Lloyd’s Register has entered a partnership with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to push forward a new generation of liquefied natural gas carrier design that uses hybrid electric propulsion, the parties announced through a report published 14 September 2026.
The collaboration was formalised at Gastech 2026 in Bangkok where the three organisations signed an Approval in Principle to advance the design of a 185,000 cubic metre LNG carrier. The announcement was reported on 14 September 2026.
Lloyd’s Register, commonly abbreviated to LR, will work alongside KSOE, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and HHI, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, in the development project. The partners described the initiative as seeking a new generation of LNG carrier designs that adopt hybrid electric propulsion systems.
The Approval in Principle provides an early-stage confirmation that the design concept has been reviewed against classification requirements, enabling the partners to proceed with detailed design work. The AiP was signed at the industry gathering in Bangkok, reflecting the collaboration’s public unveiling at the international event.
The vessel under development is specified in the announcement as having a cargo containment capacity of 185,000 cubic metres. The project’s stated focus on hybrid electric propulsion distinguishes it from conventional LNG carrier arrangements referenced in previous commercial practice.
Design direction
The partners have framed the project as advancing a ‘‘new generation’’ of LNG carrier design. The announcement identifies hybrid electric propulsion as the principal technical approach to be incorporated into the 185,000 cbm concept, signalling the intent to combine different power sources and electrical systems within the vessel architecture.
Programme status and next steps
By signing an Approval in Principle at Gastech 2026 the three organisations have committed to proceed from concept to further development of the design. The AiP indicates a shared direction for the programme and establishes a platform for subsequent engineering and regulatory steps as the partners move the concept towards a more detailed stage.
The cooperation brings together a classification society and two major Korean shipbuilding entities. reports’s report dated 14 September 2026 records the partnership and the location of the announcement at Gastech in Bangkok.
The public disclosure at an international conference underlines the partners’ intent to engage the wider industry with the concept. Beyond the facts recorded in the announcement, the report provides no additional technical specifications or a timeline for delivery, leaving further detail to be developed as the design work progresses.
The announcement adds to a pattern of classification societies and shipbuilders collaborating on alternative propulsion arrangements for large gas carriers. In this instance the parties have formalised their cooperation through an AiP signed at Gastech 2026 and reported on 14 September 2026 by reports.