Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a series of Approval in Principle (AiP) agreements with leading Chinese shipyards and design institutes at Posidonia 2026.
The agreements cover a broad range of vessel types, including very large crude carrier (VLCC) designs developed with Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) and CIMC Offshore Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. (CIMC ORIC); a 3,000teu container ship with COSCO; a 90,000 cbm very large gas carrier (VLGC) with the Marine Design & Research Institute of China (MARIC); and a 45,000 cubic metre LPG carrier with Huangpu Wenchong.
Increasingly, yards are working on concepts that must accommodate tighter efficiency requirements, more complex machinery configurations and the potential for future fuel flexibility, all within the constraints of existing class and regulatory frameworks.
By assessing key elements such as hull form, containment systems, machinery integration and safety arrangements early in the design process, LR provides an independent technical check on whether emerging vessel concepts meet international regulations and industry standards. This early engagement ensures that innovation is not only technically viable but also commercially and operationally relevant.
Tianxiang Li, President for Greater China, Lloyd’s Register, said: “Shipowners are facing more complex choices at the newbuild stage than ever before. Our role is to give them the insight and technical assurance to make the right decisions early, from selecting the right yard through to defining a vessel specification that will remain viable over its lifetime.”
