ABS to Class Innovative Moss-type LNG Carriers

To be built in Ulsan, Korea, the ships will feature energy efficient reheated steam turbine engines.

ABS, a provider of classification and technical services to the maritime industry, has been awarded a contract for the classification of two innovative 'Moss-type' LNG carriers to be built in Korea for Malaysia's Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas).

The 150,200-m3 capacity ships will the largest Moss-type units ever built at Hyundai Heavy Industry's shipyard in Ulsan, Korea, featuring the latest technology to improve energy efficiency and operational reliability.

"This contract is a recognition of ABS' technical knowledge and leadership in the gas carrier sector," said ABS Vice President for Global Gas Solutions, Patrick Janssens. "Not only do we have the largest orderbook for LNG carriers among class societies, all of the current LNG cargo-containment systems - Moss, GTT's Mark III and No. 96 membrane types, and SPB types - have been installed on ABS-classed ships. And we continue to offer approval in principle to the new containment concepts proposed by industry designers."

To boost their performance, reliability and ease of maintenance, the Petronas ships will adopt new ultra-steam turbine propulsion systems, which are expected to be about 15 percent more energy efficient than conventional steam turbines.

The innovative Moss-type cargo tanks will measure about 42 meters in diameter. Because Moss-type tanks have no minimum filling limits, they are well suited to serve as shuttles to and from FLNG or other offshore facilities.

The ships will feature full-length tank covers integrated into the main hulls, a feature which is expected to improve longitudinal strength and minimize structural discontinuity. The unique integrated structure also will allow for piping and passageways to be arranged on the tank-cover deck, improving safety and ease of maintenance.

The contract award comes just months after ABS unveiled its new Global Gas Solutions team, a multi-disciplinary group of technical experts formed to respond to the rapidly escalating number of gas-related projects, including LNG and LPG transportation, the use of LNG and LPG as fuel and the growing number of FLNG projects.

ABS holds the largest share of LNG carriers on order with 34 percent of the orderbook set to class with the organization.

eagle.org