Italian classification society RINA and compatriot ship designer Marine Engineering Services have signed a deal to cooperate on new chemical tanker concepts that will use fuels such as LNG and methanol.
As part of the cooperation, M.E.S. would provide its competence in designing “high-tech gas and chemical tankers with new technologies,” according to a statement by RINA.
On the other side, RINA would share its expertise for the “energy transition towards the compliance with IMO’s decarbonization goals,” it said.
The partners plan to work on three ship designs, including a 13,000-dwt chemical tanker and methanol bunkering vessel (CMBV).
This methanol-powered chemical tanker would also have the capability to supply bunkering of methanol fuel to other vessels, RINA said.
Moreover, the partners plan to work on two 13,000-dwt LNG dual-fuel chemical tankers.
The first LNG-powered tanker would have the “ammonia-ready” notation, meaning the design would allow the conversion of the ship to use ammonia as fuel in the future.
In addition, the second “LPG-ready” vessel would have the capability to switch to LPG power in the future, RINA said.