Korean Shipbuilders Get AiP for Barge-type LNG FSRU

October 1, 2021

The AiP presentation at Gastech. From left: Pawan Sahni (BDM DNV), Martin Cartwright (Business Director Gas Carriers, DNV), Ali A. Shehab (Global Director Special Projects, DNV), Young Jun Nam (CTO, HMD), Ian Edwards (Area Manager, DNV), Thomas Klenum (SVP, Liberian Registry), Byeong Yong Yoo (VP, KSOE), Sung Ho Shin ( KAM, DNV), Dallas Smith (VP, Liberian Registry).

Classification society DNV and the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR) have granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to South Korea's shipbuilders Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) and Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (KSOE) for a 40,000 CBM barge-type LNG Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU).

DNV said Thursday that the AiP was the result of a joint research project by HMD, KSOE, LISCR, and DNV to develop a 40K barge-type LNG FSRU.

Operated together with a large-size floating storage unit (FSU) and a shuttle LNG carrier, the newly developed 40,000 CBM unit would be suitable to serve mid-to-small-sized LNG projects as an economical alternative to large-size FSRUs, DNV said.

An Approval in Principle demonstrates there are no major technical showstoppers to realize a vessel’s design. It is carried out at an early stage of concept development to confirm its feasibility.

The barge-type FSRU design features an IMO type-C cargo containment system, while its cargo handling system would enable simultaneous loading and unloading of LNG cargo among FSU and LNG carrier.

"This solution optimizes the efficiency of FSRU operations in mid-and-small-sized LNG projects such as import terminals. The development of the 40K platform expands our portfolio and thus strengthens HMD’s position in the growing LNG market,” said Young Jun Nam, Chief Technology Officer of HMD.

"The Liberian Registry is proud to contribute with the Approval in Principle for this 40K LNG FSRU design that supports our joint pursuit to reduce GHG emissions both at sea and ashore,” said Thomas Klenum, Senior Vice President of Maritime Operations for the Liberian Registry. “It was a great pleasure to work on this project in close collaboration with other high quality and innovative stakeholders such as HMD, KSOE and DNV.”

"DNV is delighted to support HMD and KSOE in providing innovative solutions to the market, to enable greater decarbonization and help propel the world towards lower carbon energy sources,” said Vidar Dolonen, Regional Manager Korea & Japan in DNV Maritime. “An AiP can be an essential part of building market confidence in new designs, by demonstrating that it is grounded on the solid fundamentals of classification rules. We look forward to continuing to help this project develop by utilizing our expertise in maritime LNG.”