It Consumes What It Delivers
The world’s first container ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), which has been built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) with proprietary technology, has successfully completed a sea trial and will be put on an actual route.
According to an official at the DSME on Oct. 20, NASSCO, a subsidiary of leading U.S. defense company General Dynamics, recently delivered the Isla Bella, a 3,100 TEU container ship, to Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) Maritime after the completion of the sea trial. The ship is the world’s first LNG-powered container ship that includes patented technologies from the DSME and its subsidiaries.
The DSME generalized the basic design and supply of its own patented high-pressure LNG fuel gas supply system, while its subsidiary Shinhan Machinery was in charge of manufacturing equipment. Also, its design subsidiary DSEC took charge of the overall design and material package supply.
The LNG-powered system has lower emissions and increased fuel efficiency when compared to conventional diesel-powered ships. Accordingly, it is considered to be “the future of the shipbuilding industry.” The ship can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 23 percent and sulfur oxide emissions by more than 95 percent compared to conventional ships using heavy fuel oil (HFO). Also, fuel consumption can be cut by nearly 35 percent. Based on its patents and technologies, the DSME has won more than 30 LNG carrier orders. The company boasts its unrivaled competitiveness in LNG-related technology.
In the process of the sea trial, the DSME proved its LNG gas supply system technology by successfully securing a stable supply of fuel. The system supplies high-pressure natural gas to the engine from the fuel tank, and it is considered a core technology in natural gas-powered ships. The DSME has secured price competitiveness through its high-pressure LNG vaporizing system and contributed greatly to the commercialization of natural gas as fuel for ships.