Lloyd's Approves South Korean STX Tanker Design

South Korean shipbuilder STX has received an approval in principle from classification society Lloyd’s Register for its new 50k dwt medium range (MR) tanker design capable of using LNG as a fuel, Lloyd’s said November 13.

STX incorporated an LNG-fuelled propulsion system into their existing conventional MR tanker design with technical assistance and support from Lloyd’s, ensuring that the design is in compliance with the new International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-Flashpoint Fuels (IGF code) as well as Lloyd’s Gas Fuelled Rules, covering other applicable requirements. Lloyd’s said it also supported STX in carrying out a risk assessment of the LNG-fuelled propulsion system for the vessel design.

“STX has an extensive reference list for designing and building MR tankers. The experience and know-how that has been built to date has been utilised to develop this new LNG-powered MR tanker. The design enables the lowest possible fuel consumption and allow owners to select a design that will meet the future SOx and NOx emission challenges,” EK Choi, STX CTO, commented.