SEOUL, Nov. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – The world’s first icebreaking liquid natural gas (LNG) carrier set sail Tuesday, heading to the Arctic Sea for testing.
The ship was manufactured by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, who won the order from Russia’s state-run shipper Sovcomflot in March 2014.
According to officials, the tanker is 299 meters long, 50 meters wide, and is capable of carrying 172,600 cubic meters of LNG through 2.1-meter thick ice in its travels. The vessel’s bow and stern are reinforced with 70 millimeters of specially treated steel plates that can endure temperatures as low as 52 degrees Celsius below zero.
“We anticipated resource development in the Arctic Circle to pick up, and have been investing in the research and development of vessels for such regions since 2008,” said DSME Executive Vice President Lee Sung-geun. “We expect the successful construction of our latest carrier to help us gain a competitive edge in the global market for such vessels.”
DSME Vice President Lee Sung-geun with Robert Thompson, Vice President of Sovcomflot.
Image Credit: DSME / photonews@koreabizwire.com
