South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Mipo has received approval of a regulatory sandbox application by South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The company said it is taking advantage of this approval to enhance its competitiveness in winning orders for liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO2) carriers.
The agenda item, "filling liquefied carbon dioxide into ships using tank lorries," passed the ministry's industrial convergence regulation special case review committee and will take effect from November 5.
Previously, under the High-Pressure Gas Safety Management Act, tanks fixed to vehicles were not classified as filling and storage facilities. This special case now recognises filling cargo holds using tank lorries as an exception.
This change eliminates the need to install a separate charging terminal and move the vessel during sea trials, which is expected to reduce costs and increase delivery reliability due to improved operational efficiency, according to the company.
HD Hyundai Mipo plans to implement this new method during the sea trials of four 22,000 cubic metre LCO2 carriers currently under construction. The shipyard will use flexible hoses and a self-made mobile manifold to connect the vessel to multiple tankers simultaneously for charging at the quay.
The demonstration exemption is limited to the quay walls within the HD Hyundai Mipo facility and is valid for two years, with a possible two-year extension if relevant laws are not enacted beforehand.
