Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Nippon Steel have received the world’s first General Design Approval (GDA) from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) for a low-pressure liquefied CO₂ (LCO₂) tank made using KF460 steel.
The approval covers exemption from post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), based on an engineering critical assessment (ECA).
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Both companies have worked together to apply Nippon Steel’s developed high-strength carbon-manganese steel to the cargo tanks of LCO₂ carriers.
In typical manufacturing processes, PWHT is required for tank welds according to the International Gas Carrier (IGC) code, but limited availability of adequate heat-treatment furnaces for large tanks has hindered expansion efforts.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding assessed the safety of tank welds using ECA and confirmed that manufacturing without PWHT was valid, leading to the GDA from ClassNK.
Nippon Steel created the KF460 steel plate, which meets ClassNK standards and is intended for use in large, low-pressure LCO₂ tanks developed by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding.
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By GlobalDataThe two companies see this development as a step towards improving economic viability and productivity in LCO₂ transport by making it possible to build larger tanks more efficiently.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding intends to continue its cross-industry partnerships to commercialise both the new steel and tank production approach.
The company aims to advance its marine engineering technologies and expand its contribution to the maritime sector.
Nippon Steel aims to achieve a carbon-neutral society by 2050. It plans to cut CO₂ emissions from its manufacturing processes and provide advanced products and solution technologies under the NSCarbolex Solution brand.
