HD Hyundai to build world's first three-tank LNG ships: Here's why it matters
Despite reducing the number of cargo holds from four to three, the new vessel design has a number of new features that have piqued the interest of shipowners
Despite reducing the number of cargo holds from four to three, the new vessel design has a number of new features that have piqued the interest of shipowners.
Despite reducing the number of cargo holds from four to three, the new vessel design has a number of new features that have piqued the interest of shipowners.
Despite reducing the number of cargo holds from four to three, the new vessel design has a number of new features that have piqued the interest of shipowners.
South Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai Samho is all set to build the world's first three-tank liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships, in what is touted as a major step towards efficiency in global shipping.
Despite reducing the number of cargo holds from four to three, the new vessel design is expected to add 2,800 cubic metres (cbm) of capacity, while also keeping the vessel size the same.
It was developed by HD Hyundai alongside French cargo tank technology company Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) and Norwegian classification society DNV. Singapore-based BW LNG's four-vessel order made in June is the first for such ships.
Why this matters
According to HD Hyundai, the change was achieved by removing one insulated bulkhead (partition) from inside a 1,74,000 cbm LNG ship design. This reduced the space between the holds, making each hold larger, and subsequently boosting the ship's capacity to about 1,76,800 cbm.
This allows for more LNG cargo to be transported while also helping such ships stay within terminal berthing limits, lowering the unit freight cost, and enabling shipowners to achieve better profits.
Notably, the South Korean shipbuilder also noted that the new design features a lower boil-off rate (BOR), which is the rate at which heat flows from the outside into the inside. It noted that as the total surface area of the cargo tanks decrease, the BOR is reduced by 6 percentage points from the initial rate of 0.08 per cent.
Reducing BOR further reduces the energy needed to operate the reliquefaction facility, which leads to lower carbon emissions. The increased cargo capacity (at the same size) also reduces carbon emissions.
However, with bigger cargo holds also comes the question of possible sloshing—the movement of liquid cargo from side-to-side—which HD Hyundai has said was taken care of by "precise strength analysis and structural and thermal reinforcement".
It added that the new design also ensures stable operations for partially loaded liquid cargo, which is more likely to slosh.
The new vessels, whose designs debuted on Tuesday at a technical seminar hosted by GTT at Gastec 2026—the world's largest gas exhibition—are expected to be delivered over 2028 and 2029.