Bureau Veritas (BV) has awarded an approval in principle (AiP) to GTT to apply its NO96 membrane containment system for LNG fuel tanks in ultra large container ships (ULCSs)
GTT and BV reviewed the compatibility and safe integration of NO96 technology as an LNG fuel tank in a container vessel hull. Over the course of the AiP study, a liquid motion assessment of the tank configuration was performed, according to GTT.
GTT chairman and chief executive Philippe Berterottière said the AiP would “enable all our licensees to offer membrane solutions to this market.”
The AiP comes at a time when shipowners are increasingly ordering dual-fuel LNG tonnage as shipowners look to comply with the IMO 2020 0.50% sulphur cap and transition towards decarbonisation.
In the container ship market, there are currently 14 LNG-fuelled box ships in operation and another 39 on order or under construction, according to DNV GL.
GTT’s Mark III containment technology is being used in CMA CGM Jacques Saade and its eight 23,000-TEU sister vessels – all classed by BV. The membrane storage tank has a bunker capacity of 18,600 m3 – the amount of LNG fuel required for the round-trip voyage on the Asia-Europe route. This allows the French container shipping giant CMA CGM to bunker cheaper LNG fuel in Rotterdam that will last for the duration of the entire round trip. The design of the storage tank for the ULCSs was optimised to minimise the impact on cargo storage with the tank located below the crew accommodation and a cargo space replacement impact of less than 300 TEU. The ships also have tank storage for a few hundred cubic metres of pilot fuel, MGO.
BV Marine & Offshore president Marine Matthieu de Tugny said “LNG is at the heart of the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable maritime industry. It is a pleasure, once again, to be able to support GTT with our expertise – encouraging innovation and the expansion of options available for LNG fuel containment systems.”
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