French LNG storage technology company GTT has another successful year in patent applications in France
Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French LNG storage technology company, has increased its annual list of patent applications made to the Patent and Trademark Office in France, l’Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle.
The GTT group said it filed a total of 64 patents in 2023, an increase compared with 2022, thus maintaining its position as a technological leader in the category of intermediate-sized enterprises (ETIs) in France.
With 61 patents filed with the INPI, GTT said it secured the second position in the 2023 INPI ranking of patent-filing ETIs.
GTT also filed three more patents with the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2023.
Broadening technology
The group’s order book has designs for GTT storage and conventional carriers and containment tanks for LNG-powered vessels.
GTT’s earnings come from its technology licensing, hence the importance of the patents pipeline.
“Over the past decade, GTT's technological solutions have played a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from LNG carriers and optimizing the energy performance of its ship-owner clients,” explained the Paris-based company.
GTT’s core business has been centred around designs for tanks such as the Mark III membrane containment system.
However, GTT said it was now implementing an “ambitious innovation roadmap” in its adjacent markets and in its digital activities, as well as in the field of “zero-carbon” solutions at the subsidiary Elogen.
“With 61 patents filed with INPI and three patents filed with the European Patent Office, 2023 confirms the group's position of excellence in innovation and R&D and underlines GTT's technological stance,” said Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to Soitec for claiming the top spot in 2023 with 62 patents filed in France, and I am pleased to witness the dynamic technological innovation among French mid-sized companies,” stated Berterottière.
He was referring to France's Soitec SA, a company that is involved in the microelectronics industry, designing and manufacturing innovative semiconductor materials.
It was also previously well known for licensing the patents for organisations such as French Atomic Energy Commission.
France's GTT receives order from South Korean shipyard Hyundai for tank designs for 17 LNG carriers
Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French liquefied natural gas storage technology company, said it received an order for tanks designs for 17 vessels from the South Korea shipyard HD Hyundai Heavy Industries on behalf of a leading LNG player, revealed earlier as QatarEnergy.
French designer of storage tanks GTT receives order from Mitsui Osk Lines for QatarEnergy expansion ships
Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French designer of maritime liquefied natural gas storage and fuel tanks, said it received an order from its partner, China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, for the tank design of the first four LNG carriers for the QatarEnergy expansion project on behalf of the Japanese shipowner, Mitsui Osk Lines.
The Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai is a subsidiary of state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corp.
MOL, which has an operating fleet of almost 100 LNG carriers, had ordered the ships in April 2022 as it also increases its interests in the Chinese LNG shipping market.
GTT will design the tanks of these four new LNG carriers with a total of LNG tank capacity of 174,000 cubic metres per ship and the vessels will be fitted with the latest membrane containment system developed by GTT.
The deliveries of the four vessels to serve the Qatar expansion project is scheduled for the third quarter of 2024 and the second quarter of 2025.
MOL announced in April 2022 it had signed a long-term charter contract for four newbuild LNG carriers with QatarEnergy.
Track record
“MOL's solid track record in building LNG carriers in China in addition to its performance in the LNG carrier business and safety in navigation and cargo handling earned high regard from QatarEnergy, leading to the successful conclusion of the contract.” MOL said at the time.
QatarEnergy has been developing the North Field Expansion Project to boost its LNG ouput.
The North Field expansion will increase Qatar's LNG production capacity from 77 million tonnes per annum to 126 MTPA with the carrier fleet programme alongside, which could amount to 80 vessels, including the replacement of older ships in the current fleet.
The scope of the first phase of the expansion at the Ras Laffan production complex involves an additional four Trains, each with 8.0 MTPA of output.
Qatar has the southern portion of the North Field in Gulf waters that will provide the huge feed-gas resources and the other part of the field is under the jurisdiction of neighbouring Iran.
French LNG storage firm GTT reports revenue and profit plunge but says market dynamics are very positive
French liquefied natural gas storage technology firm Gaztranzport and Technigaz (GTT) reported a more than 20 percent drop in revenues in 2021 and net income was down over 32 percent as contracts for 27 newbuilds and a substantial order book failed to boost the bottom line because of timings.
Qatar Gas Transport signs technical services agreement with French LNG tanks designer GTT for 26 ships
Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French designer of maritime liquefied natural gas storage tanks, has signed a global Technical Services Agreement with Qatar Gas Transport Co., also known as Nakilat.
GTT said the agreement would provide GTT’s technical support for Nakilat for maintenance and operational support for 26 of its vessels.
The 26 Nakilat ships are equipped with GTT storage tanks, either the Mark III technology or the No. 96 tanks.
