Classification society DNV GL has presented South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) with an approval in principle (AIP) certificate for a new double side-hull LPG carrier design – LPG SAFE (Structural Advances for the Environment).

The certificate confirms that the design complies with the new DNV GL rules for the classification of ships. The LPG SAFE design is the first 38K LPG carrier design to provide the safety benefit of a double side-hull, while offering the same cargo carrying capacity and the same construction cost as a conventional design.

According to DNV GL, the double side-hull design of LPG SAFE offers a significant increase in protection for these tanks, especially in the event of a collision.

“We have been able to maintain the same cargo capacity as the single side-hull design by optimising the structural configuration of the no. 1 and no. 3 cargo tanks design, in combination with finite element (FE) analysis and using the DNV GL rules to optimize the scantlings, weight and hull strength,” Dug Ki Min, Vice President, HMD Seoul, said.

“The LPG SAFE design has shown a measurable improvement in safety, while retaining capacity, strength and cost, and we are very honoured that HMD selected us to work with them to realize this extremely interesting and exciting concept,” Hwa Lyong Lee, Regional Business Development Manager, DNV GL – Maritime, said.