Lloyd's Register (LR), HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd (HMD), and the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR) have signed an Approval in Principle (AiP) to develop a 50,000 dwt Medium Range (MR) tanker featuring forward accommodation design.

The AiP was formally presented during Nor-Shipping 2025, held at NOVA Spektrum in Lillestrøm, Norway.

This next-generation vessel concept introduces a rethinking of traditional tanker design by relocating the accommodation block to the bow. This configuration not only optimises visibility for wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) but also creates space for the future integration of low- and zero-carbon technologies, such as ammonia dual-fuel systems and post-combustion carbon capture.

(l-r) Andy McKeran, Chief Commercial Officer, LR; Dong-Hyun Woo, Head of Hull Initial Design & Technology Strategy Planning Department, HD Hyundai Mipo; George Novak, Vice President of Commercial, Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry.

The forward accommodation layout is not only a solution to spacial constraints on conventional vessels, which often hinder the integration of green technologies, but also a positive step towards meeting future regulatory requirements with flexibility built in from the design phase.

Sung-Gu Park, President – North East Asia, Lloyd's Register, said: “This project demonstrates the urgent need for commercially viable and regulation-ready vessel designs that accommodate decarbonisation technologies without compromising operational efficiency. It represents our shared commitment to enabling the maritime industry's transition to net-zero through intelligent design, practical innovation, and collaboration.”
Source: Lloyd's Register