KR approves LCO₂ cargo tank design developed
by Hyundai Mipo and HD KSOE

KR has granted an Approval In Principle (AIP) for a liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO₂) cargo tank design, developed by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), during GASTECH 2023, held in Singapore on 7 September.

This AIP is the outcome of a successful collaborative joint project involving KR, HMD and HD KSOE. HMD designed the cargo tank, HD KSOE conducted an engineering critical assessment (ECA), and KR ensured the design’s suitability by reviewing classification rules and international regulations.

The development of the LCO₂ cargo tank underscores the commitment of these three companies to reduce carbon emissions, aligning with the global push for carbon neutrality and a sustainable future. Notably, the demand for LCO₂ carriers is projected to rise, as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies are poised to play a pivotal role in reducing global carbon dioxide emissions.

To liquefy carbon dioxide for efficient mass transportation, it is essential to maintain low temperatures and high pressures. Achieving economical transportation hinges on considering the triple point of carbon dioxide, where the temperature and pressure allow the three phases of gas, liquid, and solid to coexist in equilibrium. Special attention must be devoted to preventing carbon dioxide from undergoing phase changes during operation. Consequently, designing cargo tanks necessitates advanced technology and expertise.

The newly developed LCO₂ cargo tank design incorporates an independent IMO Type-C tank to maintain the triple point of carbon dioxide. The structural safety of the cargo tank was further verified by applying the ECA evaluation technique. Moreover, its design enables the loading of a larger cargo capacity compared to existing vessels of similar size, promising even more cost-effective operations.

KIM Yeontae, Executive Vice President of KR’s Technical Devision, commented, “Through this AIP, we have laid an important foundation for commercializing the ECA evaluation method and the construction technology for LCO2 cargo tanks. KR will work to support the development of CCUS-related technology as well as other decarbonization response technologies.”

Representatives of HMD and HD KSOE said, “The newly developed LCO2 cargo tank is proof of our efforts to reduce carbon emissions at this time of transition towards decarbonization, and the essence of our ecofriendly technology and expertise. We will continue to develop innovative technologies for a sustainable future.”

KR awards AIP to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’
LNG dual-fuel VLGC

KR has awarded an Approval in Principle (AIP) for an LNG dual-fuel VLGC (Very Large Gas Carrier) jointly developed by KR and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) at Gastech 2023 in Singapore on 7 September.

Currently, the global maritime industry is grappling with the development of various countermeasures to meet strengthening greenhouse gas regulations, and market interest in eco-friendly fueled ships such as LNG is particularly high.

The newly approved LNG dual-fuel VLGC, which has been developed in response to the recent circumstances, utilizes both marine gas oil (MGO) and LNG as fuel and incorporates two LNG fuel tanks positioned on both sides of the open deck.

HD HHI executed the ship’s basic design, established the layout of fuel supply pipes and the gas detection system, and designed the LNG fuel tank using their technical expertise. KR verified the safety, suitability and the regulatory compliance of the design by reviewing national and international regulations, leading to the issuance of the AIP for the LNG dual-fuel VLGC.

KIM Yeontae, Executive Vice President of KR technical division stated:
“KR has been focusing on the development of eco-friendly technologies relevant to LNG for several years because LNG is considered a major alternative that can meet the international regulations. We will further enhance our customer support to respond to decarbonization, based on our experience and technologies acquired from joint development projects with shipyards.”

JEON Seungho, HD HHI’s Senior Executive Vice President & CTO commented:
“HD HHI has been working to develop eco-friendly fuel propulsion ships such as LNG using our accumulated design technologies, and we are pleased to demonstrate our technical expertise with this AIP. We will continue to make technological innovations for the development of eco-friendly ships.”

KR Awards Approval in Principle
to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Innovative Tank Shape(Hi-ICON) with Sloshing-Restrained Technology

KR has awarded an Approval in Principle (AIP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) for a new type of tank shape designed for various liquefied gases and fuels. The announcement was made during Nor-Shipping 2023 in Oslo, Norway on 8 June. The new tank shape, developed by HD HHI, is designed to improve safety and productivity.

The new tank shape aims to address the challenge of sloshing that impacts the transportation of liquefied gases, such as LNG. Sloshing refers to the wave-like movement of liquid inside a tank during sea transport. It is crucial to ensure structural stability by minimizing sloshing flow caused by the ship's motion, as excessive sloshing can exert significant impact forces on the tank walls, jeopardizing its structural integrity. HD HHI has successfully optimized the shape of the liquefied gas tank, effectively reducing the sloshing effect and enhancing stability. This significantly mitigates the risk of accidents and potential disasters during transportation. Furthermore, the innovative tank design incorporates an improved layout, leading to enhanced work efficiency and productivity. The newly developed tank shape exemplifies cuttingedge technology that combines improved safety measures, increased productivity, and efficient sloshing reduction techniques.

HD HHI plans to expand the application of the new tanks to various liquefied gas carriers and propulsion ships in the future. It is expected that HD HHI will continue to strengthen its competitiveness in the liquefied cargo carrier shipbuilding market, including LNG, by providing safe and reliable solutions to customers.

KR is committed to actively collaborating with the technology development of new tank types, including Hi-ICON. As a leading classification society, KR will provide comprehensive technical support to facilitate the development of nextgeneration eco-friendly ships, further promoting the advancement of maritime industry.

MOU with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard
for Joint Development of CSOV

On 24 July, KR signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) for the joint development of a commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV). The signing ceremony took place at HD Hyundai's Global R&D Center in Korea.

