Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French LNG storage technology company, has signed technical services agreements with Eastern Pacific Shipping and its LNG affiliate Cool Company Ltd for a global fleet of 33 vessels, including 24 LNG carriers.
Under the agreement GTT will support Eastern Pacific and CoolCo with the maintenance and operation of their LNG fleet and six Very Large Ethane Carriers and three LNG-fuelled container ships operated by EPS, all equipped with Mark III or No. 96 membrane containment systems technologies developed by GTT.
GTT said it would provide on-site technical assistance for inspection, maintenance, repairs, operations and engineering services.
Eastern Pacific and CoolCo will also benefit from access to the HEARS® emergency hotline, which enables ship-owners and their crews to contact GTT’s experts at any time to respond to operational issues.
“We welcome the signature of this agreement with our key partners EPS and CoolCo, who operate a large and diverse fleet of vessels equipped with GTT technologies,” said Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT.
Support services
“Our tailor-made support services allow us to guarantee maximum efficiency and safety for the vessels in operation,” added Berterottière.
Richard Tyrrell, CEO of CoolCo, explained that GTT was an important partner of the company.
“We look forward to continuing to work with GTT and to extending our levels of collaboration,” Tyrrell added.
Cyril Ducau, CEO of Eastern Pacific, said his company was pleased to expand its partnership with GTT.
“GTT’s technology will play a key role as EPS rejuvenates its fleet with eco-friendly tonnage,” Ducau stated.
GTT has also been making progress in the design of the next generation of LNG carriers with fewer storage tanks.
The Paris-based company and South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries recently received an approval from UK classification society Lloyd’s Register for a new design of GTT’s three-tank concept.
Carrier re-designs
The new design is for a new LNG carrier featuring GTT’s three-tank Mark III Flex membrane containment system, which will also allow for the reduction in the length of vessels.
Analysts noted that about 30 years ago, GTT upgraded LNG carriers from five storage tanks to four tanks and the company now hopes to bring the market forward with a three-tank LNG carrier.
This approval in principle is the result of a joint development project initiated in 2022 and aimed at designing a new generation of LNG vessels.
GTT explained that the three-tank LNG carrier concept permits an increase in LNG cargo capacity and improves maintenance efficiencies through the suppression of one cofferdam, one pump tower and all associated cryogenic equipment.
The company added that the design also improved the ratio between the volume of LNG transported and the surface area of the cryogenic liner.
