Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) said it received a General Approval from UK’s LR (Lloyd's Register) for its own LNG cargo tank named HiMEX at Gastech – a leading exhibition for the global gas, LNG and energy industries – held from September 17 to 19 in Houston, Texas, USA.

A General Approval is a higher level of approval issued by LR than an AiP (Approval in Principle). Based on this latest approval granted, HHI plans to complete a full-fledged demonstration process of HiMEX by 2020.

HiMEX, HHI’s next-generation design solution for membrane-type LNG cargo tanks with full secondary barriers, features HHI-developed corrugation shape design, boasting the world’s highest level of structural stability to tolerate significant temperature variations from room temperature to an extreme cold environment (-163 degree Celsius) and to withstand the sloshing of LNG caused by hull movement in rough seas.

HHI Group also held a Tech Seminar at Gastech on September 18 in the presence of about 70 representatives of global customers, including Höegh, BW Gas and Cheniere.

On an annual basis, the Group has continuously showcased at Gastech’s Tech Seminar the next-generation LNG technologies, including a brand-new compact regasification system (Hi-ReGAS+) and its own single mixed refrigerant system (SMR). Present at this year’s Tech Seminar were, among others, Ka Sam-hyun, CEO of HHI; Chung Kisun, Managing Director of Group Ship/Offshore Marketing Division; and Joo Won-ho, CTO of HHI and Head of Advanced Research Center.

HHI Group also unveiled at the seminar, in the limelight of ship owners, the latest achievements of its optimal solution for LNG carriers built on its own developed high-efficiency LNG fuel supply system (Hi-SGAS) and a single mixed refrigerant system (SMR).

Also introduced by the Group were innovative new technologies for boil-off gas treatment, a key area of technologies for LNG carriers, including an in-tank mixing system which helps minimize the generation of boil-off gas by inducing convection in an LNG tank and a buffer tank system which uses a subsidiary storage tank to liquify and store boil-off gas.

“This new LNG system recently showcased and the General Approval granted by LR mean that our world-class technical excellence has been once again recognized,” said an official of HHI Group. “While staying committed to further advancing LNG-related technologies in conjunction with leading international providers of classification, we will also work on new technologies for future ship fuels and propulsion systems to enable decarbonization in shipping.”

HHI Group is continuously leading the technologies in the LNG sector, receiving orders for 12 LNG carriers year-to-date, winning the largest volume of orders globally for two consecutive years, as well as orders for 12 LNG-fueled ships which are increasingly drawing attention as the next-generation eco-friendly vessels.