On September 9, at the 2025 Gastech in Milan, Italy, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) held a certification ceremony for its 25,000 m³ LNG Bunker Vessel. The world’s five major authoritative classification societies—American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (BV), China Classification Society (CCS), DNV, and Lloyd’s Register (LR)—respectively awarded the vessel type an Approval in Principle (AIP) certificate, marking the official international recognition of this innovative vessel type.
Hudong-Zhonghua’s 25,000 m³ LNG bunker vessel is an innovative product jointly developed with GTT, a global leader in membrane containment system technology. The vessel has an overall length of 160 meters, a molded width of 25 meters, and a molded depth of 16 meters.
Based on the proven MARK III containment system, it incorporates enhanced design pressure technology, which significantly increases the pressure accumulation capacity of the MARK III membrane containment system – doubling its endurance time approximately. This advancement enables more efficient and reliable bunkering for next-generation LNG-powered ships while fully meeting the technical specifications for balancing safety and operational efficiency.
Multiple innovative designs not only enhance the flexibility and economic efficiency of vessel operations but also provide crucial technological support for the sustainable development of low-carbon shipping worldwide, setting a new benchmark in the LNG bunkering vessel sector.
The award of this AiP not only symbolizes international recognition of the vessel but also marks a milestone in the development of global LNG bunkering solutions.
As a global leader in LNG carrier construction, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has consistently prioritized green and low-carbon development, committed to providing the shipping industry with efficient, environmentally friendly clean energy transport solutions.
In recent years, Hudong-Zhonghua has consistently driven forward its green and low-carbon transformation, continuously introducing market-competitive future-oriented vessel designs. From the world’s largest 271,000 m³ ultra-large LNG carriers to 8,000-TEU LNG-powered container ships, and further to new clean energy carriers for liquid hydrogen and liquid ammonia, the company remains at the forefront of green shipping technology development.