Korea's Cargo Containment System on Show

Pipeline Magazine spoke to the CEO of KC LNG Tech Lee Chul-Hee about the firm’s plans to bring its KC-1 cargo containment system to the world market after its initial outing later this year.

globe but the hope is that the launch of KC-1 cargo containment system in two LNG carriers operated by SK Shipping scheduled to deliver end of 2017. Fifty patents related to the KC-1 LNG CCS have been registered in Korea, EU, USA, China, Japan and Australia and the uniqueness and originality of its technology was verified through the leading Classification Societies.
KC LNG Tech CEO explained: “We have now applied it to an actual LNG carrier which is being built by Samsung. They are building two carriers that will be the first in the world
to be constructed with the KC-1 membrane tank cargo containment system. We see this as our first step to enter global LNG market. We are very proud to see our KC-1 carrier
head to the market at the end of this year.” Lee Chul-Hee added: “This year we see ourselves as entering the market. From next year we are going to expand our business to
offshore FSRU or FLNG. In 5 years we hope to be able to go to the worldwide market and want to target half of the worldwide LNG vessels with our KC-1 system.”
KC LNG Tech main focus is to work for Kogas and meet their LNG needs. According KC LNG Tech is a young company having been formed only in February last year but
its founding members are the heavy weights of Korea’s shipping and LNG market, namely Korea Gas Corporation (Kogas) and three domestic shipbuilders (HHI, SHI and DSME).
KC LNG Tech is mainly involved in design and construction inspection of LNG containment system as well as license business and manufacturing of the KC-1
membrane cargo containment system (CCS) for LNG carriers that was developed in Korea. “The cargo containment system is one of the most important technologies. KOGAS 
has developed its own technology for a containment system that they want through us to help enter the global LNG market,” said Lee Chul-Hee. 

Currently, containment design technology is dominated by GTT of France across the to Lee Chul-Hee, Kogas has 70 LNG vessels with many now over 20 years old.
“So we feel they will need to be replaced and be upgraded. Kogas directly owns 29 vessels. This year KOGAS also wants to build a small size LNG carrier that will transport LNG
from the mainland to surrounding islands. Of the two carriers one is for shuttle and the other is for bunkering purpose. We are now planning on building these two new LNG
vessels but we don’t know in which shipyard.” KC LNG Tech feels that the growing LNG demand will push up the demand for newer LNG vessels. “We hope to meet this demand,” said Lee Chul-Hee. He also hopes that potentially Shell and ExxonMobil who are clients of Kogas and buys LNG from both these oil giant. He added: “Maybe Kogas in the future can
suggest that the LNG they buy is transferred via vessels running on KC-1.” 

In conclusion, Lee Chul-Hee said: “At Gastech our aim was to introduce our KC-1 system. We did this with virtual reality sets that show how we build our KC-1 membrane tank cargo containment system within LNG vessels.”