The Antwerp Port Authority has teamed up with ship classification society, Det Norske Veritas (DNV), to develop procedures for safe and efficient LNG bunkering operations.
The procedures will be used as part of the Belgian port’s plans to facilitate and encourage the use of LNG as a shipping fuel. The port authority hopes to offer LNG to ships in the port by 2015, when the more stringent IMO sulphur emission regulations come into force.
DNV has been tasked with developing procedures for the safe bunkering of LNG by seagoing ships and barges which are tailored to the busy Port of Antwerp. In the next few months, it will look at operational standards and will identify the potential risks of having several LNG powered ships in the port and several LNG bunkering operations taking place simultaneously.
Annik Dirkx, spokesperson for the Antwerp Port Authority, told Port Strategy: "LNG is cryogenic, which means that its use will lead to different, new risks compared to ‘traditional’ fuels. Safety always comes first and as a port authority, we are responsible for the safe interaction of LNG as a fuel and risk management of the activities that occur in the port."
The bunkering procedures will contain measures which ensure that the risks are acceptable regardless of the situation. They will eventually be made available to other European ports which also want to offer LNG bunkering.
Meanwhile, the Antwerp Port Authority is developing the port to be able to receive LNG powered vessels. Following a tender for the design and construction of an LNG bunkering vessel in March 2012, negotiations with candidates are currently taking place.
