Published : Sept. 26, 2019 - 15:25
Hyundai Heavy Industries said Thursday it has partnered with Korean steelmaker Posco to localize materials for liquefied natural gas tankers.
HHI said it has recently applied Posco’s 9 percent nickel steel to fuel tanks -- with a model name of Hi-CIX -- for 180,000-ton LNG propulsion vessels in order to localize and stabilize the supply of core materials for cryogenic tanks.
Aerial view of LNG propulsion ship equipped with cylindrical LNG tank (Type-C) (HHI)
Nine percent nickel steel is a material that can maintain strength and toughness even in cryogenic environments of negative 163 degrees Celsius.
HHI, which has so far received the nickel steel from overseas steelmakers, plans to gradually increase the localization rate of core materials.
The two companies have worked together to localize materials in recent years. HHI applied fuel tanks made by Posco’s high manganese steel for dual-fuel LNG vessels built by its subsidiary Hyundai Mipo Dockyard last year.
To date, HHI has won 30 orders of LNG propulsion ships worth $2.4 billion, which is the largest among global shipbuilders.
By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)