This agreement includes GTT on-site technical assistance for inspection, maintenance, repairs, operations and engineering services.
Nakilat will also benefit from access to the HEARS emergency hotline, which enables ship-owners and their crews to contact GTT’s experts 24/7 to respond to operational issues.
“We welcome the signature of this agreement with our partner Nakilat, which owns and operates a large fleet of vessels equipped with our membrane technology,” said Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT.
“Our tailor-made support services, adapted to our customers’ requirements, allow us to guarantee maximum efficiency and safety for vessels in operation,” stated Berterottière.
In its full-year earnings Nakilat recently posted consolidated net profits of 1.35 billion Qatari rials ($372 million), an increase of 16.7 percent compared with 1.16Bln rials earned in 2020.
During 2021, the Covid-19 global pandemic continued to create very challenging and volatile conditions across the global shipping industry.
However, with long-term strategies in place, Nakilat managed to post annual revenues of 4.14Bln rials ($1.14Bln), a rise of 3.1 percent.
Nakilat at the start of 2022 also teamed up with the American Bureau of Shipping, the US classification society, to develop a decarbonization strategy.
Nakilat’s project team worked closely with ABS sustainability specialists to map out decarbonization pathways for the company’s overall fleet of 69 LNG carriers and four Very Large Gas Carriers.
In addition to this partnership with ABS, Nakilat was also leading a working group with its joint venture partners to ensure global fleet operations meet with emissions targets under regulations passed by the International Maritime Organization.
European Commission set to block $2Bln merger of Korean LNG carrier builders Hyundai and Daewoo
The European Commission’s competition officials are preparing to block a $2 billion merger between two of the world's biggest shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.
French LNG technology firm GTT wins contract from US Navy linked to fuelling piers at Pearl Harbor
Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French technology firm and designer of liquefied natural gas storage tanks, has been awarded a contract by the US Department of Defense to upgrade a military fuel storage facility featuring 20 steel-lined underground tanks with capacity up to 250 million gallons connected to fuelling piers at Pearl Harbor.
Under the agreement, GTT will work with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the US Navy to develop a solution to convert the existing tanks to double-wall containment at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
“GTT engineers will use the company’s expertise in advanced tank containment system technologies, acquired over the past 60 years in the shipping and land storage of LNG under cryogenic conditions, to design a continuously monitored membrane barrier system that will extend the useful life of the tanks, originally built in the 1940s,” GTT explained.
“This award comes to GTT after a competitive source selection strategy launched last Spring by DIU,” said the French company.
GTT said the rigorous tender process was aimed at facilitating innovative technologies from the commercial sector that meet requirements, close capability gaps or provide potential technological advances to support the mission of the US Armed Forces.
“We are proud and honoured to have been retained by the US Department of Defense to assist them in extending the longevity of the Red Hill facility, recognized as both a Civil Engineering Landmark and a strategic asset to US Navy operations in the Pacific,” stated Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT.
“This contract is in line with our large capacity energy storage activities and clearly demonstrates our commitment to innovation beyond our traditional cryogenic business,” added Berterottière.
“Our goal is to contribute our technological and innovation capabilities to the sustainable preservation of Hawaii’s groundwater resources,” said the CEO.
In its traditional LNG market, GTT announced in early September 2020 that it had received an order from two South Korean shipyards for tank designs for six LNG carriers for Asian and European owners.
GTT said two of the newbuilds would be constructed by Hyundai Heavy Industries on behalf of a European shipping line.
The other four vessels will be built by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, two on behalf of an Asian ship-owner and two for a European ship-owner.
Each vessel of the six on order will have a capacity of 174,000 cubic metres.
GTT said the ships would be fitted with the Mark III Flex membrane containment system.
The delivery dates for all six carrier are scheduled between the second and final quarters of 2023.
Total and Mitsui OSK Lines hold naming ceremony in Rotterdam for largest LNG bunkering vessel
French energy major Total and Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines have attended a naming ceremony in the Dutch port of Rotterdam for the “Gas Agility”, the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel.
French technology firm GTT signs technical services accord for growing LNG fleet of Norway’s Knutsen
Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French technology firm for designs of systems for the maritime transportation and storage of liquefied natural gas, has renewed and expanded a global Technical Services Agreement (TSA) with the Norwegian shipowner Knutsen OAS Shipping and its growing LNG fleet.
French LNG tech firm GTT completes training centre in Hamburg before German LNG debut
Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French technology firm for designs of systems for the maritime transportation and storage of liquefied natural gas, said it had completed an LNG terminal and bunkering training simulator for the Maritime Training Centre in Hamburg to develop personnel skills before Germany makes its debut as an importer and maritime fuel supplier.
