Building Eco-Friendly LNG Hybrid National Fisheries Patrol Vessel... 3000t-Class Design Underway

15% Less Fuel Consumption and 25% Reduction in Fine Dust and Sulfur Oxide Emissions Compared to Diesel Public Vessels
Design to be Completed by Early Next Year... 97.3 Billion KRW Budget Allocated by 2024
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries: "First Step in Building Eco-Friendly, Multi-Purpose Fisheries Patrol Vessels under Korean New Deal"

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 14th that it will begin standard design for the construction of two state fishery patrol vessels using a liquefied natural gas (LNG) hybrid propulsion system for the first time. After selecting the "Eco-friendly Ship New Market Creation Project" as part of the Korean New Deal (Green New Deal) in July last year, the ministry announced in December of the same year through the "1st Basic Plan for Eco-friendly Ship Development and Distribution (2021?2030)" that it would build Korea-type LNG bunkering vessels and develop related technologies. This design is a continuation of such policies.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries reviewed the feasibility and introduction possibilities of converting fishery patrol vessels into eco-friendly ships with advice from industry, academia, research institutes, and inspection agencies. It decided to start full-scale standard design for construction from this year. After completing the standard design by early next year, it plans to invest a budget of 97.3 billion KRW by 2024 to build two 3,000-ton state fishery patrol vessels.

The newly constructed state fishery patrol vessels will be designed to operate both conventional diesel and eco-friendly LNG fuel simultaneously. The design takes into account the mission characteristics such as illegal fishing guidance and enforcement of domestic and foreign fishing vessels, and rescue and salvage operations in distant seas. Generally, LNG fuel is used as the power source, and diesel engines are operated during high-speed navigation for illegal fishing enforcement, but the new vessels will be designed to enable both simultaneously. The design will incorporate infrastructure such as illegal fishing guidance and enforcement systems and a non-face-to-face incident investigation room to prepare for infectious diseases like COVID-19. It will also include helicopter takeoff and landing facilities to ensure the safety of Korean fishing vessels operating in distant areas such as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries expects that the eco-friendly, multipurpose state fishery patrol vessels will achieve more than 15% fuel savings compared to existing diesel government vessels. It also anticipates reducing fine dust and sulfur oxide emissions by more than 25%. Furthermore, the eco-friendly government vessel construction project is expected to help improve the management of local shipyards struggling due to COVID-19 and other difficulties.

Jo Ilhwan, Director of Fisheries Resources Policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "We plan to steadily implement the policy of converting state fishery patrol vessels into eco-friendly ships through the Green New Deal project," adding, "This will not only create a cleaner marine atmospheric environment but also enable rapid illegal fishing enforcement and rescue operations."

Conceptual diagram of a 3000-ton class national fisheries patrol vessel. (Source: Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.