GTT’s latest 200,000 m³ LNGC concept
3 questions to Panos Mitrou, Global Gas Segment Director, at Lloyd’s Register, on GTT’s latest 200,000 m³ LNGC design featuring slow-steaming navigation and integrating three-cargo tank.
Can you elaborate on the specific factors Lloyd's Register considered most critical in granting the AIP for the 200,000 m³ LNG carrier (LNGC) concept proposed by GTT, especially compared to traditional 174k four-tank designs?
The original concept of the GTT’s 200,000 m³ LNGC is a bold step, featuring three identical cargo tanks instead of the traditional four. This structural change requires ensuring tank integrity under increased sloshing loads. For this AiP, Lloyd’s Register carefully assessed the robustness of the cargo tank design against strict class standards and the IGC Code requirements. We conducted a comprehensive evaluation across various GTT containment systems - Mark III Flex, Mark III Flex+, NO96 Super+, and GTT Next1 - and confirmed that the design meets all safety and performance criteria. This assessment underscores the innovation at the heart of GTT’s concept, offering a forward-thinking solution that meets the industry’s evolving demands for both efficiency and safety in LNG transport.
What are the anticipated environmental and operational benefits that Lloyd’s Register sees as most significant in this design?
Following Lloyd’s Register Business Advisory verification of GTT’s calculations, the 200k concept was evaluated for emissions intensity, Unit Freight Cost (UFC), and potential regulatory benefits versus a standard 174k vessel. Upsizing to a 200k vessel offers environmental and economic advantages: voyage-based emissions intensity can be reduced by ~20%, and UFC by up to 5% by 2035 and 14% by 2050 under frameworks like EU ETS and FuelEU. These findings illustrate how upsizing not only enhances operational efficiency but also provides a powerful commercial and compliance strategy for the future. By aligning with regulatory trends and reducing costs, this larger vessel concept positions operators to navigate long-term environmental and financial requirements effectively.
How does Lloyd's Register envision this innovation impacting the broader LNG shipping industry, especially regarding future standards for fuel efficiency and emissions reduction in large-capacity carriers?
Size and, more importantly, speed, are key parameters that directly impact emissions intensity but have been overlooked in LNG carrier design due to traditional sector norms. From an emissions perspective, speed is the most significant parameter. In today’s energy transition, maintaining speeds of 19.5 knots is no longer viable. This new design demonstrates that by challenging conventional thinking, we can reduce emission intensity by 27% without sacrificing transport capacity. Just as the industry moved from steam to 4-stroke electric propulsion, and then to 2-stroke engines, this concept represents the potential next technological leap for LNGCs. Its enhanced performance and regulatory compliance, mitigates regulatory risk, creating a time window for other advancements, such as alternative fuels and on-board carbon capture systems to reach full maturity. Above all however it addresses investment risk, a key barrier to further growth of the LNG sector.
