Last updated: 26 October 2026 · By Steve Joury, cargo trip advisor at CargoHolidays
An LNG carrier is a specialised tanker that carries liquefied natural gas, cooled to about −162°C so it shrinks to roughly 1/600th of its volume as a gas. These high-tech ships are among the most expensive cargo vessels built. Here’s how they work.
Key facts at a glance
What is an LNG carrier? It’s a gas tanker built to move liquefied natural gas from export terminals to import terminals around the world. The cargo is kept at extremely low temperature in heavily insulated tanks at near-atmospheric pressure. Without these ships, gas could only travel by pipeline.
| Design | How it looks | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Membrane | Box-like hull with a flat trunk deck | Thin stainless or invar membranes inside insulation; most common today |
| Moss (spherical) | Giant domes rising above the deck | Self-supporting aluminium spheres; very recognisable |
New LNG carriers are very expensive – see how much ships cost.
Even with superb insulation, a small amount of LNG warms and turns back into gas each day. This “boil-off gas” is usually burned as fuel in the ship’s engines or re-liquefied on board, so very little is wasted. Modern LNG carriers often use dual-fuel engines – see cargo ship engines.
No – like oil tankers, LNG carriers don’t take paying passengers. To experience life on a working cargo ship, choose a container or ro-ro ship. See shipping lines that take passengers.
A specialised tanker that carries liquefied natural gas cooled to about −162°C.
Liquefying gas shrinks its volume about 600 times, making it practical to ship.
Typically around 170,000 to 180,000 cubic metres; the largest hold about 266,000.
LNG that warms and turns back into gas during the voyage, usually burned as fuel.
No. LNG carriers don’t take paying passengers.
Sail on a working cargo ship
Container and ro-ro ships carry a few passengers. Tell us where you’d like to go.
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