15 Oct 13 - 13:52
DNV GL launches recommendations for safe and efficient LNG bunkering
One
of the key hurdles to the increased global use of ships fuelled by
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is the lack of harmonisation of bunkering
operations.
"DNV GL is therefore today launching a Recommended Practice for
authorities, LNG bunker suppliers and ship operators which provides
guidance on how LNG bunkering can be undertaken in a safe and efficient
manner," says Lars Petter Blikom, DNV GL's LNG director.
LNG-fuelled ships have logged over 130 ship-years of operation in
Norwegian waters and LNG's attractiveness and stability as a fuel have
been thoroughly demonstrated. Globally too, operators, suppliers and
regulators have gained significant experience in all aspects of
LNG-fuelled ship operations in recent years. However, the process for
developing the required infrastructure has not been standardised -
leaving the industry with many open questions.
Currently, 83 LNG-fuelled ships are in operation or
on order worldwide. These range from passenger ferries, Coast Guard
ships and cargo vessels to tankers and platform supply vessels.
Estimates put the global LNG-fuelled fleet at 3,200 by the year 2025.
With the EU poised to invest in helping to equip 139 seaports and inland
ports with LNG bunker stations by 2025, the time was ripe for
standardising development processes, designs and operations.
"An ISO committee brought together the experience and know-how of
more than 30 industry professionals in 2011 and its draft guideline was
published in June 2013. The ISO guideline defines the overall
philosophies of designs and operations relevant to LNG bunkering and
suggests a list of 24 functional requirements. However, it is not
intended to be concrete and descriptive about how to achieve the
requirements' objectives," states Mr Blikom.
He explains that DNV GL therefore sets out to put its own knowledge
and experience of how to meet the ISO guideline's requirements into a
more practical format. This is now available in the form of a Recommended Practice (RP)
which will serve as a practical guide for authorities, LNG bunker
suppliers and ship operators on developing design solutions and
operating procedures to undertake LNG bunkering safely and efficiently. The RP document is now open for comments
during an external six-week consultation period. Subsequently, DNV will
update the document based on the input received by the industry,
followed by formal publication.
Jan Tellkamp, project manager for the RP, describes the document's
philosophy: "The development of the RP is based on extensive experience
of LNG bunkering-related projects over the past decade, as well as on
knowledge that can be drawn from other relevant industries, in
particular from the large-scale LNG industry.
The RP covers all modes of
bunkering a ship with LNG and provides guidance on how to work on the
three key topics suggested by the ISO guideline - planning, design and
operation; safety management systems; and risk assessment. The concept
of 'layers of defence' is detailed on both the equipment and procedural
levels."
Blikom concludes that: "These documents, both the ISO guideline and
DNV GL RP, represent significant steps forward in taking operational and
technical risk off the table for operators looking at investing in
LNG-fuelled ships or LNG bunkering terminals. Our aim is to lead the way
in meeting the needs of this new, innovative and growing sector. The
Bunkering RP is one of our very important deliveries."
Source: DNV
Find more information for LNG bunkering in the Safety4Sea articles
