BV gives nod of approval to Hudong Zhonghua’s 25,000 cbm LNG bunker vessel

France-based classification society Bureau Veritas (BV) has greenlit the design of a 25,000 cbm liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker vessel developed by China’s major Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding.

As informed, the approval in principle (AiP) for the ship was granted in Milan, Italy, at a recent maritime event.

Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding’s 25,000 cbm bunker unit is a product developed in collaboration with French technological containment specialist Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT). The vessel is planned to possess an overall length of 160 meters, a molded width of 25 meters and a molded depth of 16 meters.

The two partners had initially unveiled a project concerning the optimization of the design and performance of LNG bunkering vessels in the early summer of this year.

At the time, officials from GTT shared that the all-embracing target of the endeavor would be to boost operational efficiency and slash operating costs by integrating advanced technologies and design improvements.

As representatives from Bureau Veritas have noted, the LNG bunkering ship’s concept was based on the MARK III containment system, which incorporates ‘enhanced’ design pressure technology that is said to “significantly” increase the pressure accumulation capacity of the MARK III membrane.

As a result, the unit is expected to boast high efficiency and reliability in the bunkering of next-generation vessels powered by liquefied natural gas, while meeting BV’s technical specifications regarding safety and operational efficiency.

Reflecting on the design approval, Matthieu de Tugny, who is the Executive Vice President, Industrials and Commodities at BV, highlighted that LNG was an important piece of the climate neutrality puzzle and that the work with Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding—as well as similar initiatives—represented one of the ‘key’ steps in helping the maritime transport industry achieve its decarbonization targets.

In spite of the rise of other alternative fuels, particularly ammonia, hydrogen and methanol, LNG has largely remained the top choice among maritime stakeholders looking to remain compliant with increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

The global vessel orderbook confirms LNG’s status quo, with a July 2025 report by the Oslo-headquartered classification society DNV showing that new bookings for clean-fueled ships reached 19.8 million gross tonnes (GT)—largely in the container segment, but also dispersed across the bulker, tanker, and RoPax types.

Among these, LNG-powered units covered 87 new vessels, totaling 14.2 million GT in the first half of this year.

What is more, despite the fact that, around the world, a limited number of ports have a ready infrastructure to support liquefied natural gas supply operations, this number is anticipated to balloon as shipping inches closer and closer to the net zero by (or around) 2050 goal.

In this context, it is worth noting that, according to Greek shipbroker Intermodal, the number of ports equipped with LNG bunkering facilities, featuring storage tanks, LNG distribution pipelines, and advanced safety systems, among others, has increased to 201 around the world. This is 60 more than in 2021.

In addition to this, 57 more ports are projected to be upgraded with such facilities by the end of 2026.

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