ClassNK said in a statement the vessel’s ballast tank design and ballasting operations allow for the elimination of filing limits, enhancing operational flexibility.
The AiP demonstrates the feasibility of this design concept.
In LNG carriers with membrane tanks, filing limits are often required based on the strength assessments against sloshing loads, which can pose challenges, especially in feeder transportation.
ClassNK said the LNG carrier developed by GTT has ballast tanks divided into upper and lower sections.
During ballasting operations, water is pumped into the upper ballast tanks first to maintain a lower metacentric height (GM) while satisfying the stability requirements, reducing roll acceleration.
According to ClassNK, this helps prevent excessive sloshing loads at any cargo filling level, allowing unrestricted filling levels and eliminating prior filling limits.
ClassNK conducted a design review based on part N of its “Rules and Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships”, which incorporates the IGC Code.
Upon confirming compliance with the prescribed requirements, ClassNK issued the AiP.
GTT said in a separate statement that, thanks to its intermediate size, the 30,000-cbm LNG carrier is particularly suited for transporting liquefied natural gas to regional markets or terminals with limited capacity.
The company booked orders for 68 LNG carriers in January-September of this year.
GTT received orders for 73 LNG carriers last year, down from record 162 orders for LNG carriers in 2022 and higher than 68 orders in 2021.
CEO Jean-Baptiste Choimet recently said the company expects shipyard slots for LNG carriers to increase to about 85 per year by early 2026.
According to Choimet, the number of slots could increase by “10 to 15 slots” in 2028 compared to 2026.
