Samsung Heavy Industries Co. said Thursday it has won an approval in principle (AIP) for the conceptual design of a storage tank and carrier to transport liquefied hydrogen, from Lloyd's Register, a British ship quality assurance and risk management company.

AIP for the conceptual design means a certification agency has reviewed it and confirmed it meets the agency's technical requirements and standards for safety.

The conceptual design of a membrane-type storage tank and 160,000-cubic meter carrier to transport liquefied hydrogen was developed for the first time in the local shipbuilding industry, Samsung Heavy said.

A conceptual design, the first step of ship construction, refers to the basic concept and characteristics of the vessel to meet the requirements of the buyer.

The membrane-type liquefied hydrogen storage tank developed independently by Samsung Heavy can safely store hydrogen liquefied at minus 253 C, the shipbuilder said.

The newly developed storage tank for liquefied hydrogen may help the local shipbuilders escape from their dependence on overseas makers as opposed to liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier's storage tanks, Samsung Heavy said. (Yonhap)