GTT, the technological expert in membrane containment systems used to transport and store liquefied gases, has obtained two new Approvals in Principle  from the classification societies ABS and Lloyd’s Register for cargo transfer operations between Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLEC) equipped with the Mark IIItechnology developed by GTT.

These approvals confirm the relevance of GTT’s containment systems on board VLECs, with tanks of up to 105,000 m³, as a safe and cost-effective solution for the transfer of liquefied ethane, propane, butane, ethylene or propylene – regardless of the tank filling level.

David Colson, VP Commercial of GTT, comments: “GTT is proud to receive these new approvals from ABS and Lloyd’s Register, which demonstrate our commitment to providing innovative and safe solutions for the liquefied gas shipping industry, particularly in the segment of Very Large Ethane Carriers. These validations strengthen GTT’s position in a rapidly expanding market, where the demand for larger and more versatile ethane transportation is experiencing sustained growth.”

Rostom Merzouki, Director of ABS, said: “ABS has been supporting the development of the transport of ethane at sea since the very beginning and is a world leader in the provision of classification services to VLECs, including the world’s first VLEC, which featured GTT’s Mark III system. We are delighted to be able to use our extensive industry experience on this project in support of the operational versatility of the global VLEC fleet.”

Panos Mitrou, Global Gas Segment Director at Lloyd’s Register, affirms: “We are pleased to award approval in principle to GTT for their Mark III technology on VLECs. Safe ship-to-ship operations are critical to liquefied gas value chains and, building on our strong working relationship, we have applied our comprehensive AiP process to mitigate any risks associated with this solution.”