DSME joins hands with POSCO on eco-friendly shipbuilding materials

South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has signed a business agreement with compatriot steel-making company POSCO to establish a cooperative system for the development and application of new materials for shipbuilding.

As disclosed, the two companies plan to accelerate the development of new materials that can be applied to future ships and the development of new welding technologies.

According to the statement, they are preparing to develop new materials such as special steel that can withstand high pressure and low temperature to transport liquefied carbon dioxide and high manganese steel to store and transport cryogenic liquefied hydrogen at – 235 ℃.

Additionally, they will focus on the development of ammonia fuel tanks and ammonia fuel propulsion which should be used on future eco-friendly ships. With the new International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) zero-emission requirements coming into force, the companies recognized the importance of developing new technologies which can be used to achieve the net-zero goals.

DSME and POSCO have been working together in developing and applying new shipbuilding materials for the past 20 years.

One of the results of their collaboration is the development of a high-manganese steel fuel tank for cryogenic liquefied natural gas. In June this year, DSME installed the IMO Type-C LNG fuel tanks using high-manganese steel on a very large crude oil carrier (VLCC).

After more than 10 years of joint research with POSCO, DSME applied high-manganese steel to LNG fuel tanks for the first time in the global shipbuilding industry.

LNG fuel tanks are the core equipment for eco-friendly dual-fuel ships.

The partners plan to work on new materials and advanced welding technology for application in the shipbuilding industry, such as low-temperature steel for cargo holds that can be transported and ARC-7 Yamal icebreaking LNG YP500 steel for polar region operations.