HD Hyundai Heavy Industries To Demonstrate LNG Evaporation Gas Recovery

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) has announced a groundbreaking demonstration project to recover and utilize evaporation gas from an LNG-powered container ship under construction. The project, set to begin in April 2025, aims to repurpose methane-based evaporation gas as an on-site energy source, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Why This Matters

LNG-fueled ships naturally produce evaporation gas due to fuel tank pressure changes. While operational ships can reuse this gas as fuel, ships under construction must periodically release it into the atmosphere. Since methane is a potent greenhouse gas, the initiative addresses a critical environmental challenge in shipbuilding.

Project Highlights

• Concept Development:
  • HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) proposed the idea of recycling LNG evaporation gas into city gas.
  • HD Hyundai Heavy Industries developed the infrastructure to capture and use this gas within the shipyard.
• Regulatory Approval & Safety Measures:
  • Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy approved the project under a regulatory sandbox program (Special Case No. 496).
  • Safety Standard Agreement: Collaborated with the Korea Gas Safety Corporation to establish strict safety protocols.
  • Insurance Coverage: Subscribed to gas accident compensation liability insurance.

Demonstration Period

• March 31, 2025 – March 30, 2027 (Two-year pilot program).

Environmental Impact

• Reduces methane emissions from shipbuilding.
• Promotes cleaner energy use in industrial settings.
• Supports South Korea’s greenhouse gas reduction goals under the 2023 National Project for LNG-fueled ship construction.

If successful, the project could pave the way for new regulations supporting LNG evaporation gas recovery, setting a precedent for eco-friendly shipbuilding worldwide.