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South Korea christens country’s first LNG bunkering vessel “Blue Whale”

Vessel was built at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in the southern port city of Ulsan for three years from 2020 with a total investment of KRW 55.3 billion (USD 41.74 million).

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A naming ceremony was held to christened a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker vessel Blue Whale, equipped with a homegrown advanced cargo system, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of South Korea on Wednesday (10 May).

The ministry said the vessel was built at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in the southern port city of Ulsan for three years from 2020 with a total investment of KRW 55.3 billion (USD 41.74 million).

blue whale ship

It also said it is the first vessel equipped with the advanced Korean type KC-2 cargo design.

Local news outlets reported South Korea developed its own cargo technologies from 2004 to 2014, dubbed KC-1, and built four bunkering vessels adopting the system. Based on that, it launched a project in 2017 to upgrade the system to come up with the advanced KC-2 cargo design.

The ship will be able to provide 7,500 cubic meters (m3) of LNG fuel directly to vessels, compared with an average of 30 m3 of LNG carried by a truck, which is expected to boost efficiency of LNG bunkering on the ocean.

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Photo credit: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
Published: 11 May, 2023

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Methanol

South Korea achieves milestone with first SIMOPS methanol bunkering in Busan

Hyodong Shipping’s bunkering vessel “Hyodong Chemi” supplied 3,000 mt of methanol to containership “Antonia Maersk” at Busan New Port Terminal 2 (PNC) during cargo unloading.

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South Korea achieves milestone with first SIMOPS methanol bunkering in Busan

South Korea successfully conducted its first ever Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPs) of ship-to-ship methanol bunkering at Busan New Port on 4 October, according to Korean Register (KR) on Thursday (30 October). 

KR said this groundbreaking achievement marks a crucial advancement in the nation's commitment to developing a sustainable ship fuel supply chain.

In an 11-hour bunkering operation, Hyodong Shipping’s bunkering vessel Hyodong Chemi supplied 3,000 metric tonnes (mt) of methanol to containership Antonia Maersk at Busan New Port Terminal 2(PNC) during cargo unloading. 

This follows the successful LNG bunkering SIMOPs at Busan New Port in August. 

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) spearheaded this initiative as part of its plan to build an Eco-friendly Ship Fuel Supply Chain, announced in November 2023. The ministry has been diligently working on securing bunkering vessels, developing port infrastructure, and standardising bunkering procedures.

Busan Port Authority (BPA) supported the methanol bunkering demonstration project, offering exemptions on port facility usage fees and coordinating with relevant agencies to review safety protocols through an inter-agency consultative body.

Korean Register (KR) has played a pivotal role in providing technical support for the development of a methanol bunkering safety system. KR's contributions include developing standard operating procedures, defining safety management zones, and creating guidance for self-safety management plans.

This accomplishment is expected to significantly enhance the competitiveness of South Korean ports in the growing market for eco-friendly shipping. The successful implementation of SIMOPs, which allows for simultaneous cargo operations and supply of green fuel, is particularly attractive to shipping companies aiming to reduce costs and improve efficiency.  

KANG Joonsuk, CEO & President of BPA, said: “This successful demonstration marks a monumental achievement, showing that Busan Port is fully capable of supplying methanol. We plan to enhance Busan Port’s global competitiveness by developing infrastructure and advancing technology to expand eco-friendly fuel bunkering, positioning it as a leading green port on the world stage.”  

LEE Hyungchul, Chairman & CEO of KR, said: “As the maritime industry continues to seek greener alternatives, South Korea is trying to position itself at the forefront of sustainable shipping practices. KR will continue to provide full support for technical cooperation to ensure safe and successful green fuel bunkering operations.”

Related: South Korea achieves first-ever SIMOPS LNG bunkering operation of bulk carrier 

Photo credit: Korean Register
Published: 1 November, 2024

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Ammonia

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries wins DNV AiP for ammonia DF large container vessel

Milestone follows the successful completion of a joint development project aimed at addressing the challenges associated with using ammonia as a bunker fuel, says DNV.

