LNG

French LNG storage technology company GTT Group said its smart shipping unit Ascenz Marorka had been selected to provide advanced weather routing solutions for Monaco-based Greek company Latsco Shipping with a fleet of 36 vessels.

Latsco’s fleet mainly comprises chemical and liquefied petroleum gas vessels.

The accord will equip eight Latsco vessels with the Ascenz Marorka monitoring after a comprehensive market analysis and an extensive one-year testing phase on two of Latsco’s ships.

Optimal routes

Ascenz Marorka explained that the weather routing solution defines optimal shipping routes by integrating multiple operational, economic and environmental variables, while taking into account a wide range of operational and regulatory constraints.

This solution is compatible with various vessel types and propulsion systems, regardless of the fuel source chosen.

Latsco already uses the Ascenz Marorka Sloshield and Smart Shipping solutions to monitor in real time sloshing activity inside LNG cargo tanks by fixed motion sensors as well as boil-off performance of the containment system during operations.

Ascenz Marorka’s platform allows technical operators to monitor the performance of various systems such as the cargo or reliquefaction plants.

It also provides guidance to avoid roll-over when loading LNG of different densities

“We are honoured by the trust that Latsco places in us to support them in their journey towards digitalisation,” said Anouar Kiassi, Managing Director of Ascenz Marorka.

“We are delighted to work hand in hand with a ship-owner who values technology and innovation to achieve major decarbonisation goals,” he added.

Assessment

George Mavrogenis, Marine Manager of Latsco, said the Ascenz Marorka platform's features were thoroughly assessed for deliverables and ease of application.

“We evaluated its operational and safety navigation aspects, confirming it integrates seamlessly into daily practices, ensuring both efficiency and safety in our maritime operations” he stated.

Iasonas Zacharioudakis, Operational Technology and Energy Manager of Latsco, said he was impressed with the structured and thorough evaluation process, developed with Ascenz Marorka, to test new technologies.

“This process aimed to assess accurately the capabilities of this promising technology, considering the significant challenges in modelling ship navigation,” Zacharioudakis explained.

“Our goal is to enhance sustainability, improve environmental operations and optimise our environmental footprint,” he added.

May 22 (LNGJ) - GTT, the French LNG storage technology company has under its investment fund, GTT Strategic Ventures, participated in a €4 million financing round to support the development of CryoCollect, a French engineering company specialized in gas-handling technologies for gas treatment, liquefaction and separation since being founded in 2017.

   “Investing in CryoCollect aligns with GTT’s commitment to innovation and pioneering smart technologies,” said Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT. “We are thrilled with this investment, poised to accelerate CryoCollect’s developments in sustainable gas production, thereby expanding the availability of bioLNG and bioCO2,” Berterottière added.

The Korean Register, the classification society of the Republic of Korea, has awarded an Approval in Principle (AIP) for an LNG dual-fuel Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) jointly developed by KR and South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The award was made at the five-day Gastech energy conference and exhibition in the Asian city state of Singapore.

“Currently, the global maritime industry is grappling with the development of various counter-measures to meet strengthening greenhouse-gas regulations and there is more market interest in eco-friendly ships fueled with LNG in particular,” said KR.

The newly approved LNG dual-fuel VLGC, which has been developed in response to market needs, utilizes both marine gas oil (MGO) and LNG as fuel and incorporates two LNG fuel tanks positioned on both sides of the open deck.

HHI executed the ship’s basic design, established the layout of fuel supply pipes and the gas detection system and designed the LNG fuel tank using their technical expertise.

Verified

KR verified the safety, suitability and the regulatory compliance of the design by reviewing national and international regulations, leading to the issuance of the AIP for the LNG dual-fuel VLGC.

“KR has been focusing on the development of eco-friendly technologies relevant to LNG for several years because LNG is considered a major alternative that can meet the international regulations,” said Kim Yeontae, Executive Vice President of KR’s Technical Division.

“We will further enhance our customer support to respond to decarbonization, based on our experience and technologies acquired from joint development projects with shipyards,” Kim added.

Jeon Seungho, HHI’s Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, said he was delighted with the award.

“HHI has been working to develop eco-friendly fuel propulsion ships such as LNG using our accumulated design technologies, and we are pleased to demonstrate our technical expertise with this AIP,” Jeon explained.

Order book

“We will continue to make technological innovations for the development of eco-friendly ships,” he stated.

HHI is one of the world’s leading builder of LNG carriers as well as LNG-powered vessels at its Ulsan shipyard.

