Samsung and Kongsberg to jointly develop LNG ships

South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Norwegian marine technology firm Kongsberg Maritime have penned an agreement to jointly develop a design for an autonomous 174,000 cu m LNG carrier.

The two parties will leverage the latest remote autonomous and low-emission technology, with SHI acting as a system integrator with overall design responsibility, while Kongsberg would provide integrated solution designs and serve as a strategic partner.

 South Korea is one of the world’s leaders when it comes to the emerging trend of autonomous shipping, while LNG vessels and containerships have been dominating newbuilding activities. The autonomous LNG carrier is expected to reduce operational risk and cost, SHI said, which had already successfully demonstrated its autonomous navigation technology on a 9,000 dwt ship and has been developing cybersecurity solutions for autonomous ships using blockchain technology.

The shipbuilder has developed an autonomous navigation system that integrates current navigation equipment, such as ECDIS with TCS (track control system), RADAR, CONNING, and remote-controlled BMS, with its new SVISION system.

Meanwhile, compatriot HD Hyundai, formerly known as Hyundai Heavy Industries, through its autonomous pioneer Avikus and in partnership with South Korean owner SK Shipping, sent a 180,000 cu m LNG ship roughly halfway across the Pacific in autonomous mode.