KR Webzine Vol.150

KR signed MoU with Hyundai Mipo and Korea Marine Transport to apply the ballast-free concept to 1,800 TEU container ships.

Under the MoU, the parties will work on developing a low-ballast or a ballast-free containership with the aim of circumventing the need for ballast tanks and the potential release of contaminated ballast waters into the ocean.

The MoU stipulates that Hyundai Mipo Dockyard would be in charge of designing the vessel, while the Korean Register would be in charge of the vessel’s safety and validity, aiming for an Approval in Principle (AIP) to be granted by the end of the year.

Korea Marine Transport will support the initiative through a comparative study on transport capability and operation efficiency, the classification society said.

The project will pave the way for minimizing the use of ballast water that threatens the world’s coastal and marine environments in preempting stricter environmental regulations.