The advanced facilities give the Korean company a 10 percent share of the global market. The main HHI yard stretches over 4 kilometres along the coast and has 10 large-scale drydocks with nine huge “Goliath Cranes”.

Ascenz Marorka, a subsidiary of French storage tanks technology company GTT, has been awarded two contracts by the Chinese natural gas and LNG player, the JOVO Group, to provide two LNG carriers with smart-shipping equipment.

JOVO is based in Guangdong province of southern China where it is one of the main suppliers of LNG and other fuels in the Pearl River Delta area.

The Chinese company is involved in LNG importing, trading and the city-gas business as well as pipeline gas deliveries and natural gas filling stations for vehicles.

GTT smart-shipping unit Ascenz Marorka has emerged from the joint branding of Singapore-based Ascenz and Icelandic firm Marorka, which was acquired by GTT.

These contracts for JOVO’s two LNG carriers cover the installation of automatic data collection systems and software for managing and optimising the energy and environmental performance of the ships.

Voyage management

“Crew on board and personnel ashore will benefit from a comprehensive set of modules such as voyage management, LNG cargo optimisation, machinery optimisation, trim optimisation and fuel monitoring,” said GTT.

“In addition, JOVO will also benefit from exclusive LNG features developed through GTT’s unique expertise such as LNG cargo monitoring, boil-off gas management and heel optimisation,” stated the Paris-based parent company.

“We are honoured by the trust that JOVO places in us to support them on their journey towards digitalisation, operational optimisation and effective decarbonisation,” said Anouar Kiassi, Vice-President of Digital and Information at GTT.

“We are delighted to work hand in hand with a shipowner committed to operational and environmental excellence,” stated Kiassi.

Lu Yuan, Managing Director of LNG International Business for the JOVO Group, said the company was delighted to extend its cooperation with GTT and Ascenz Marorka.

“The deployment of these innovative and unique solutions and services on board our LNG carriers will enable us to better operate our vessels, unload larger volumes of LNG cargoes, improve general safety, assist crews in their demanding tasks and achieve our environmental goals,” Lu declared.

Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French LNG storage technology company, has received an order to provide more full containment tanks for the new Nangang LNG import terminal being constructed by Beijing Gas at Tianjin port in northeast China.

GTT said the order was received from its partner company, China Huanqiu Contracting and Engineering Co. (HQC), for the design of four “very large” storage tanks.

This order is part of the new cooperation agreement related to the Tianjin Nangang LNG project signed in March 2021 between Beijing Gas and GTT.

It completes the order for two similar tanks signed in June 2020 with HQC.

GTT is  designing the tanks for all four phases and supplying the latest generation of membrane storage. Each tank will offer a net capacity of 220,000 cubic metres capacity.

The completed Nangang import regasification facilities will have a capacity to handle 12 million tonnes per annum of imports and an initial 2.5 MTPA of imports by 2022.

The French tech firm said the latest tanks order would be delivered in the third quarter of 2023 to the Tianjin South Port Industrial Zone in China.

The second and third phases of the Tianjin Nangang construction will include the building of a total of six additional storage tanks, each of 220,000 cubic metres capacity.

The original agreement was signed in March 2021 at a ceremony held at the French Embassy in Beijing in the presence of French Ambassador Laurent Bili, Chairman of Beijing Enterprises Group Tian Zhenqing and Li Yalan, Chairwoman of the board of Beijing Gas.

The first firm agreement for Nangang LNG followed a November 2019 accord between GTT and Beijing Gas on the occasion of the presidential visit to China of French President Emmanuel Macron for talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

GTT subsequently received an order in June 2020 for the design of two 220,000 cubic metres capacity membrane tanks.

“We are proud to continue the collaboration with HQC with this new order,” said Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT.

“The adoption of Full LNG Membrane technology by HQC and Beijing Gas is recognition not only of the technology's excellent performance, competitiveness and safety, but also of its positive impact in reducing the carbon footprint,” stated Berterottière.

Wei Yabin, Chairman of the Nangang project engineering firm HQC, said the contract was a boost for the company.

“Following the award of Phase I, we are proud to build four more Membrane Full Containment LNG tanks together with GTT,” said Wei.

The latest events at the Gastech Virtual Summit saw many interesting technical presentations, including one marking the steady progress of LNG bunkering operations in the US and centred in the state of Florida.

Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French technology designer of LNG maritime and onshore storage systems, reported a 74 percent rise in first-quarter revenues as orders were solid and it began expanding its services offerings.

Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the Paris-based technology firm for designs of systems for the maritime transportation and storage of liquefied natural gas, has hired French high-flier Eric Dehouck for the newly-created post of Deputy Chief Executive.

South Korean shipyards are the builders of choice for the global liquefied natural gas carrier market with a share of over 80 percent of newbuilds, though executives regret that the nation has not gained acceptance for its LNG maritime storage technology and that shipowners prefer French-designed tanks.

Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) of France is the technology company that earns royalties from every LNG carrier built in South Korea and elsewhere in the world when its designs are used.

One South Korean shipbuilding executive estimated that GTT had earned 2.5 trillion won (US$2.1 billion) in royalties from South Korean shipbuilders over the last 10 years for the rights to use its membrane-type LNG tanks.

GTT’s average royalties are generally kept confidential, though are estimated to be around $10 million per vessel with carriers costing between $180M and $200M in the current market.

The South Korean national news agency Yonhap has carried a report citing financial analysts and unnamed shipyard executives regretting the fact that a South Korean-designed storage tank was not seen as acceptable in the market.

“With demand for LNG vessels soaring in particular, local shipyards are desperate to escape GTT's dominant grip,” said Choi Jin-myung, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co in Seoul.

“As of 2018, GTT had a 92 percent market share in the global LNG cargo containment sector,” added Choi.

“When South Korea's three major shipbuilders receive orders for LNG carriers, they all use GTT's technologies,” he explained.

“About 5 percent of the vessel's price is reportedly paid to GTT in royalties and this has been largely affecting the shipbuilders' profitability and cost management,” he stated.

South Korean shipbuilders have been trying to alter the landscape of the LNG tank system business for years. In fact, all three of South Korea's major players have designed their own LNG cargo containment systems for maritime transportation.

Samsung Heavy Industries Co. developed its KCS LNG cargo containment system in 2011, and Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. created its own LNG cargo containment system in 2013.

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. for its part introduced its Solidus LNG tank in 2017.

However, none of them have yet been used in vessels in service. The reason why was summed up by Samsung Heavy Industries.

“The shipping industry is a very conservative industry,” said a spokesman at Samsung.

“Safety always comes first before looking into new technology and functions. Shipowners or shippers don't want their vessels to become a test bed for new products,” stated the South Korean company.

Against this backdrop, the local shipbuilding industry is also lamenting the failure of the KC-1 tank, the country's first LNG membrane system to be applied in LNG vessels.

The KC-1, developed by the state-run Korea Gas Corp. (Kogas) in collaboration with the three South Korean shipbuilders, made its commercial debut last year after it was installed in two LNG carriers operated by the local shipping line SK Shipping Co.

However, defects were detected later and one of the LNG carriers had to suspend operations.

“It's a pity because the KC-1 could have really benefited the entire industry with a good first impression,” the report cited a Kogas researcher as saying.

“We'll keep working to fix problems and develop a better version of the KC-1,” he added.

LNG tanks must be designed to maintain cryogenic conditions, at least minus 162 centigrade, and failing to do so could lead to the ship being endangered.

The Koreans also claim that Daewoo's Solidus system offers a daily LNG boil-off rate (BOR) of 0.049 percent, lower than the GTT’s Mark III Flex-Plus system's 0.07 BOR. Samsung's KCS tank is also listed as having a low boil-off rate.

“We believe the technology is there, but what we need is a track record,” said Kang Joong-kyoo, head of Daewoo Shipbuilding's Research and Development centre.

“We'll obviously try to gain credibility with global customers, but I think South Korean-owned LNG ships should use local LNG containment systems first and show they are safe,” stated Kang.

The South Koreans in the report acknowledged that GTT had proven systems with a first-class safety record.

“GTT has been in the LNG tank designing business for more than 50 years, so you can't ignore its relationship with shippers and ship owners,” said an official at the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

“So far, no South Korean companies have managed to sell their patents for LNG tank containment systems,” stated the official.

May 7 (LNGJ) - GTT, the French LNG storage technology, has received an order notification from the South Korean shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries for the tank design of a new 174,000 cubic metres capacity carrier on behalf of the Greek shipowner, Capital Gas Carriers. The vessel will be fitted with the Mark III Flex membrane containment system.

   The delivery of the ship is planned for the third quarter of 2021. “We are very happy to receive this new order from our long-term partner HHI and to continue to accompany Capital Gas Carriers in its development in the LNG industry,” said Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT.