HJ Heavy Industries has successfully secured the contract to build South Korea’s first 1,900 DWT class multi-purpose chemical pollution control vessel.
On December 24, HJ Heavy Industry announced that it had successfully won the bid for the construction of a 1,900 DWT multi-purpose chemical pollution control vessel, tendered by the Korea Purchasing and Supply Agency. The total contract amount is 68.8 billion won (approximately US$47.94 million), and it is expected to be completed and put into operation in 2028.
Chemical pollution control vessels are specialized vessels designed specifically to respond to chemical spills at sea. They are equipped with chemical analysis equipment, oil recovery systems, and towing equipment for accident vessels. This vessel type demands higher safety and durability standards than conventional vessels, presenting extremely high technical barriers. Currently, only a few developed nations such as the United States, Germany, and Sweden possess the operational and construction capabilities for these vessels.
Since the chemical tanker fire near Taejongdae, Busan in 2013, South Korea has acquired two 500 DWT chemical pollution control vessels. With the advancement of carbon neutrality policies and the increasing prevalence of LNG and hydrogen-powered vessels, the demand for multi-functional chemical pollution control vessels capable of handling large-scale maritime chemical incidents is becoming increasingly prominent. Therefore, South Korea will begin designing chemical pollution control vessels in 2024.
The chemical pollution control vessel contracted by HJ Heavy Industries measures 70 meters in length, 14.6 meters in beam, and 6.5 meters in draft. It boasts a maximum speed of 15.5 knots and an endurance of 1,600 nautical miles. Equipped with specialized gear for towing large distressed vessels up to 30,000 tons, it can perform search and rescue operations and firefighting tasks in adverse weather conditions with wave heights ranging from 2.5 to 4 meters.
HJ Heavy Industries stated that the new vessel is equipped with Korea’s first-of-its-kind hazardous substance safety response system and detection analysis system, enabling effective countermeasures against marine pollution and chemical spills in coastal waters. Its marine firefighting capacity reaches 9,600 cubic meters per hour, representing a more than fourfold increase over Korea’s existing 500 DWT class chemical pollution control vessels.
Notably, HJ Heavy Industries has previously delivered South Korea’s first 5,500 DWT multi-purpose large pollution control vessel. Securing the order for South Korea’s first 1,900 DWT multi-purpose chemical pollution control further demonstrates the company’s technical capabilities and track record in the specialized vessel sector.
A representative from HJ Heavy Industries stated: “Leveraging our accumulated expertise and technological capabilities in the specialized vessel sector, our company has been selected as the builder for South Korea’s first cutting-edge multi-purpose chemical pollution control vessel. We will spare no effort in constructing this vessel.”