Deepsea FLNG system from SHI wins class approval

Samsung Heavy Industries has won initial class approval for its MLF-O standardised model for deepsea FLNG production, storage and offloading facilities.

The shipyard said it received basic certification for the MLF-O from classification societies DNV, Lloyd’s Register, and the American Bureau of Shipping during the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC 2025) held in Houston. MLF-O is SHI’s second standard FLNG model, after the MLF-N model that is designed for coastal use.

SHI said the MLF-O design addresses liquefied natural gas’ so-called sloshing phenomenon by arranging cargo holds in two rows to lessen internal impacts. The standardised design also allows for the FLNG’s cargo hold capacity to be increased from 180,000 m³ to a maximum of 220,000 m³.

"MLF-O is an innovative solution that meets customer needs by minimising operating costs and dramatically reducing delivery time. We will maintain our first-mover advantage in the FLNG market," Samsung Heavy Industries technology division head Jang Hae-ki said.

SHI announced development plans for the MLF-N FLNG system in 2023.

SHI, a premier FLNG builder, constructed 488-m Prelude, the world’s largest FLNG unit for Shell, and had plans to incorporate some of the MLF-N designs into a Petronas FLNG unit.

SHI said it plans to bid for overseas gas field development projects using its two standardised FLNG models.

At the time, parent company Samsung said MLF-N is part of a strategy targeting markets looking for faster and more economical FLNG models when compared with onshore plants.

With the standardised ship model’s cargo facilities and hull heights, Samsung said the design would allow capacity to be expanded from 180,000 m³ to 245,000 m³, while shortening the engineering design period, making it possible to build and deploy the unit more quickly. 

The units are also designed with a stable structure to support about 50,000 tonnes of upper plant facilities including natural gas liquefaction modules.