K Shipbuilding and Lloyd's Register have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop an ethanol‑fuelled 50,000 dwt Medium Range tanker, the companies announced at Gastech 2026 in Bangkok. Sources indicated the move on 16 September 2026.
The joint development project will assess the technical feasibility, safety and regulatory compliance of a new ethanol‑fuelled tanker design. The partners say the work is intended to advance understanding of whether an MR tanker configured for ethanol propulsion can meet current and emerging regulatory requirements, with the objective of achieving regulatory approval.
The memorandum commits both parties to a collaborative design process focused on a 50,000 deadweight tonnage MR specification with ethanol as the primary fuel. The agreement frames the initiative as an exploratory development rather than the immediate construction of a vessel.
At Gastech 2026 in Bangkok the announcement placed the project in the context of industry gatherings where shipowners, shipbuilders and technical advisers discuss fuel transition options. The timing underlines the collaborative, cross‑sector nature of the proposal and its alignment with conferences that draw attention to alternative marine fuels.
Scope and aims of the development project
The project will examine whether a purpose‑designed MR tanker can be engineered to operate on ethanol without compromising established standards of safety and seaworthiness. Technical feasibility, one of the stated pillars of the study, will encompass design, systems integration and operational considerations relevant to a 50,000 dwt tanker configuration.
Safety assessment and regulatory compliance are named explicitly as parallel priorities. The partners intend to evaluate how an ethanol‑fuelled design might be tested, certified and approved within the prevailing regulatory frameworks, and to identify the practical steps required to meet those frameworks.
The memorandum and next steps
The memorandum of understanding sets out a framework for joint work rather than a binding construction contract. It formalises cooperation on design work and assessments, while leaving subsequent commercial decisions to the partners and any future interested parties.
Sources carried the report on 16 September 2026, recording the announcement at the Gastech event in Bangkok. The article describes the initiative as a joint development project between K Shipbuilding and Lloyd's Register, focused on assessing ethanol's commercial potential in a next‑generation MR tanker.
The announcement does not, in the published report, specify a timeline for completion of the feasibility work nor a schedule for any approval applications. It similarly does not set out further commercial details such as construction plans, shipowner involvement or intended operatorship.
The memorandum represents an early stage in a technical and regulatory appraisal of ethanol as a ship fuel for a specific tanker class. As framed in the report, the partners will concentrate on establishing whether a design can be brought forward that satisfies technical, safety and compliance requirements and that could, subject to the outcomes of those assessments, proceed to approvals and potential commercialisation.
The Maritime Gazette will monitor developments as they are confirmed and as the partners publish outcomes from their joint work.