GTT has won Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas for the design of an ammonia-ready very large crude carrier (VLCC) fuelled by LNG. The approval comes as part of a joint development project, which started in 2021.
The emerging concept of VLCC is a breakthrough innovation, with the relocation of the fuel tank below the main deck, to avoid exposure to bad weather, and the risk of piracy, all while lowering the centre of gravity of the propulsion systems.
The proposed design integrates GTT’s Mark III membrane containment tech and the LNG storage tank is compatible with liquid ammonia fuel, offering the owner and charterer increased operational flexibility.
The flexible capacity of the new VLCC ranges from 9,000m3 to 14,000m3and complies with strength requirements for LNG and ammonia fuels. It also complies with key environmental requirements.
Jean-Baptiste Boutillier, Vice-president Development, Innovation, Technical Strategy of GTT, says: ‘We are very proud to have developed this new generation of LNG fuelled and NH3 [ammonia] ready VLCCs thanks to the expertise of the market’s key players. This technology illustrates GTT’s ambition to support, with its innovation, the maritime industry in facing the challenges of energy transition. This concept of multi-fuel VLCC with enhanced endurance not only enables safer and more efficient operations, but also offers greater bunkering flexibility for shipowners and charterers towards a carbon-free future.’
