CMHI to build LNGCs using GTT membrane tech under new license deal

French LNG containment specialist GTT has signed technical assistance and license agreement with China Merchants Heavy Industries-Jiangsu (CMHI-Jiangsu), a subsidiary of China Merchants Industry Holdings (CMI).

The agreement will enable the shipbuilder to construct vessels using GTT’s membrane technologies.

GTT and CMI have been collaborating for a decade, with the first technical service agreement signed in 2013 for the maintenance and repair of liquefied natural gas carriers (LNGCs) and a cooperation agreement from 2016.

The new deal marks a new stage in the partnership between the two companies as the shipyard is now licensed to construct large-capacity LNG carriers.

CMHI-Jiangsu began the licensing process earlier this year and obtained it at the mock-up completion ceremony held on 10 October.

Philippe Berterottière, chairman and CEO of GTT, said: “We are honoured to carry on our collaboration with China Merchants Heavy Industries, one of the largest shipyards in China. We expect the new stage of this partnership to be a real success both in the LNG carrier construction and in the LNG fuelled market as the shipyard is renowned for its variety of vessel constructions.”

Simple Hu, general manager of China Merchants Industry Holdings (CMI), added: “We are delighted with the collaboration and the trust that the GTT Group has placed in us. We are already acquainted with GTT’s technologies and we are determined to consolidate our shipbuilding experience with these technologies for large LNG carriers, FSU, FSRU, FLNG, VLEC, as well as LNG fuelled merchant vessels. We aim to further deepen our collaboration with GTT with our other shipyards as well.”

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