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HD Hyundai Heavy Industries wins DNV AiP for ammonia DF large container vessel

Classification society DNV on Wednesday (30 November) said it has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) for its 15K TEU ammonia dual-fuelled container vessel design. 

DNV said the milestone follows the successful completion of a joint development project aimed at addressing the challenges associated with using ammonia as a marine fuel.

“The project focused on developing designs to enhance safety, including an optimised ammonia tank design, advanced fire safety systems, enhanced ammonia release mitigation system and boil-off gas (BOG) handling systems,” it said in a statement. 

“These innovations could play an important role in building confidence in the safe and efficient use of ammonia as a marine fuel.”

On container ships, where the upper deck is a safe working zone, DNV said an ammonia leak could pose a serious risk. This means, establishing safety design criteria to manage these risks is crucial for the wider commercialization of ammonia-fueled ships.

To this end, fuel pipe leakage scenarios were defined and quantitatively analysed through gas dispersion analyses. Consequently, it was confirmed that, with conventional systems, foreseeable small leakages occurring at connections within the ammonia piping system can form toxic areas with dangerous ammonia concentrations throughout the entire weather deck, highlighting the need for effective mitigation measures. 

The result showed that hazardous areas were significantly reduced by the enhanced ammonia release mitigation system, enabling not only safer enclosed spaces but also safer working areas across the entire weather deck of the vessel.

Seung-ho Jeon, SEVP, CTO of HD HHI, said: “The AiP reflects HD HHI’s dedication to developing sustainable, innovative solutions like ammonia-fuelled vessels, which will play a key role in reducing emissions and shaping the future of shipping.”

Vidar Dolonen, DNV Regional Manager Korea and Japan, said: "This AiP highlights the importance of safety in moving the maritime industry along the path to decarbonization.”

“There are many aspects to building out zero carbon fuels in shipping, and it’s essential that we have them all in place for ammonia to truly establish itself in the marine fuel market.”

“But with new technological solutions, alongside rigorous safety procedures, ammonia reach its full potential as one of the most promising green fuels. DNV is proud to support these advancements from HD HHI as we continue on this journey to an even more sustainable maritime industry.”

 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 1 November, 2024

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Methanol

GENA Solutions: Total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline rises from 37.5 to 38.6 Mt by 2030

Information shared by the Methanol Institute meant to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.

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GENA Solutions: Total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline rises from 37.5 to 38.6 Mt by 2030

The Methanol Institute recently shared with Manifold Times the renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline October 2024 database release produced by Finland-based GENA Solutions Oy (Green Energy Analytics).

Information from the release is meant to provide the bunkering publication’s readers with insight on renewable methanol availability, and to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.

Key highlights of the October 2024 release are as follows:

  •   The renewable methanol project pipeline increased from 29.3 Mt in September to 30.5 Mt in October (+1.2 Mt). The total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline grew from 37.5 to 38.6 Mt.
  •   As of October 2024, GENA tracks 108 e-methanol plants and projects with total capacity of 18.0 Mt (+1.0 Mt), 75 biomethanol plants and projects with total capacity of 12.5 Mt (+0.2 Mt), and 14 low-carbon methanol plants and projects with total capacity of 8.1 Mt.
  •   Six projects were added in the October release: three in China, two in Europe and one in Brazil. One frozen project was excluded from Project Navigator.
  •   One biomethanol project has started construction during the last month. Currently 1.9 Mt of renewable methanol projects are under construction.
  •   From February to October 2024, the renewable methanol project pipeline increased from 19.7 Mt to 30.5 Mt, an increase of 10.8 Mt (+55%).
  •   The likely range of renewable methanol capacity by 2030 is estimated at 7-14 Mt (23-46% of the project pipeline).

Renewable methanol project pipeline

Renewable methanol by region (1)

Renewable methanol by feedstock (2)

Methanol by status (2)

Renewable methanol scenarios (3)

 

Photo credits: GENA Solutions
Published: 1 November, 2024

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