K Shipbuilding, LR Partner on 50,000-dwt ethanol tanker

The project will assess the tanker’s efficiency, safety, and regulatory compliance.

K Shipbuilding and Lloyd’s Register (LR) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly develop a 50,000-dwt medium-range (MR) ethanol-fuelled tanker.

The project will assess the vessel’s technical feasibility, safety and regulatory compliance, with the goal of securing Approval in Principle (AiP) from LR.

LR will review the vessel’s arrangement, stability, structural requirements and fuel tank integration, whilst K Shipbuilding will lead the design and development.

The project will also assess opportunities to improve vessel design and operational efficiency while meeting class rules and international regulations.

Theo Kourmpelis, global business director for Tankers at Lloyd’s Register, said ethanol’s existing role as a cargo in product tanker trades makes the MR segment a practical area for assessing its use as a marine fuel.

“This project will give owners a clearer basis for evaluating ethanol within their fleet strategies, and help lay the groundwork for its broader uptake across the tanker sector,” he said.

Andy McKeran, chief growth officer at Lloyd’s Register, said shipowners are evaluating a range of fuel options as the industry transitions to lower-carbon energy sources.

“This project will help deepen industry understanding of ethanol's potential in the tanker sector and provide owners with greater insight into how alternative fuel solutions can be incorporated into commercially viable vessel designs,” he said.

Tae-Hyun Koh, chief technology officer at K Shipbuilding, said the company aims to develop a practical and competitive ethanol-fuelled MR tanker design that addresses operational and market requirements. “We see growing interest in fuel flexibility as shipowners make long-term investment decisions in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.”