HJ Heavy Industries Develops 88,000㎥ Class Eco-Friendly Ammonia Carrier Ship

Targeting the Advanced Eco-Friendly Ship Market: Research and Development of Dual-Fuel, Methanol-Powered, and Hydrogen Ships

HJ Heavy Industries has obtained Approval in Principle (AIP) from Lloyd's Register (LR) in the UK for the design concept of an 88,000㎥ class next-generation eco-friendly ultra-large ammonia carrier (VLAC, Very Large Ammonia Carrier).

HJ Heavy Industries and Lloyd's Register signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in July to jointly develop the next-generation ultra-large ammonia carrier and have been focusing on research activities for about six months.

Ammonia is gaining attention as a clean alternative fuel with zero carbon dioxide emissions and, along with hydrogen, is considered a suitable ship fuel for the carbon-free era. In particular, as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has officially promoted the 'Net Zero' initiative aiming for zero carbon emissions from ships by 2050, the transition to a future carbon-free society is accelerating, and orders for ammonia carriers as well as ships using ammonia as the main fuel are expected to steadily increase.

Based on the technological expertise accumulated through research and development of eco-friendly ships such as LNG DF and methanol-powered container ships, HJ Heavy Industries successfully obtained certification for the basic and structural design of an 88,000㎥ class ultra-large ammonia carrier that meets all design load conditions required by the classification society.

Along with the structural design of the ammonia carrier, HJ Heavy Industries carried out the design work of TYPE-A tanks applying cryogenic steel that minimizes crack occurrence due to the characteristics of ammonia, and Lloyd's Register verified the suitability, structural safety, and compliance with international regulations of the design.

Through this concept design approval, HJ Heavy Industries plans to actively respond to the demand in the decarbonized ship market and prepare for the increasing order demand by additionally developing ammonia-powered carriers in line with the commercialization of ammonia fuel propulsion engines for ships in the future.

Yoo Sang-chul, CEO of HJ Heavy Industries, said, “The development of eco-friendly fuel propulsion container ships in response to the IMO's '2050 Carbon Zero' initiative is leading to orders and gaining market response,” adding, “We will secure technological capabilities through continuous research and development of decarbonized ships such as carbon capture and storage technology, hydrogen ships, and liquefied carbon dioxide carriers, and lead the eco-friendly ship market.”

HJ Heavy Industries and Lloyd's Register (LR) Joint Development Agreement Ceremony (Kim Bo-eon, Executive Director of Technical Sales at HJ Heavy Industries (left), Kim Young-doo, GTSO Korea Representative of Lloyd's Register). Photo by HJ Heavy Industries

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