Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering) has delivered the first very large container ship equipped with a manganese-based LNG tank co-designed by the South Korean ship builder.
The 24,000 TEU ship, Singapore Express, is one of a dozen vessels being built for German mainline operator Hapag-Lloyd.
The LNG tank, called MacTiv, is manufactured mainly with high manganese steel and was designed by Hanwha Ocean and compatriot steel maker POSCO.
Conventional LNG tanks are made with substantial amounts of stainless steel, whose key material, nickel, costs 11 times more than high manganese steel, which the International Maritime Organisation permitted to be used in the manufacturing of cryogenic cargo and fuel tanks.
Hanwha Ocean explained that manganese is easier to process than stainless steel.
The ship builder said, “South Korea’s ship builders will become more competitive if they can offer attractive pricing, through the mass production of high manganese steel, and the development of LNG tank technologies.”
In 2024 to date, Hanwha Ocean has won 36 newbuilding orders to be fitted with high manganese steel fuel tanks, including 22 container ships and 14 oil tankers.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
