[Courtesy of Samsung Heavy Industries ]
SEOUL -- A liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled 300,000-ton very large crude carrier developed by South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries has received basic approval from Lloyd's Register, a London-based technical and business services organization which provides maritime classification.
South Korean shipbuilders have stepped up efforts to secure a competitive edge in LNG-powered vessels. Compared to conventional fuels, LNG is a proven commercial solution to meet ever-tightening emissions requirements.
Samsung Heavy said on Friday that it received Lloyd's Register's approval in principle (AiP) in a ceremony at Nor-Shipping, a maritime trade fair in Oslo, Norway. AiP is a procedure to verify the technical suitability of a ship's basic design, leading to order activities.
The LNG-fueled very large crude carrier (VLCC) is a highly efficient and eco-friendly ship equipped with Samsung Heavy's proprietary fuel supply system and a fuel-saving device. Samsung Heavy said its technological prowess in the eco-friendly ship market was proven through the delivery of two 113,000-ton LNG fueled tankers earlier this year.
Lloyd's Register's certification verified that the LNG-fueled VLCC can effectively respond to regulations on sulfur oxide emissions that would be applied next year and reduce fuel consumption, the shipbuilder said.
In a separate announcement on Friday, Samsung Heavy said it has received an order worth $380 million to build two LNG carriers from a shipowner in the Bermuda region. Delivery would be completed by the end of 2022.
The shipbuilder said its accumulated order so far this year stood at about $3 billion to build 10 LNG carriers and a floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO). Samsung Heavy's target for 2019 has been set at $7.8 billion.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
