LR and Partners Develop Hybrid Electric LNG Carrier Design

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has joined forces with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to develop a new generation of LNG carrier designs using hybrid electric propulsion.

The partners signed an Approval in Principle (AiP) at Gastech 2026 in Bangkok to advance the design of a 185,000 cbm LNG carrier featuring a hybrid electric propulsion system. 

Under the AiP, the partners will work on the development and safety verification of the vessel’s hybrid electric propulsion system, with a focus on strengthening system architecture, redundancy philosophy and battery integration. The project also aims to develop guidance and technical requirements for this emerging technology, providing a framework to demonstrate support wider adoption across the LNG carrier market.  

For LR, early involvement will support the development of technical guidance in an area where formalized standards are still evolving, strengthening its ability to support future projects involving electric propulsion systems and low-carbon vessel concepts.