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Construction of what is set to be the world's largest LNG-powered bulk carrier is in progress at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea.

LNG-fuelled shipping

The new bulker will be able to carry up to 50,000 tons of cargo. Currently, the largest bulk carrier powered by LNG fuel is able to carry just 7,000 tons of cargo. This means that the new ship will be able to carry around seven times as much cargo, creating a new class of large LNG-fuelled vessels.

LNG fuel use in the maritime shipping industry is on a slow rise as new infrastructure is popping up in ports around the world and more new vessels are being designed to allow for LNG use. This is due, in part, to the stricter environmental standards being imposed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other legislation such as China's Ship and Port Pollution Prevention Special Action Plan (2015-2020).

LNG releases no carbon dioxide (CO2) and has no sulphur content, making it a cleaner-burning fuel compared to traditional bunker fuels currently in use.

Ongoing construction of the vessel

The new LNG bulk carrier is set to be launched in late 2017 and will start carrying limestone from Gangwon-do to Gwangyang as early as 2018. Plans have been made to transport high manganese steel to the Korean shipyard for the construction of the gas tank. Steel will be transported to the dockyard during the third quarter of this year.

According to POSCO, the providers of the steel, high manganese steel is effective for storing fuels at very low temperatures, as LNG requires. It is said to have greater toughness at extremely low temperatures and higher yield strength. The POSCO steel is said to contain around 20 percent manganese, a higher level than normal metals used for fuels tanks, such as nickel or aluminum.

This energy-efficient bulker will be built with a dual-fuel capable engine that is able to use both LNG and bunker C oil.