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The future standard for energy-saving LNG carriers.

Number: 13

Author(s) : SEZE P-E. de, GUERRERO C., LOUBEYRE S., SERGENT M.

Summary

For several decades, LNG carrier design has been driven by a narrow set of assumptions regarding design speed and boil-off gas management. A design speed of 19.5 knots, combined with a cargo capacity of approximately 174,000 m³, has progressively become the industry standard, shaping hull forms, propulsion architectures, cargo containment arrangements, and LNG commercial lot sizes.
While this paradigm was historically justified by early LNG trade routes, high Capex, and the natural boil-off rates of first-generation containment systems, it is increasingly misaligned with current operational realities.
Advanced data collection and operational monitoring provide unprecedented insight into the actual operating profiles of LNG carriers. These data show that vessels spend a significant share of their operating time at reduced speeds, while maximum design speed is used far less frequently than assumed during the design phase.
At the same time, the LNG shipping sector faces growing pressure from environmental regulations, rising fuel costs, and increasingly complex compliance frameworks at both international and regional levels.
This paper presents a disruptive LNG carrier concept developed by GTT in close cooperation with Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV M&O) and its sister company Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore (BVS M&O). The concept challenges the conventional design speed and adopts a slow-steaming philosophy combined with a significant increase in cargo capacity, targeting a minimum of 200,000 m³. This approach enables equivalent annual LNG transportation while significantly reducing fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and transportation costs.
The proposed design combines proven technologies - such as modern propulsion, advanced cargo containment, and boil-off gas management - with emerging energy-saving technologies, including wind-assisted propulsion and optimised shaft generator integration. Beyond individual technologies, the concept is disruptive in its overall ship arrangement, particularly with respect to
hull bodylines and cargo tank layout.
The resulting concept is estimated to deliver the same annual LNG volumes while reducing emissions by more than 20% and lowering transportation costs by more than 5%, as capital expenditure should remain at a level comparable to, or lower than, current standard vessels through a simplified three-tank cargo arrangement.

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Details

  • Original title: The future standard for energy-saving LNG carriers.
  • Record ID : 30034626
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: 21st International Conference & Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG2026)
  • Publication date: 2026/02/05

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