HD Hyundai Mipo Begins Construction of Korea's First Liquefied Carbon Dioxide Carrier Ship

Power Supply for Track
Nitrogen Oxide Reduction Device, etc.
Minimizing Air Pollution

Perspective view of Hyundai Mipo Dockyard's liquefied carbon dioxide carrier. Photo by HD Hyundai

HD Hyundai Mipo, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai Shipbuilding, has become the first in the domestic shipbuilding industry to start constructing a liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO₂) carrier.

On the 9th, HD Hyundai Mipo held a steel cutting ceremony for a 22,000 cubic meter (㎥) class liquefied carbon dioxide carrier at its headquarters in Ulsan.

This vessel, which officially began construction on this day, is the first of four liquefied carbon dioxide carriers of the same class ordered from the Greek company Capital Maritime Group between July last year and January this year. It is currently the largest carbon dioxide carrier ordered worldwide.

The vessel measures 159.9 meters in length, 27.4 meters in width, and 17.8 meters in height, and features ice-class 1C design technology that enables safe navigation in cold icy seas.

Additionally, it is equipped with three bi-lobe type carbon dioxide storage tanks capable of maintaining a low temperature of minus 55 degrees Celsius (℃) and a high-pressure environment up to five times atmospheric pressure. This allows it to transport various liquefied gases such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and ammonia (NH₃) in addition to liquefied carbon dioxide.

HD Hyundai Mipo has applied a 2,500 kW class Alternative Marine Power (AMP) shore power supply system and a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to reduce emissions of air pollutants such as fine dust and sulfur oxides. The vessel is also designed to be convertible into an ammonia-powered ship through future retrofitting.

Liquefied carbon dioxide carriers, which transport carbon dioxide liquefied after being captured from the atmosphere, require technology to maintain constant tank pressure to store cargo stably. If the pressure in the cargo hold drops, liquefied carbon dioxide can turn into solid dry ice, causing issues such as pipe blockages.

To prevent such problems, HD Hyundai Mipo is advancing pressure control technology for liquefied carbon dioxide through the 'Ship Carbon Neutral R&D Demonstration Facility,' which was completed last April in collaboration with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and other HD Hyundai shipbuilding affiliates.

An HD Hyundai Mipo official stated, "We are accelerating the development of new ship technologies and expanding production facilities in preparation for increasingly stringent decarbonization regulations. We aim to establish a solid competitive edge in the next-generation ship market and become a leading solution company in the marine mobility sector."

Meanwhile, starting with the steel cutting ceremony, HD Hyundai Mipo plans to sequentially build a total of four liquefied carbon dioxide carriers and deliver them from November next year through the second half of 2026.

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