Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) said on Thursday it has held a ceremony to mark the world’s first installation of a high-manganese steel fuel tank on a very large crude-oil carrier.

The feat was a joint work of 10 years by the Korean shipbuilder and steelmaker POSCO.

The two companies independently developed manufacturing technology covering every stage from pre-treatment to welding, and applied their own expertise to mass production, machinability, and installation.

DSME said it expects to go independent technologically in the production of LNG cargos if price competitiveness is secured through mass production of high-manganese steel in the future.

An LNG fuel tank is a key component of eco-friendly fuel propulsion ships around the world. To store cryogenic LNG at minus 163°C in a fuel tank or storage, the tank wall should be made of ductile and durable materials such as nickel-iron alloy called invar, aluminum, or stainless steel. But these materials are disadvantageous compared to high manganese steel in terms of price, demanding work process, and low strength.
Source: Pulse