Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, and Nippon Metal Company have obtained the world’s first Normal Design Approval (GDA) from ClassNK for a breakthrough tank expertise that permits the manufacture of huge low-pressure liquefied CO₂ (LCO₂) cargo tanks with out post-weld warmth remedy (PWHT). The achievement marks a big step towards scaling up CO₂ transport capability to help international carbon seize, utilization and storage (CCUS) worth chains.
On the core of the innovation is a newly developed high-strength metal—conforming to Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NK) customary KF460—engineered by Nippon Metal to ship excessive energy, distinctive low-temperature toughness and price effectivity. Mitsubishi Shipbuilding utilized this metal to giant LCO₂ tank buildings and carried out an Engineering Vital Evaluation (ECA) to validate structural integrity with out PWHT, a course of historically mandated by the IGC Code for carbon-manganese metal welds.
PWHT has lengthy been a bottleneck within the scale-up of LCO₂ provider designs. Few heat-treatment furnaces worldwide are able to annealing tanks of the scale required for next-generation CO₂ carriers, constraining shipyard productiveness and limiting vessel capability. By eliminating the necessity for PWHT by ECA-based justification, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Nippon Metal intention to streamline manufacturing, cut back manufacturing prices and help the speedy progress of the CO₂ transport phase.
The GDA from ClassNK confirms that the PWHT-exempt tank design meets security, energy and reliability necessities, making it the primary permitted answer of its form globally. Mitsubishi Shipbuilding mentioned the expertise aligns with its broader cross-industry program to standardize giant LCO₂ carriers, cut back transport prices and speed up market adoption of CO₂ transport as a key element of CCUS infrastructure.Each firms plan to work with supply-chain companions to commercialize the metal and tank design, supporting shipyards and tools producers as LCO₂ provider demand expands.
The challenge additionally displays the MHI Group’s wider technique to advance energy-transition applied sciences—from carbon transport to next-generation marine engineering—by technical collaboration and international partnerships. Mitsubishi Shipbuilding mentioned the milestone underscores its dedication to delivering sensible, scalable applied sciences that allow the maritime sector’s decarbonization pathways.
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