyu-Kaiun Co., Ltd. on January 9, 1997.
The vessel's hull form offers extremely low wave-making and resistance. This enables it to ride out rough waters on the route between Osaka and Okinawa, where the vessel is exposed to strong winds and high waves during winter and during the typhoon season in late summer. A very fine single screw hull form which achieved a trial speed in excess of 24.3 knots, and a service speed of 21.5 knots, is designed with 20% of sea-margin.
Various kinds of cargoes, trailer chassis, trucks, containers and cars can be loaded smoothly on each of the three decks, which have no pillars except the car deck, through each bow and stern ramps.
In addition, the vessel is designed to minimize loading time by means of 35t deck crane installed on upper deck, where domestic twenty-foot containers are lifted on board.
A pair of fin stabilizer, each with bow and stern thrusters allow for safe voyage and good maneuverability in harbor.
