POSCO, Hanwha Ocean team up on high-manganese steel LNG cargo tanks

POSCO and Hanwha Ocean signed an MOU at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard to develop a demonstration LNG carrier with high-manganese steel cargo tanks. The project aims to strengthen Korea’s technological competitiveness in LNG carrier cargo tanks, where Korean shipbuilders remain dependent on foreign technology. Hanwha Ocean will build the vessel and test the tanks under actual sailing conditions.

POSCO’s high-manganese steel retains strength and impact resistance at temperatures of minus 163 degrees Celsius and below.

High-manganese steel has previously been used in ships only for LNG fuel tanks, not cargo tanks.

Cargo tanks on an LNG carrier can require 10,000 metric tons of steel or more, about 10 times the amount needed for LNG fuel tanks.

POSCO President Lee Hee-geun and Hanwha Ocean CEO Kim Hee-cheul attended the MOU signing ceremony.

Published Oct 15, 2026 4:23 pm KST

Updated Oct 15, 2026 4:31 pm KST

Hanwha Ocean CEO Kim Hee-cheul, fifth from left, shakes hands with POSCO President Lee Hee-geun, center, alongside officials from both companies in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, Thrusday, after signing a memorandum of understanding to build a demonstration LNG carrier equipped with high-manganese steel cargo tanks. Courtesy of POSCO

Korean steelmaker POSCO and shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean are teaming up to build a demonstration liquified natural gas (LNG) carrier equipped with high-manganese steel cargo tanks, aiming to strengthen Korea’s technological competitiveness in a market long dominated by foreign technology.

LNG fuel tanks store the fuel used to power LNG-fueled vessels, while cargo tanks on LNG carriers are large storage systems that hold the LNG itself for transportation overseas.

According to POSCO, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the shipbuilder’s Geoje shipyard to develop the demonstration vessel. The signing ceremony was attended by senior executives from both sides, including POSCO President Lee Hee-geun and Hanwha Ocean CEO Kim Hee-cheul.

The partnership comes amid expectations of rising LNG demand as countries seek lower-carbon energy sources, fueling demand for LNG carriers. Korean shipbuilders, however, remain dependent on foreign technology for cargo tanks, a key component of the vessels.

Under the MOU, the companies will develop cargo tanks using POSCO’s high-manganese steel, which retains its strength and impact resistance at temperatures of minus 163 degrees Celsius and below, according to the steelmaker.

The material has previously been used in ships only for fuel tanks. POSCO said the partnership would open up a much larger market for its proprietary steel technology, as cargo tanks on an LNG carrier can require 10,000 metric tons of steel or more — about 10 times the amount needed for LNG fuel tanks.

Hanwha Ocean will lead construction of the demonstration LNG carrier to test the cargo tanks under actual sailing conditions and build a track record to present to shipowners worldwide.

“POSCO’s proprietary high-manganese steel technology will be a key asset in giving Korean shipbuilders a decisive competitive edge in the global market,” Lee said.

“Starting with LNG cargo tanks, we will take the lead in setting global standards for materials used in eco-friendly ships.”

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浦项制铁（POSCO）与韩华海洋（Hanwha Ocean）在韩华海洋巨济船厂签署了一份谅解备忘录，共同开发一艘采用高锰钢货舱的LNG示范运输船。该项目旨在提升韩国在LNG运输船货舱领域的技术竞争力，目前韩国造船企业在该领域仍依赖外国技术。韩华海洋将负责建造该船，并在实际航行条件下对货舱进行测试。

浦项钢铁的高锰钢在零下163摄氏度及以下的温度下仍能保持强度和抗冲击性。

高锰钢以前只用于船舶的液化天然气燃料舱，而没有用于货物舱。

LNG运输船上的货物储罐可能需要10000公吨或更多的钢材，大约是LNG燃料储罐所需钢材量的10倍。

浦项制铁总裁李熙根和韩华海洋首席执行官金熙哲出席了谅解备忘录签署仪式。

发布于2026年10月15日下午4:23（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月15日下午4:31（韩国标准时间）

周四，在庆尚南道巨济市，韩华海洋公司首席执行官金熙哲（左五）与浦项钢铁公司总裁李熙根（中）以及两家公司的官员握手，此前双方签署了一份谅解备忘录，计划建造一艘配备高锰钢货舱的液化天然气示范运输船。图片由浦项钢铁公司提供。

韩国钢铁制造商浦项制铁(POSCO)和造船企业韩华海洋(Hanwha Ocean)正在合作建造一艘配备高锰钢货舱的液化天然气(LNG)示范运输船，旨在增强韩国在长期由外国技术主导的市场上的技术竞争力。

LNG燃料罐储存着为LNG动力船舶提供动力的燃料，而LNG运输船上的货物罐则是大型储存系统，用于储存LNG本身以便运往海外。

据浦项钢铁公司（POSCO）称，两家公司在浦项钢铁位于巨济岛的船厂签署了一份合作备忘录，共同开发示范船。双方高管出席了签约仪式，包括浦项钢铁公司总裁李熙根和韩华海洋公司首席执行官金熙哲。

此次合作正值各国寻求低碳能源，预计液化天然气需求将持续增长之际，这将推动液化天然气运输船的需求。然而，韩国造船厂在货舱（船舶的关键部件）方面仍然依赖外国技术。

根据谅解备忘录，两家公司将使用浦项钢铁公司的高锰钢开发货舱。据这家钢铁制造商称，这种高锰钢在零下 163 摄氏度及以下的温度下仍能保持强度和抗冲击性。

这种材料此前仅用于船舶的燃料舱。浦项钢铁表示，此次合作将为其专有的钢材技术开拓更广阔的市场，因为液化天然气运输船上的货舱可能需要1万吨或更多的钢材——大约是液化天然气燃料舱所需钢材量的10倍。

韩华海洋将主导建造示范性液化天然气运输船，以在实际航行条件下测试货舱，并建立业绩记录，向全球船东展示。

李表示：“浦项钢铁公司专有的高锰钢技术将成为韩国造船企业在全球市场获得决定性竞争优势的关键资产。”

“我们将从液化天然气货舱入手，率先制定环保船舶所用材料的全球标准。”

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