Nord Gas Solutions will supply LPG fuel supply and cargo handling systems for two new 40,000 m3 medium gas carriers being built by HD Hyundai for Byzantine Maritime.

The contract, signed in June, covers both the cargo handling system and the LPG fuel supply system, with equipment deliveries scheduled for April 2027, the company said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

The deal strengthens Nord Gas Solutions' long-standing relationship with HD Hyundai and Byzantine Maritime, which already operates vessels equipped with the company's cargo handling systems. Nord Gas Solutions said the contract reinforces its position as a supplier of integrated cargo handling and fuel supply systems for gas carrier newbuildings.

"This contract is the result of the strong working relationship and mutual trust that Nord Gas Solutions and HD Hyundai have built over many years," said Patrick Ha, Sales Manager at Nord Gas Solutions.

"It is particularly rewarding that Byzantine Maritime, which already operates vessels equipped with Nord Gas Solutions' cargo handling systems, has once again chosen our solutions for its newbuildings," he added.

LPG has gained attention in the shipping industry as a lower-emission alternative to conventional marine fuels, and a number of gas carrier newbuilding projects have adopted LPG propulsion. In such designs, the cargo handling and fuel supply systems are closely integrated, as the same liquefied gas carried as cargo can also serve as the vessel's fuel. The push toward LPG and other alternative fuels comes as shipping faces tightening international emissions regulations, including the International Maritime Organization's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships, which has prompted owners to consider fuel options such as LPG, LNG, and methanol for newbuildings. LPG-fueled carriers typically also carry additional tanks dedicated to fuel storage when cargo is not used directly.

The 40,000 m3 medium gas carrier segment is a workhorse class in the seaborne LPG trade, used on regional and medium-haul routes serving petrochemical and energy markets. Orders for dual-purpose designs that can burn cargo as fuel have featured repeatedly in recent gas carrier ordering activity at major shipyards.

The newbuildings are being constructed at HD Hyundai, one of the world's major shipbuilding groups, based in South Korea, a country that dominates global construction of gas carriers alongside China and Japan.