China’s Hudong-Zhonghua secures BV AiP for 25,000 m³ LNG bunker vessel

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) on Wednesday (10 September) said it has granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd. (Hudong-Zhonghua) for its 25,000 m³ LNG bunker vessel.

BV said the certificate was presented at Gastech 2025 in Milan, Italy, marking a milestone in the development of large-capacity LNG bunkering solutions.

Hudong-Zhonghua’s 25,000 m³ LNG bunker vessel is an innovative product jointly developed with GTT, a global leader in membrane containment system technology. The vessel has an overall length of 160 meters, a molded width of 25 meters, and a molded depth of 16 meters. 

Based on the proven MARK III containment system, it incorporates enhanced design pressure technology, which significantly increases the pressure accumulation capacity of the MARK III membrane containment system – doubling its endurance time approximately. 

This advancement enables more efficient and reliable bunkering for next-generation LNG-powered ships while fully meeting BV’s technical specifications for balancing safety and operational efficiency.

In response to the growing global demand for large-capacity LNG bunkering, BV conducted a comprehensive design review on the vessel’s technical documentation and safety features, helping ensure full compliance with international standards and BV Rules. 

“The award of this AiP not only symbolises international recognition of the vessel but also marks a milestone in the development of global LNG bunkering solutions,” BV said. 

At the award ceremony, Song Wei, Chief Engineer of Hudong-Zhonghua, noted that this achievement demonstrates Hudong-Zhonghua’s leading position in green and low-carbon technological innovation, which is highly aligned with BV’s philosophy of supporting the energy transition of the shipping industry and promoting safe and innovative solutions.

Photo credit: Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore
Published: 11 September, 2025