Hyundai Steel Supplies 'Import-Substitute' Ultra-Low Temperature Thick Plates to Hyundai Heavy Industries

The world's first LNG-powered ultra-large container ship built by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. Photo by Hyundai Heavy Industries

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Hyundai Steel announced on the 15th that it has been supplying cryogenic thick plates that can be used as fuel tank materials for liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion ships to Hyundai Heavy Industries since last month. They have localized the steel materials that were previously mainly imported and established a mass production system.

The 9% nickel (Ni) steel developed by the company in December last year has excellent impact resistance and welding performance even in cryogenic environments around minus 196 degrees Celsius, making it suitable for LNG storage facility materials. LNG emits fewer pollutants compared to diesel fuel, but to be used as ship fuel, the interior of the storage facility must be maintained below minus 165 degrees Celsius.

The cryogenic thick plates supplied by Hyundai Steel are used to make the fuel tanks of the ultra-large LNG propulsion container ships that Hyundai Heavy Industries has been constructing since February. The supply volume is about 2,100 tons, enough for two ultra-large container ships. Applying a product co-development (EVI) method, the two companies conducted a joint quality evaluation meeting before supply and produced the materials reflecting the quality conditions desired by Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Hyundai Steel explained that the products supplied this time have strict quality requirements and were previously entirely dependent on imports. With this order, Hyundai Steel became the first domestic steel company to supply Type B fuel tank materials. Type B is one of the three types of independent LNG fuel tanks for ships, and it requires strict surface quality of the product, making the applied technology level considerably higher.

A Hyundai Steel official said, "We plan to make additional investments such as heat treatment facilities to increase the supply of this product," and added, "We intend to actively respond to the increasing demand for related products, including ship LNG fuel tanks and onshore storage tanks."

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