American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted an Approval in Principle (AIP) to two new gas carrier designs from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding.

ABS said on Thursday that the two new vessel designs were for 200,000-cbm LNG carrier and a 147,000-cbm very large ethane carrier (VLEC).

The Bureau added that the LNG carrier was designed for long-distance, large-scale LNG transportation, featuring enhanced cargo capacity and greater efficiency compared to conventional ships.

The VLEC is a tailored design for US-China routes, which can meet US Coast Guard requirements and is equipped with a dual-fuel propulsion system using ethane as the main fuel.