This is a legacy page. Please click here to view the latest version.
Fri 8 Jul 2016, 07:04 GMT

High manganese steel tanks for world's largest LNG-fuelled bulker


New vessel, set to be completed next year, will be able to carry up to 50,000 tons of cargo.



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.


Nicolaj Kofoed, Blue Energy Partners. Blue Energy Partners appoints Nicolaj Kofoed as group treasurer  

Bunker firm strengthens treasury function as banking relationships and funding needs grow.

Bunker Partner logo. Bunker Partner seeks trainee lawyer for Athens office  

Role offering the opportunity to a law graduate to gain practical experience in maritime law.

Type approval test (TAT) for H22CDF-GA engine. HD Hyundai gains type approval for low-pressure ammonia dual-fuel engine  

HHI-EMD completes type approval testing for its H22CDF-GA engine, expanding its ammonia engine portfolio to two fuel-supply technologies.

Moataz Abdelrahman, Flex Commodities. Flex Commodities appoints Moataz Abdelrahman as senior marine fuels trader  

Dubai-based trading firm adds senior trader to expand marine fuels and bunker trading activities across the Middle East.

Container vessel manoeuvring in port. Alternative-fuel ship orders outpace port infrastructure, LR report finds  

Lloyd's Register study shows methanol and ammonia bunkering infrastructure lagging behind newbuild orders for alternative-fuel vessels.

UEC60LSJ ammonia-fuelled engine render. J-ENG secures orders for four ammonia-fuelled engines under Japanese PCTC project  

Vessels form part of plan to build four ammonia-fuelled car carriers, a dedicated bunkering vessel and supply chain.

Hanwha Power receives ABS AiP for battery-powered containership design. ABS grants AIP to Hanwha Power for 1,700-TEU battery-powered container ship  

Design uses roughly 151 MWh of swappable battery storage for fully electric propulsion on a container vessel.

Peter Krahenbuhl, WinGD. WinGD signs first licence deal with HD Hyundai Marine Engine to expand Korean production  

Mid-bore engine portfolio gains new production route into Korea's bulk carrier and tanker newbuild markets.

ONE Symphony naming ceremony. Ocean Network Express names ammonia- and methanol-ready newbuild ONE Symphony  

Vessel features conventional diesel main engine, with concept designs approved for possible future conversion to methanol or ammonia.

Sing Fuels logo. Sing Fuels seeks Asia-based supply trader to bolster bunker procurement team  

Singapore bunkering firm is recruiting a supply trader to manage marine fuel purchasing across Asia.


↑  Back to Top