Recently, Lloyd’s Register (LR), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) partnered to jointly develop a next-generation liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier equipped with a hybrid electric propulsion system.

It is reported that the three partners signed an Approval in Principle (AiP) at the 2026 Gastech Global Gas Technology Conference in Bangkok. The approval covers the design of a 185,000 m³ LNG carrier equipped with a hybrid electric propulsion system.

The project focuses on the development and safety validation of the propulsion solution, including system architecture, redundancy configuration, and battery integration. The partners also plan to develop technical guidance documents for the technology, in line with formal industry standards that are still being refined.

Lloyd’s Register said hybrid electric propulsion can improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, while the project can also lay the foundation for wider deployment of electric propulsion systems on other ship types.

Andy McKeran, Chief Growth Officer at Lloyd’s Register, said: “Hybrid electric propulsion has significant potential to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions, but applying this technology to a vessel of this size requires a comprehensive design and safety solution.”

Hongryeul Ryu, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Hyundai Heavy Industries, said the project clarified the advantages and limitations of applying advanced electric propulsion technology to large vessels.

Kwang-Pil Chang, Senior Executive Vice President of the Advanced Research Center at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, said electric propulsion is a core technology for the shipping industry’s transition toward more energy-efficient and sustainable vessels.

The partners expect that the experience gained from this LNG carrier project will feed into future R&D of electric propulsion, fuel cells, and other advanced ship concepts.