Two pioneering ship designs: a 201,000m3 LNG carrier featuring a three-cargo hold layout, and a 42,000m3 CO2 (carrier. have been awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) certificates from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV).
The 201,000m3 LNG carrier is the first of its class to adopt a three-cargo hold configuration, breaking long-standing design bottlenecks. This novel approach delivers key benefits, including reduced costs, enhanced energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and high compatibility. Compared with four-cargo hold designs, the new three-cargo hold layout reduces the liquid cargo hold surface area by 9.8%, while maintaining the same overall cargo volume capacity. This design optimisation, along with fewer pumps and valves, simplifies the cargo system and reduces construction costs by nearly US$ 10m, as well as cutting life-cycle operational and maintenance costs.
The vessel incorporates a next-generation double-skeg hull form, achieving a 6% reduction in unit cargo energy consumption compared with 174,000m3 LNG carriers, and nearly zero SOx emissions. Based on an annual transport volume of 3m tons, carbon emissions are cut by over 8%. With a hull length comparable to the 174,000m3 carrier, the vessel offers greater operational flexibility—fully compatible with the new Panama Canal and over 100 shore stations worldwide. It is expected to become a benchmark ship type for the new Panama Canal, providing a greener and more environmentally friendly solution for future LNG transportation.
Hudong-Zhonghua’s 42,000m3 low-pressure CO₂ carrie is designed to support the growing carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) market. Powered by an LNG dual-fuel main engine and equipped with an onboard carbon capture system, the vessel enables a ‘capture-and-transport’ model for CO₂ emissions. The design is future-ready, with the capability for ammonia-fuel retrofitting and integration with a high-efficiency shaft generator system, supporting the ambition to achieve zero-carbon operations under normal sailing conditions. On a Japan-Malaysia route, a single vessel could transport and sequester more than 700,000t of CO₂ annually — offering a high-impact solution to support net-zero shipping strategies.
Matthieu de Tugny, BV President, said: “Bureau Veritas has been committed to supporting the global shipping and energy sectors through trusted certification services and the advancement of green and low-carbon technologies. The Approval in Principle for Hudong-Zhonghua’s two innovative ship designs is a strong example of our ongoing contribution to the energy transition and the drive toward carbon neutrality. We will continue to leverage our technical expertise and collaborate closely with industry partners to chart a sustainable course toward a cleaner, low-carbon, and more efficient energy future.”
Image: BV AiP certificates awarded to Hudong-Zhonghua’s two innovative gas carrier designs (source: Bureau Veritas)
