ESPO workshop on LNG bunkering

The event was hosted by the Port of Zeebrugge and the Fluxys LNG terminal and initiated by the ESPO Marine Affairs and Security Committee.

Its principal aim was to shed light on safety related considerations of LNG bunkering and operations. Authorities, ports and the shipping industry all over Europe are looking at LNG as a promising solution to comply with the forthcoming IMO regulations on sulphur emissions and to respond to ship generated air pollution in general.

The workshop demonstrated that a number of ports, especially within the SECA area, are well advanced in setting up facilities for the provision of LNG as bunker fuel. So far, projects seem to focus mainly on ship to ship bunkering by the use of bunker barges. However, other solutions are also under review by the industry, such as the use of tank containers onboard ships.

Ports can break the ‘chicken and egg’ dilemma regarding the provision of LNG fuel by adopting a pro-active policy, but on the regulatory level a 'chicken and egg' situation still exists. Participants at the workshop discussed whether there is a need for a common framework of rules at European level.

Henrik Ringbom, Head of Unit at EMSA, said that his agency was currently undertaking an analysis of the different tools that are in place or under development in Europe and internationally in view of identifying any potential gaps that require attention. Opinions may differ on whether a common framework of rules is needed at this stage, but both EMSA and the Commission said that they are willing to discuss this together with the industry.