A major qualification step for GTT NEXT1 cargo containment system
In early June 2024, GTT achieved a significant milestone with the award of key approvals from Bureau Veritas and Lloyd's Register for its GTT NEXT1 LNG cargo containment system. These approvals mark a pivotal moment for GTT, affirming the system's compliance with international standards.
Bureau Veritas’ Design Approval and Lloyd’s Register’s General Approval for Ship Application, officially granted at the Posidonia 2024 maritime show in Athens, mark a major milestone for GTT NEXT1 technology. Bureau Veritas and Lloyd's Register confirm that the technology complies with all applicable rules and regulations, including the International Maritime Organization's International Gas Carrier Code (IMO IGC Code) and confirm that GTT Next 1 is now ready for the next stage of the commercial implementation following detailed discussions with the shipyards.
Illustration of GTT NEXT1’s double metallic barrier system
GTT NEXT1 technology incorporates a double metallic barrier system designed to achieve a level of thermal performance comparable to Mark III Flex+ technology. Thanks to its design features, GTT NEXT1 implements the advantages of proven materials and components, building on the strengths of the NO96 and Mark III technologies. The system utilises two proven metallic barriers: the first, based on a corrugated stainless steel concept similar to Mark technologies, and the second in Invar, similar to NO96 systems along with prefabricated panels of reinforced polyurethane foam, resulting in high levels of thermal efficiency and mechanical reliability.
GTT NEXT1’s qualification process included tests on a large ballasted tank mock-up, with insulation components at scale 1:1. Equipped with extensive instrumentation (more than 400 sensors), the GTT NEXT1 system mock-up has demonstrated its mechanical and thermal compliance when submitted to either representative or extreme load cases.
With these major approvals, GTT is now ready to collaborate with shipyards and ship-owners to develop LNG carrier designs incorporating the GTT NEXT1 system. This readiness marks an important step towards the commercialization of GTT NEXT1, expanding GTT's family of cryogenic membrane systems.
