The Nation's First Eco-Friendly LNG Tugboat... Operating at Incheon Port in the Second Half of the Year

Eco-friendly LNG Tugboat 'Songdoho'
[Photo by Incheon Port Authority]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The first eco-friendly tugboat in Korea powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be deployed at Incheon Port starting in the second half of this year.

According to Incheon Port Authority on the 8th, the LNG-powered tugboat "Songdoho" (324t), currently under construction, will be launched next month and, after completing sea trials, is scheduled to begin full commercial operation from August.

Songdoho is a 324-ton class new LNG vessel, the first of its kind in Korea, delivering 5,000 horsepower and a speed of 14.0 KTS (25.9 km/h). It is analyzed to reduce nitrogen oxides by 90.2%, sulfur oxides by 100%, carbon dioxide by 24.3%, and fine dust by 94% compared to conventional tugboats using heavy fuel oil.

Tugboats emit a large amount of air pollutants as they generate high power to push or pull large vessels within port boundaries.

To comply with the International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s strengthened sulfur content regulations, the government has significantly tightened sulfur content standards nationwide to 0.5% and to 0.1% in emission control areas such as Incheon through amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Marine Environment Management Act and the Special Act on Air Quality Improvement in Port Areas.

Accordingly, shipping companies worldwide must switch from relatively cheaper high-sulfur fuel oil to higher-priced low-sulfur fuel oil or install scrubbers (desulfurization devices) on their vessels to meet domestic and international legal standards.

However, issues with post-treatment after desulfurization from scrubber installation, concerns about engine damage when using low-sulfur fuel oil in engines designed for high-sulfur fuel oil, and the burden of expensive fuel have led shipping companies to increasingly demand a more environmentally friendly transition to LNG.

In line with this trend, Incheon Port Authority conducted a two-year pilot project for constructing LNG-fueled tugboats, resulting in the successful construction of the country's first LNG tugboat.

The authority explained that, except for materials that cannot be produced domestically, up to 80% of the equipment used is domestically manufactured, enhancing the completeness of the domestic model. Of the total construction cost of 9.1 billion KRW for Songdoho, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Incheon Port Authority are supporting 1.7 billion KRW.

A representative of Korea Gas Shipping, the owner of the eco-friendly tugboat, stated, "Through this shipbuilding case, private tugboat companies aiming to switch to domestic LNG tugboats will be able to reduce their dependence on overseas sources. Not only does the performance match overseas quality, but it also offers excellent after-sales service guarantees and advantages in material procurement and management under more favorable conditions than abroad."