Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Builds Ballast-Free Eco-Friendly Ship

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard(HMD) has developed a ballast-free design for ships that will go a long way towards preserving diverse marine ecosystems.

HMD’s solution has been to restructure the ship’s layout. By bringing the cabin — normally placed at the rear end of the vessel — forward, the stability of the ship is maintained as the stern and the bow are more equally balanced.

The ballast-free ships also bring a host of other advantages, including lower manufacturing costs, increased cargo capacity and reduced energy usage.

This design scheme has already been implemented in the 7,500㎥ LNG bunkering vessel ordered by German company Bernhard Schulte that went into production late last year. Hyundai Mipo Dockyard is targeting a completion date of September.

HMD will continue to carry out research so that its ballast free designs can be flawlessly incorporated into a wider range of seagoing vessels.