Developed for LNG, high-manganese steel looks set for broader application

摘要

Cryogenic high-manganese steel fuel tanks are being applied for the first time in the construction of LNG dual-fuelled very large crude carriers (VLCCs), under construction at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea. Developed specifically for LNG storage and transport, Korean steel maker Posco started R&D on the new material in 2010, completing its effort in 2013. The specialised steel contains 22.5% to 25.5% of manganese and can withstand temperatures as low as -196℃. To remain in a liquid state, LNG requires cryogenic temperatures of-162℃. Posco says LNG tanks made of the material are "superior to the currently existing nickel or aluminium alloy-made tanks in terms of yield strength, the minimum temperature it can hold, toughness and price."