GTT Membrane LNG Tanks 'Ammonia-Ready': Veritas
French LNG technology company GTT has obtained two approvals in principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas for repurposing its Mark III LNG membrane tanks, it said February 15. Liquefied ammonia (NH3) is denser than LNG so the classification agency tested the level of reinforcement necessary for transporting it and found no major design changes were needed.
The second AiP obtained from Bureau Veritas relates to the higher design pressure of "1 barg" in LNG used as fuel, such as in large container vessels. Thanks to an already existing alternative design of membrane tanks with specific dome reinforcement, this AiP gives ship-owners more flexibility in all their operations, said GTT.
CEO Philippe Berterottiere said that being 'NH3 Ready', and its alternative '1 barg' design, showed "the importance of our ability to continuously innovate, in order to provide our customers with even more reliable, performant, safe and flexible technologies. While we are convinced that LNG is the solution of choice for cleaning-up ship emissions even further, we have to take into consideration that ammonia, coming from green hydrogen, could bring additional reductions in emissions. In offering ammonia compatibility, we open the perspective to owners of a much longer period for ship amortisation."
Bureau Veritas' president for marine, Matthieu de Tugny, said it was "exciting to support GTT in their continued journey of innovation. Our role is to help the industry understand – and address – both risk and opportunity as we look for energy transition solutions."