중소 조선사에 140척 발주...1조 7천억 금융지원

Seoul's prime minister convened his weekly meeting with the heads of various ministries including trade and finance.
The participants unveiled measures designed to revitalize the nation's sluggish shipbuilding sector.
Choi Si-young outlines what they are.
At the Prime Minister's weekly ministerial meeting, the ministries present announced new measures to assist the struggling shipbuilding industry.
These measures include placing large ship orders, and providing capital and R&D assistance.
The government will place orders for 140 Liquefied Natural Gas or LNG-powered ship from small and medium-sized shipbuilders by 2025.
The orders will inject cash into struggling firms and allow them to strengthen expertise in LNG-powered shipbuilding technology,... which will help them gain a foothold in the market.
LNG-powered carriers are in demand worldwide because they emit less CO2 and have lower fuel costs.
The government will also extend the maturity date on their roughly 800-million U.S. dollars of loans to the industry, and it will keep providing tax breaks to the shipbuilding industry until June next year.
It will also make it easier for government credit agencies to provide capital assistance to exporting shipbuilders.
The government will also provide the shipbuilders with around 900 million U.S. dollars to help develop next generation hydrogen carriers and operating systems for autonomous or unmanned ships.
Hydrogen carriers emit almost no pollutants and autonomous carriers enhance the efficiency of cargo handling.
The government aims to help the country's shipbuilders to take the lead in the market for next generation vessels.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.