POSCO Group announced on the 25th that it has introduced its first dedicated liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel.
On the 23rd, POSCO INTERNATIONAL held a naming ceremony for the LNG vessel "HL Fortuna" at HD Hyundai Samho in Mokpo, Jeollanam-do.
The ceremony was attended by Lee Gye-in, president of POSCO INTERNATIONAL, Yeo Kyung, vice president of POSCO, Kim Jae-eul, president of HD Hyundai Samho, and Seo Myeong-deuk, president of H-Line Shipping.
The HL Fortuna is a 299-meter long, 46.4-meter wide LNG carrier with a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters. It is optimized for transportation of North American LNG.
It can transport enough natural gas to supply the entire country for 12 hours. The HL Fortuna will undergo trials after delivery on the 27th and will be put into commercial operation starting this fall.
HD Hyundai Samho was responsible for the shipbuilding, while POSCO INTERNATIONAL handles the long-term import contracts for LNG and overall operations. H-Line Shipping is responsible for operational management.
Before introducing the LNG vessel, POSCO Group signed a long-term contract with Cheniere Energy in the United States for 400,000 tons per year.
The company has also signed a long-term contract with Pacific Mexico for 700,000 tons, steadily expanding the group's LNG import base.
The HL Fortuna will start loading at the Cheniere terminal in Louisiana, USA, in 2026. It is expected to make round trips more than five times a year to the Gwangyang LNG terminal to transport LNG.
A representative from POSCO INTERNATIONAL noted, "The introduction of this dedicated vessel has strengthened the group's LNG value chain, covering gas field production, import, storage, and generation, providing a foundation for effectively responding to global protectionism," and added, "We will continue to enhance supply stability and LNG trading efficiency through additional vessel acquisitions and continuously strengthen our global supply chain response capabilities."