South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean and classification society Korean Register will jointly develop two 18,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel concepts based on different independent cargo tank systems, according to an official statement.
The memorandum of understanding was signed on 16 September 2026 at Gastech in Bangkok by Sangdon Kang, executive vice president and head of Hanwha Ocean’s commercial ship business division, and Kyujin Yeon, executive vice president of Korean Register’s Technical Division.
One concept will use Hanwha Ocean’s MCTIB, or High Manganese Steel Cargo Tank Independent Type-B, containment system.
The second will use independent Type C tanks. The two designs are intended to address different LNG bunkering and operating requirements. Hanwha Ocean will carry out the basic design and vessel performance assessment, including cargo tank arrangement, the LNG bunkering system and the operating concept. Korean Register will review safety, compliance with international conventions and classification rules, and operational efficiency from the early design stage. It will then assess the concepts for Approval in Principle. Neither 18,000-cbm design has yet received AiP.
The project is separate from Hanwha Power’s 22,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel concept, which has already received AiP from American Bureau of Shipping. That design features LNG and ammonia multi-cargo capability, Mc-C containment technology and hybrid-electric propulsion.
Hanwha Ocean, formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, was founded in 1973 and operates its main shipyard at Geoje in South Korea. Its activities span commercial shipbuilding, offshore facilities and naval vessels.
Korean Register was founded in 1960 and has been a member of the International Association of Classification Societies since 1988. It provides classification, statutory survey, certification and technical services through an international office network.