HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has won a KRW 68.8 billion contract to build the Korea Coast Guard’s first 1,900-ton multi-purpose chemical response vessel.
The company secured the project after a competitive evaluation of price and technical capability. The contract was awarded through the Public Procurement Service.
The vessel will support prevention and response to maritime chemical incidents. It will carry chemical analysis equipment, oil recovery systems, and towing facilities for distressed ships. The specialised mission requires advanced shipbuilding skills and strict safety standards. Only a small number of countries, including the US, Germany and Sweden, operate similar vessels.
The Korea Coast Guard currently operates two 500-ton chemical response ships introduced after a chemical tanker fire near Busan in 2013. Growing use of LNG- and hydrogen-powered vessels has increased the need for a larger and more capable platform.
Authorities began designing the new ship last year. Deployment is planned for 2028.
The vessel will measure 70 metres in length, with a beam of 14.6 metres and a depth of 6.5 metres. It will reach speeds of up to 15.5 knots and have a range of 1,600 kilometres, allowing nationwide deployment.
The ship will tow vessels of up to 30,000 tonnes. It will operate in wave heights of up to four metres during search, rescue and firefighting missions.
For the first time in Korea, the vessel will feature an integrated hazardous chemical response system with onboard detection and analysis. Its firefighting capacity will reach 9,600 cubic metres per hour, more than four times that of existing ships.
HJSC previously delivered Korea’s first 5,500-ton large-scale response vessel in 2022. The company said the new contract strengthens its position in specialised shipbuilding.
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