Shipbuilders Conrad and Samsung Heavy received approval in principle from classification society ABS for the basic design of a 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering articulated tug-barge (ATB) intended for construction in the United States.
ABS said in a statement that it completed design reviews based on class and statutory requirements.
The announcement is among the first initiatives coming from the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington, D.C., a bilateral platform established to strengthen cooperation between Korean and US shipbuilding industries, according to ABS.
The AIP follows a memorandum of understanding between SHI and Conrad Shipyard for the joint construction of LNG bunkering ATBs in December 2025.
In 2018, Conrad delivered the first LNG bunker barge built in North America at its Orange, Texas facility.
The LNG bunkering barge Clean Jacksonville, owned by Seaside LNG, has no propulsion and it features one 2,200-cbm GTT LNG tank.
On the other hand, SHI is one of the world’s largest builders of LNG carriers.
The shipbuilder secured orders for 13 LNG carriers, one FSRU, and one FLNG this year.