[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] As global demand for natural gas, recognized as an eco-friendly energy source, continues to rise, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has attracted attention by becoming the first in the global shipbuilding industry to attempt ship-to-ship LNG loading operations.
On the 26th, DSME announced that it successfully completed the first demonstration test of ship-to-ship LNG loading operations to supply liquefied natural gas to an LNG carrier currently under construction.
LNG carriers transporting liquefied natural gas at an ultra-low temperature of minus 163°C require verification of cargo hold safety. For this reason, after construction is completed, the vessels have been directly moved to domestic LNG terminals such as Pyeongtaek, Tongyeong, and Samcheok to receive LNG supply in order to verify cargo hold safety. The transit time alone takes a minimum of 6 hours and up to 24 hours, incurring significant operating costs including fuel and labor expenses.
In particular, as orders for LNG carriers and LNG-powered ships have recently increased, congestion at domestic LNG terminals has worsened. To meet gas commissioning schedules, DSME sometimes had to use the Samcheok terminal instead of the closer Tongyeong terminal. With the successful ship-to-ship LNG loading operation within the shipyard, these inefficiencies are expected to be eliminated.
Park Sang-hwan, Executive Director in charge of Ship Production Operations at DSME, said, "Based on our experience of ordering and constructing the largest number of LNG carriers worldwide, we have elevated our technological capabilities by successfully completing this ship-to-ship LNG loading operation." He added, "This is expected to be a very important case that lays the foundation for strengthening the competitiveness of the domestic shipbuilding industry and advancing the LNG bunkering industry."
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