DSME wins patent dispute with Japanese company

Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering won at a patent dispute on technology related to liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers in Japan, the shipbuilder said Monday.

The so-called partial re-liquefaction system is a technology that reduces loss in the amount of natural gas during delivery via ship by re-liquefying the gas. The technology was patented in Korea by the shipbuilder in 2012 and June of 2016 in Japan.

However, a Japanese company has issued a formal objection against the patent in the latter half of last year arguing that the technology so prevalently used by shipbuilders globally cannot be patented.

According to data from MAN-Diesel Turbo, a global vessel engine manufacturer, DSME’s partial re-liquefaction system has 90 percent market dominance in the world’s market.

“The decision by the Japanese patent office confirms the originality of DSME’s own liquefaction system,” the Korean shipbuilder said in a statement Monday.

The company said its system is roughly 4 billion won ($3.5 million) cheaper to install compared to past systems in the market and also contributes to cutting a billion won in annual ship operation costs.

By Kim Jee-hee