American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) granted a certificate of general design approval for an IMO Type B LNG fuel tank design developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea.
ABS Chairman, president and CEO Christopher Wiernick , said the approval represents the classification society’s “involvement in the expanding gas fuel market and further promotes the adoption of LNG as fuel.”
HHI’s fuel tank design was conceptualized and developed to minimize the loss of cargo space and effectively use available area on board the vessel, ABS said in its statement on Monday.
Targeting gas-fueled vessels, the conceptual fuel tank design is based on a 14,500 TEU containership design but can be sized for other ship types and sizes.
“As industry continues to adjust to a changing regulatory climate, the use of LNG as fuel will continue to grow and be adopted in the marine industry,” ABS said.
The classification society notes that developing vessels equipped with the latest technology and the most efficient fuel containment systems will be key to that growth.
Speaking of the approval, HHI senior executive vice president, Yun-Sik Lee said the company has proved the feasibility of the Type B fuel tank concept as it moves closer to incorporating the design into new containerships.