Comparison
Membrane vs Moss containment, by the numbers
Fleet size, tank capacity and build era for LNG carriers on membrane versus Moss (spherical) containment. For how the two systems actually work and why the industry shifted, see the membrane vs Moss tanks explainer.
Operating carrier fleet by containment type
Counts and figures are operating vessels only, from Global Energy Monitor's carrier tracker.
| Membrane | Moss (spherical) | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating carriers | 623 | 110 |
| Total cargo capacity | 105,150,725 m³ | 16,088,403 m³ |
| Average capacity per ship | 168,781 m³ | 146,258 m³ |
| Average delivery year | 2015 | 2005 |
| Oldest still operating | 1981 | 1977 |
Browse the full carrier directory, which lists containment family for every vessel and links to the containment segment hub for the firms behind each system.
Common questions
Each answer stands on its own.
- Which containment type dominates the operating fleet?
- Membrane, by a wide margin: 623 operating carriers against 110 on Moss tanks. Membrane has been the industry's default for new construction for years, and the fleet composition reflects that.
- Are Moss ships older on average?
- Yes: operating Moss-tank carriers average a delivery year of 2005, with the oldest still in service delivered in 1977. Membrane's operating fleet averages 2015. The spherical tanks are the more recognisable silhouette, but they are increasingly the older half of the fleet.
- Do membrane carriers carry more cargo?
- Slightly, on average: 168,781 m³ against 146,258 m³ for Moss. The gap is modest and driven more by build era than by the containment type itself — both systems have been built at capacities from under 100,000 to over 260,000 cubic metres.
- Is this every carrier in the tracker?
- No — figures here are operating vessels only, and only where GEM reports containment_family as membrane or moss. Prismatic and Type-C tanks, and vessels still on order with containment not yet finalised, are excluded from this comparison.
For how the two tank designs actually work and why the industry shifted toward membrane, read Membrane vs Moss tanks.