Tritec Marine, a subsidiary of Northern Marine Group and Stena Group, has received approval in principle (AiP) from classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for its Safe Bunker 20,000 cubic meter (cbm) LNG bunker vessel design.
The design was developed by Tritec Marine in partnership with cryogenic liquid cargo containment systems provider Bluesol under the collaboration agreement from 2024.
The agreement entailed tailoring Tritec Marine’s Safe Bunker LNG bunker vessels by including Bluesol’s proprietary Bastion B aluminum alloy LNG (Type B) cargo containment system.
As explained, Bluesoul’s IMO B tank is a prismatic tank equipped with anti-sloshing bulkheads. Using aluminum alloy 5083-O, this B tank is 30% lighter than the traditional stainless steel and nickel tanks, easy to scale up, and allows for increased cargo carrying capacity at comparable drafts. The tank is covered by oxide film, does not require coating, is easier to maintain, and can be used to transport LNG, ammonia, and liquid hydrogen.
With the ABS’ approval, the companies are now in discussions with parties interested in Safe Bunker technology licenses for construction.
According to Tritec Marine, Safe Bunker differs from traditional LNG bunker vessel designs as it contains an offset accommodation unit to better prevent vessel contact during bunker operations with virtual mooring systems and dynamic positioning on the vessel removing the need for fixed mooring lines.
George Mermiris, Director and General Manager of Tritec Marine, said: “The Safe Bunker vessel offers a safer bunkering solution and a platform where commercial requirements and technological innovation can blend in a cost-effective and operationally efficient manner.
“The industry is seeing a growing demand for LNG as fuel which will inevitably drive the need for more efficient bunkering operations, especially in busy maritime hubs like Shanghai or Singapore. The innovative nature of our bunker vessel design in combination with Bluesoul’s proprietary tank technology provide an optimal solution for the sector.”
Yongfeng Qu, Chief Scientist and Engineer at Bluesoul, added: “Having previously successfully collaborated with Tritec Marine and the Northern Marine Group, we are delighted to work together once again in the exciting and rapidly developing LNG bunker vessel space.
“Our IMO B Tank solutions are customizable, utilise anti-sloshing bulkheads, and offer a unique system which increases safety while still allowing for fast and cost-effective installation.”