Break free from technological dependence! South Korea is stepping up efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in key materials for LNG ships.

On November 28, the inauguration ceremony was held for the Materials Innovation Research Center jointly established by Samsung Heavy Industries and the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), a government-funded research institute under South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT. This marked the official start of collaboration between the two sides in the core materials field—crucial to enhancing the future technological competitiveness of the shipbuilding and marine industries.

After the establishment of the Materials Innovation Research Center, Samsung Heavy Industries will be responsible for proposing relevant materials and application technologies required in production sites, formulating development plans, and conducting field tests of new materials and new technologies. Meanwhile, the Korea Institute of Materials Science will be in charge of basic technology development and reliability evaluation, among other tasks.

The two sides plan to first focus their efforts on developing the “KC-2C” LNG cargo tank materials, which are urgently needed by South Korea’s shipbuilding industry, as well as ultra-low-temperature materials and related application technologies, and molten-salt reactor (MSR) materials and manufacturing technologies. They will also organically integrate core infrastructure and specialized talent, thereby cultivating this Materials Innovation Research Center into a hub for the development of shipbuilding and marine materials technology in South Korea.

On October 27 of this year, Samsung Heavy Industries announced a collaboration with Korea LNG Co., Ltd. (KLC), and at the beginning of the month successfully delivered a 7,500-cubic-meter LNG carrier equipped with its independently developed “KC-2C” cargo tank. The vessel also completed its maiden voyage from Tongyeong to the Jeju Aewol LNG terminal. This marks the first time that Samsung Heavy Industries has applied the Korean-type LNG cargo tank “KC-2C” to a commercial LNG carrier, ushering in the “era of Korean-type cargo tanks.”

The “KC-2C” is an enhanced version of the “KC-2” technology developed by Samsung Heavy Industries. Compared to existing liquid cargo tanks, the “KC-2C” features an improved secondary containment wall structure and construction method, enhancing its airtightness and safety. Its thermal insulation performance has also been further strengthened. According to the Korean industry, if LNG carriers equipped with the “KC-2” technology can achieve stable commercial operation, South Korea’s shipbuilding industry could significantly reduce the patent licensing fees it currently pays to GTT. For Korean shipbuilders, developing domestically produced LNG cargo tank technology not only addresses their reliance on foreign suppliers and breaks free from technological dependency, but also substantially lowers costs, thereby improving profitability.

At the unveiling ceremony of the research center, a representative from Samsung Heavy Industries stated: “We look forward to the Materials Innovation Research Center playing a pivotal role in achieving technological self-reliance in materials for future eco-friendly vessels, such as LNG cargo tanks and liquid hydrogen transport ships, while also making significant contributions to the development of an ecosystem for materials and component industries in the shipbuilding and marine sectors.”

The establishment of the Materials Innovation Research Center is a follow-up measure to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by both parties in February of this year, which focuses on developing technologies for materials used in nuclear energy and ultra-low-temperature applications. Under the agreement, the two sides plan to build a system for technological exchange and cooperation, promoting the development of related industries in South Korea and expanding into overseas markets through joint research on materials and application technologies. The core areas of collaboration include materials and manufacturing technologies for molten-salt reactors (MSRs), ultra-low-temperature materials and their application technologies, as well as wire-based arc additive manufacturing technology—also known as arc 3D metal printing technology (WAAM)—and other related fields. Both parties will jointly plan and participate in new development projects, while also mutually utilizing each other’s R&D facilities and equipment.