Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering announced on Oct. 16 that it has decided to equip two 45,000㎥ medium-sized LPG carriers, which the Belgian shipping company Exmar had ordered in March, with ammonia dual-fuel engines.
The ammonia-propelled LPG carriers, with dimensions of 190 m in length, 30.4 m in width, and 18.8 m in height, will be built at Ulsan Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and are scheduled to be delivered to the shipowner sequentially by May 2026.
Such ammonia-powered ships can meet not only the IMO greenhouse gas reduction regulations set for 2030 but also the 2050 IMO regulations requiring a 100% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, these vessels are designed to transport not only LPG but also ammonia, offering the advantage of using cargo as engine fuel.
Furthermore, Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering set a target for the commercialization of ammonia-propelled vessels by 2025. The company was the first in South Korea to acquire basic certification for the ammonia dual-fuel engine from Lloyd’s Register in the U.K. in 2020. In 2021, they were the industry’s first to successfully develop an ammonia fuel supply system. In August 2021, the company secured an order for the world’s first methanol-powered ultra-large container ship and successfully delivered the world’s first methanol-powered container ship constructed at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard last July, leading the market in the green ocean sector.