Approvals cover FLNG design and gas carrier cargo systems

Shipbuilder also unveils next-generation LNG fuel tank development results

Officials from Hanwha Ocean and ABS pose for a photo after a ceremony marking the approval-in-principle for Hanwha Ocean's standardized FLNG concept design. Philip Levy (seventh from left), president of Hanwha Ocean's EPU division, and Matthew Tremblay (sixth from left), ABS vice president of global offshore, are among those pictured. [Hanwha Ocean]
Officials from Hanwha Ocean and ABS pose for a photo after a ceremony marking the approval-in-principle for Hanwha Ocean's standardized FLNG concept design. Philip Levy (seventh from left), president of Hanwha Ocean's EPU division, and Matthew Tremblay (sixth from left), ABS vice president of global offshore, are among those pictured. [Hanwha Ocean]

Hanwha Ocean announced Thursday that it has received a series of approvals from major global classification societies at Gastech 2026, being held in Bangkok, Thailand.

The shipbuilder first secured approval-in-principle (AIP) from American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Norwegian classification society DNV for its standardized floating LNG production unit (FLNG) design. Hanwha Ocean had previously developed a standardized basic design for floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units to improve engineering, procurement and construction efficiency and obtained classification approval for it. The latest certifications extend that standardization strategy to FLNG design.

Approvals on the gas carrier side followed in quick succession. Hanwha Ocean obtained AIP from British classification society Lloyd's Register (LR) for its high-manganese steel-based cargo containment system, MCTIB, designed for very large ethane carriers (VLEC) of 100,000 cubic meters. Cargo tanks fitted with MCTIB offer superior structural safety.

Hanwha Ocean also presented research and development results, including progress on a next-generation fuel tank for container ships. A highlight was a joint development project (JDP) launched with DNV in May to advance next-generation high-pressure LNG fuel tank technology. Through the JDP, Hanwha Ocean said it has secured technology capable of storing boil-off gas for longer periods than before.

The company also signed agreements to develop new technologies. Hanwha Ocean signed an MOU with LR to launch a JDP aimed at extending the internal inspection interval for LNG carrier cargo tanks. The two parties plan to jointly develop condition-based monitoring technology and a risk-based safety assessment framework for cargo tanks, with the goal of extending the current five-year internal inspection cycle to as long as 7.5 years.

Hanwha Ocean also signed an MOU with Korean Register (KR) for the joint development of an 18,000-cubic-meter LNG bunkering vessel. The two companies plan to develop two LNG bunkering vessel concepts — one applying MCTIB and the other a Type-C independent tank.

"Hanwha Ocean is continuously expanding its technology portfolio to meet diverse market demands," a company official said. "We will deliver optimal future maritime solutions based on our differentiated research and development and engineering capabilities."

Meanwhile, Hanwha Ocean also unveiled a 60 MW floating data center (FDC) at this year's Gastech. The FDC is designed to address the limitations of land-based data centers: it can generate power independently at sea and improve energy efficiency through a seawater-based cooling system.


yeongdai@heraldcorp.com