CSOVs play a pivotal role in the operation and maintenance of offshore wind power structures. As the global trend toward renewable energy expansion gains momentum, the offshore wind power market is set for growth. This trend resonates in Korea, where ambitious large-scale offshore wind power projects are being championed in Ulsan, Donghae, and Jeju.

To proactively respond to this demand, the two companies have agreed to join forces to develop their own CSOV design while promoting cooperation to localize offshore wind farm operation technology.

A key technological element of CSOVs is the ability to maintain the stable underwater position of a vessel, taking into account the surrounding maritime environment. To achieve this, a dynamic positioning system leveraging propellers and rudders is employed. This enables the vessel to withstand external forces—like wind, waves, and water flow—ensuring stability during offshore work.

Considering the unique maritime environment of these domestic and foreign wind farms, HMD will develop an optimal linear design to ensure the dynamic positioning performance, and at the same time apply a hybrid electric propulsion system to the design. In addition, HMD will ensure market competitiveness by systematizing various equipment such as cranes and gangways capable of motion control to enable stable work performance.

KR plans to review domestic and international regulations for this CSOV design and verify its stability and suitability. Once this technology development is completed, it is expected to be able to operate and maintain domestic offshore wind farms in Korea.

The process of localizing this CSOV technology is ongoing, and KR remains steadfast in its commitment to offering unwavering technical support. This collaboration with domestic shipyards, who have worldclass shipbuilding prowess, emphasizes KR's dedication to furthering technological localization efforts.

KR Launches ‘SeaTrust-FOWT’ Solution

On 25 July, KR unveiled the 「SeaTrust Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) solution」 a new addition to the SeaTrust series—a suite of KR technical software designed to enable direct structural analysis evaluation of floating offshore wind platforms and related guidelines.

The KR SeaTrust software series has been released in various versions focusing on detailed functions, such as ship structural analysis and safety inspection based on direct analysis. The solution has gained a wide range of users in the shipbuilding and shipping industries internationally and is highly valued by maritime stakeholders.

The newly released KR SeaTrust-FOWT has been developed to meet the technical requirements of KR customers. With the expansion of the floating offshore wind power market and the promotion of large-scale offshore wind power projects in Korea, the structural analysis requirements for floating offshore wind power platform design and structural safety verification are expected to rise.

Due to the nature of the offshore environment, it is essential to perform integrated load analysis and simulation to verify the structural safety of FOWT platform structures, as wind loads caused by timevarying wind speed, direction, and type are transferred to the lower portion of the wind turbine blades and towers.

In order to evaluate the safety and performance of this platform, it is necessary to comply with the international IEC 61400 standard. Major classification societies, including KR, have formulated their own rules and guidelines for FOWT evaluation based on this standard, assuring safety.

Nonetheless, challenges arise in conducting these evaluations within tight timelines, notably in meeting the integrated load analysis criteria dictated by IEC. Addressing this, KR collaborated with Front Energies in the United States, harnessing open-source tool OpenFAST to overcome these difficulties.

This effectively improved the analysis time and H/W resource issues found in the existing engineering tool. In addition, procedures and systems have been established that can efficiently evaluate structural stability according to the requirements set by IEC and various classification societies.

KR has also developed "Guidelines for Direct Structural Analysis of FOWT Platform." This comprehensive resource not only contains detailed technical insights but also showcases FOWT integrated load analysis scenarios, optimizing user accessibility and convenience.

Preceding the formal launch, on July 18, KR organized a technical conference in Seoul, Korea, to introduce the solution and highlight the technological merits underpinning SeaTrust-FOWT.

This conference served as an opportunity for KR to present the outcomes of software verification for the FOWT platform from the user's perspective. It delved into the practical application of each module, showcasing the strong potential for real-world utilization.

With the significant interest and positive response from shipbuilding, shipping, and academic stakeholders, KR is committed to further improving and expanding our customer-focused technical services.

Paper proposing effective
implementation of CII published in
international journal Ocean Engineering

KR is proud to announce that a paper entitled 'Proposal and analysis for effective implementation of new measures to reduce the operational carbon intensity of ships' by KIM Hoijun, Principal Surveyor of KR Statutory Division, has been published in Ocean Engineering Volume 280, 15 July 2023.

Ocean Engineering is a world-class academic and research organization based in the UK, focusing on marine and offshore renewable energy and the development of devices to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases, and is a prestigious international academic organization in the marine field, with a journal impact factor in the top 5% of international journals.

The paper analyzes the impact on the industry of the IMO's implementation of Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), one of the IMO’s short-term GHG reduction measures, and minimizes the negative impact on the maritime industry by providing a technically complete methodology for calculating the GHG emissions of international shipping. It is expected to be a useful guide for the maritime industry, including shipping companies and classification societies, in the implementation of the CII Regulation. The findings were shared with Member States during the IMO MEPC 80, which Mr. Kim attended as a South Korean delegate.

Ship Battery System Survey in Response to IMO 2050

The greatest challenge facing the international shipping industry is decarbonization. The IMO has set out a phased strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 2008, and to reach net-zero by or around 2050, and the shipping industry is taking a multi-pronged approach to achieve this goal.

An electric propulsion ship is one of the options. Battery systems that can efficiently store and manage large amounts of electrical energy are a key technology for green electric ships. The ability to store more energy in a smaller space with safety guarantees it is an essential part of the system.

KR provides a comprehensive inspection and testing process for battery systems, ensuring its proper function and compliance with industry standards. Our Ship Battery System Survey for IMO 2050 video content is available on our YouTube channel.