Lloyd's Register (LR) has awarded approval in principle (AiP) to CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding for a new 12,500 m3 LNG bunkering vessel design.

An AiP is an early-stage classification milestone indicating that a conceptual design is technically feasible against a class society's rules, though it precedes detailed design approval and construction contracts.

The approval was signed at SMM 2026 in Hamburg, LR said in a statement on its website on Thursday, following an independent assessment of the design against LR's classification requirements.

The vessel will feature type C LNG cargo tanks and has been assessed for gas operations, automation, environmental performance, and cyber resilience. Type C tanks, which are pressure vessels commonly used on smaller gas carriers and bunkering vessels, offer flexibility for both ship-to-ship transfer operations and, in some designs, reliquefaction-free handling of boil-off gas.

LR said the project reflects continued demand for LNG infrastructure as shipowners look for practical ways to reduce emissions while keeping fuel options flexible. LNG-fuelled tonnage has expanded as the industry works toward the IMO's target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by around 2050, and bunkering vessels of this size class are a key link in supplying LNG to fuelled ships at major ports.

Huangpu Wenchong, a shipbuilding group based in Guangzhou and part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, said the AiP provides a foundation for further development of the design, and highlighted the role of LNG bunkering vessels in supporting the growing availability of the fuel.