The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on Jan. 31 that it approved the Korean Register of Shipping’s vessel inspection regulations regarding LPG-propelled vessels. This means that type of ships now can be built in South Korea so that environmental pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by up to 90 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

LNG, one of the most well-known eco-friendly fuels, is lighter than air and highly safe in terms of the possibility of accidents such as explosion. The initial demand for LNG was high with regard to reusing the evaporation gas that is naturally generated in cargo tanks. As a result, shipbuilding standards related to LNG propulsion were already prepared in international and domestic agreements.

Then, with the demand for safe eco-friendly fuels rising as a result of technological development, the international agreements were revised so that another gas such as LPG can be used as a ship fuel on condition that it is comparable to LNG in terms of safety.

In this context, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries revised its regulations in December last year so that the liquefied gas cargoes including LPG can be used as ship fuels.

This article is reproduced at www.businesskorea.co.kr