Korea Coast Guard to Get Advanced Chemical Response Vessel
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has clinched a significant contract worth KRW 68.8 billion to construct the Korea Coast Guard’s inaugural 1,900-ton multi-purpose chemical response vessel. This development underscores the company’s leadership in specialized shipbuilding. Selected as the top bidder, HJ Shipbuilding will enhance maritime safety and response capabilities with this advanced vessel, which is set to be operational by 2028.
Innovative Design for Enhanced Maritime Safety
The new chemical response vessel will be equipped with cutting-edge technology, including chemical analysis systems, oil recovery equipment, and towing facilities for distressed vessels. These ships are essential for preventing and responding to maritime chemical accidents, necessitating high safety standards and advanced shipbuilding expertise. Currently, only a few advanced nations, such as the United States, Germany, and Sweden, operate similar vessels.
The Korea Coast Guard previously introduced two 500-ton chemical response vessels following a significant incident involving the chemical carrier Maritime Maisie in 2013. However, with the growing emphasis on carbon-neutral policies and the increasing use of gas-powered vessels like LNG and hydrogen-fueled ships, the demand for a larger, more capable multi-purpose chemical response vessel has surged. To address this need, the Coast Guard initiated detailed design work last year, aiming for the new vessel’s deployment by 2028.
Measuring 70 meters in length, 14.6 meters in width, and 6.5 meters in depth, the vessel will boast a top speed of 15.5 knots and a cruising range of 1,600 kilometers. This capability allows it to operate effectively across all maritime areas surrounding the Korean Peninsula. Additionally, the vessel will feature towing systems capable of managing distressed vessels weighing up to 30,000 tons, enabling it to conduct search and rescue, salvage, and firefighting operations even in challenging sea conditions with wave heights of 2.5 to 4 meters.
Setting New Standards in Shipbuilding
Notably, this vessel will be the first in Korea to incorporate an integrated hazardous materials safety response system, along with advanced detection and analysis systems. Its firefighting capacity will reach an impressive 9,600 cubic meters per hour, significantly surpassing the capabilities of existing 500-ton chemical response vessels.
HJ Shipbuilding previously made headlines by delivering Korea’s first 5,500-ton multi-purpose large-scale pollution response vessel, Ndamho, in 2022. With this new contract for the 1,900-ton chemical response vessel, the company continues to demonstrate its unmatched competitiveness in the specialized shipbuilding market.
An official from HJ Shipbuilding expressed pride in being chosen to construct Korea’s first state-of-the-art multi-purpose chemical response vessel. The company is committed to ensuring that this vessel will significantly enhance the Coast Guard’s ability to protect public safety, national assets, and the marine environment.
