STX Shipbuilding and Lloyd’s Register to cooperate in developing environmentally friendly ship

Lloyd’s Register and Korea’s STX Shipbuilding recently signed a cooperation agreement to develop an environmentally-friendly ship powered by LNG.  This new ship design would result in a 50% reduction in fuel costs, while at the same time, a 25% reduction in carbon emissions.

Hurdles to overcome include the engineering of the cryogenic storage tanks, the associated high pressure fuel lines, developing the rules needed to classify such a system, and a detailed risk assessment.

Many of the other classification societies are working on similarly ambitious projects to promote carbon-cutting initiatives such as Germanischer Lloyd‘s hull optimization-related FutureShip, and DNV’s LNG-powered Triality VLCC project.

Additional benefits of LNG power: (source: IANGV Emission Report)

1. LNG has a high methane number, meaning it mixes homogenously with air and tends to burn completely.
2. Unburned fuel is soot free and non-noxious, unlike marine diesel fuel
3. Burning LNG creates less CO2 and more water vapor per unit burned than diesel fuel
4. Fuel enrichment is not needed for a cold start

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