DNV Issues General Approval for Hybrid Support Structure

DNV has presented HD Hyundai with a general approval for ship application (GASA) for a new high-strength composite hybrid support system for independent tanks on liquefied gas carriers.

In a world-first, HD Hyundai’s concept is fabricated with a fusion of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) with a tensile strength 10 times greater than steel, significantly enhancing structural stability.

The new system offers robust structural supports, enabling independent tanks to withstand upward force from floatation in case of hold space flooded. Designed jointly by Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hyundai Mipo dockyard, and approved by DNV and the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the concept allows for reallocating of the existing support structure layout, minimizing the need for high-risk work and inspections.

Lee Hyun-Ho, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Maritime Research Institute at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said: "This is the result of another effort to apply composites to shipbuilding. It is expected to contribute to the competitiveness and safety of vessels with independent tanks and generate more orders as the design can be easily constructed.”