Japan’s shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries have secured an approval from DNV GL for the future design of a series of LNG-fueled containerships.
The approval in principle (AIP) has been granted for the series of four 20,000 TEU containerships that MOL ordered at Samsung Heavy back in 2015.
The ships were designed in anticipation of using LNG as a fuel, in light of more stringent environmental regulations that will take effect in the years to come, MOL said in a statement on Thursday.
At the construction stage, MOL and SHI developed a basic plan targeting vessels in service, performance evaluation, compliance with new regulations, and risk assessment in a joint study, and completed the basic design in March, the statement reads.
“MOL have proceeded studies on the use of LNG fuel in light of growing demand for next-generation clean fuels to replace conventional heavy fuel oil, because LNG can significantly reduce emissions of CO2, a major contributor to global warming, as well as NOX and SOX, which cause acid rain and other problems.”
According to MOL, LNG bunkering system for the vessels had not been established yet but is expected in the near future as studies on the use of LNG as a fuel are underway around the world.
MOL positions this series of vessels as its “environmentally advanced next-generation ships.”
The first vessel of the series, the MOL Triumph , was delivered on March 27.