GTT Signs Deal, Gets Approvals for LNG Tank Design

French LNG engineer GTT has agreed on a joint development project (JDP) with London-based Lloyd’s Register and Chinese groups China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES), CNOOC Gas and Power Group and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry to design an LNG-fuelled very large crude carrier (VLCC).

Under the project, the partners will assess design options for a vessel using GTT’s Mark III membrane LNG tank, GTT said on September 19. They will review solutions for reducing construction costs while ensuring operational flexibility and efficiency, it said. Tank sizes will be considered for round trip voyages to maximise bunkering options, as well as optimum locations for the tanks.

“The implementation of GTT’s Mark III tank for a dual-fuel VLCC will combine endurance with full cargo capacity, thanks to the well optimised fuel tank design,” GTT said in a statement. “GTT is excited to collaborate with the other partners in this JDP and contributing to more efficient and environmentally friendly ships.”

GTT also said on September 19 it had secured approval in principle (AiP) from classifications society Bureau Veritas for Mark III’s use at ice-breaking LNG carriers.

“The approval was based on vibration and acceleration tests performed to simulate the behaviour of the containment system when an LNG carrier is involved in ice-breaking operations,” it said, noting it had “demonstrated the reliability of its technologies in Arctic conditions.”

The company announced obtaining an additional AiP the previous day for deploying its Mark III Flex and NO96 L03+ systems at Arc7 ice-class ships from the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS). It said the containment systems boasted a daily boil-off rate of 0.085% and 0.1% respectively.