Korea's HJ Heavy develops LNG bunkering vessel
South Korea’s HJ Heavy Industries' shipbuilding division has completed the development of a new LNG bunkering vessel and is accelerating its efforts to secure core technologies, the company said on May 4.
The company recently completed the development of a 7,500㎥ LNG bunkering vessel and obtained approval in principle from the classification society Lloyd’s Register.
The LNG bunkering ship is equipped with two independent pressure-type LNG tanks certified by the International Maritime Organization to supply 7,500 m3 of LNG at once via a ship-to-ship operation. This is possible because of the dual fuel (LNG/MGO) propulsion system, HJ Heavy Industries said.
The ship will be able to operate without inflow and discharge of ballast water to prevent disturbance of the marine ecosystem caused by ballast water, the company said.
HJ Heavy Industries is also working with the Pusan National University Hydrogen Ship Technology Center for the development of hydrogen ships. "Hydrogen ships are in the limelight as next-generation green ships that can realise carbon neutrality because they do not emit carbon dioxide at all," it said.