Material solutions company UPM has introduced WISA-LNG Spruce plywood as a new material solution for insulation elements in liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanks, responding to increasing global demand for LNG transportation.
UPM developed and tested WISA-LNG Spruce in cooperation with Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT), a company specialising in liquefied gas transport and storage and the owner of the technology.
The product is designed for use in ships built with Mark III membrane technology and complements UPM’s existing birch-based plywood range.
GTT group innovation vice president Thierry Valot said: “Material availability is a key for LNG carrier construction. By enabling the use of spruce plywood, GTT provides its customers with greater available capacity and enhanced procurement flexibility.”
According to UPM, the new plywood meets the standards required for regulated LNG applications and enables the use of spruce as an alternative material without affecting performance criteria.
The adhesive applied in WISA-LNG Spruce uses WISA BioBond technology, which replaces at least half of the fossil-based phenol in the glue with lignin. This change aims to reduce the product's carbon emissions.
WISA-LNG Spruce is being manufactured at UPM Pellos Plywood Mills in Mikkeli, Finland.
With this launch, UPM now produces LNG plywood at three different facilities, expanding its delivery capabilities for customers in the LNG shipping sector.
UPM WISA-LNG products product manager Raija Rautiainen said: “Maintaining an ultra-cold temperature during transport is essential to keep LNG in its liquid state.
“Both birch and spruce have great insulation properties as well as durability, dimensional stability, and lightweight construction that help ensure safe transportation of LNG.”
UPM has provided plywood solutions for LNG carriers for almost six decades.
In June this year, GTT received two Approvals in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) for its new ethane cargo containment systems, including Mark III Slim and NO96 Slim.
