LNG ships are designed for safe operation in accordance with international marine classification standards, U.S. Coast Guard and international regulations. These rules have been developed to minimize the risk of operation, and specify the vessel and cargo tank arrangements, the types and thickness of the hull and cargo system materials, and the types of monitoring, safety and alarm systems, including requirements for back-up systems, Industry standards, codes, training, inspections and operating procedures as well as government regulations are in place for the safe design, construction and operation of ships. All of the ship's crew must be certified for LNG operations.

LNG ships are designed with double hulls with two layers of steel, each approximately 3/4 inch thick. The space between the steel hulls is approximately 10 feet wide on the sides and approximately 10 feet on the bottom. The cargo tanks are located away from the ship's hull to avoid cargo tank damage. Gas detectors and safety alarms are located between the steel hulls to continuously monitor for cargo leaks.

There have been more than 33,000 LNG ship voyages worldwide covering more than 60 million miles without a significant LNG release or related fire or loss of life, either in port or at sea. There have been nearly 2,000 ship-years of safe operations of LNG cargo tank systems.

The U.S. Coast Guard specifies and enforces safety and security measures for LNG ships while they are in transit and while at the dock in the United States. The U.S. Coast Guard must approve all LNG ships for entry into United States ports and run a security screening of the ship's crew prior to arrival. A local pilot navigates the LNG ship from the sea to the terminal, and tug boats are connected to escort the LNG ship to provide assistance in the event of any difficulty. A U.S. Coast Guard security vessel enforces safety and security zones.