HMD’s 30,000cbm LCO2 carrier design gets green light

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) has won design approval for the development of the world’s first 30,000cbm liquefied carbon dioxide carrier.

The new carrier will incorporate a new type of steel in its tanks, supporting greater efficiencies in the carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain.

The steel used in the Type C LCO2 tank construction will make scantling lighter whilst keeping the tanks’ structural integrity intact. As explained, the innovation allows an upscale in the size of the LCO2 carrier, improving storage and transportation, something shipbuilders were not able to do with more conventional materials.

The approval was given by two classification societies, namely Loyd’s Register (LR) and Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR).

LR said that it would provide advice and guidance on technical regulations and the development of a Type C storage tank using the new material. When built, the carrier will transport liquefied carbon dioxide under pressure, allowing carbon captured to be transported to storage facilities.

Liberian Flag Administration will liaise with LR to formalise the approval and provide the required certification to allow the LCO2 carrier to enter into service.

 “This innovative LCO2 carrier design utilising new materials for the cargo tanks is an industry first and will play a vital role in our pursuit for global decarbonisation through carbon capture and storage. The Liberian Registry appreciates the great collaboration with HMD and LR in this project that once again demonstrates international collaboration is essential to unlock the potential for innovative solutions to decarbonise,” Thomas Klenum, Executive Vice President, Liberian Registry, said.

 “This is the first result of the JDP of new steel for liquefied CO2 carrier signed in August 2021, allowing us to design and build more economical and efficient carriers. The developed new material has been examined and approved based on the mechanical properties experiment and engineering assessment. We are very pleased to share the result of this development show as we prepare to build customised economical liquefied CO2 Carriers,” Chan-il Kim, Senior Vice President of HMD, said.

Ship manager Capital Gas Ship Management Corp. (Capital Gas) has joined this venture with HMD and LR, advising on operational and commercial matters relating to the project for LCO2 carrier design development.

Miltos Zisis, Managing Director, Capital Gas, said the move to the transportation of CO2 is a natural extension of the company’s existing commercial and technical management expertise.

HMD has already developed three different LCO2 carriers to respond to the market demands in terms of different business models in the CO2 value chain, which include 12,000cbm LCO2 carrier with high-pressure cargo tanks, 22,000cbm LCO2 carrier with low-pressure cargo tanks and 30,000cbm LCO2 carrier with low-pressure cargo tanks.

The shipbuilder and its sister company Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) have teamed up with British engineering services company Babcock on liquefied CO2 carrier designs. Babcock’s LGE business will design the cargo handling system for a range of ship sizes, specifications, cargo purities and voyage profiles to produce a highly efficient system, and minimise emissions and cargo loss.

HHI has also been busy in the field having developed a 40,000 cbm liquified CO2 carrier design for which it has obtained several design approvals from classification societies.

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