LNG as fuel for inland water vessels – New LNG Masterplan safety studies available

LNG as a ship fuel holds great potential for shipping to increase operational efficiency, while reducing its environmental impact – especially in the inland navigation sector. The LNG Masterplan safety studies, performed by DNV GL, were initiated by the Pro Danube Management and the Port of Rotterdam in collaboration with more than 50 companies and stakeholders as part of the EU funded project LNG Masterplan for Rhine-Main-Danube. The recently published studies focus on the technical, safety and operational risk aspects of LNG bunkering, as well as LNG loading and unloading.

“These studies provide a very detailed and clear insight into the numerous standards and practices already available to make LNG as fuel possible, while also giving us a concrete overview of the topics that we still need to work on in the near future,” says Manfred Seitz, Project Coordinator of the LNG Masterplan project from Pro Danube Management GmbH.

LNG Masterplan for Rhine-Main-Danube is one of the biggest innovation projects in the 2012 TEN-T Call with a budget of almost 34 million Euro, co-financed with a funding rate of 50 per cent from the Trans-European Transport Network Programme of the European Union. It aims to create a platform for the cooperation of authorities and industry stakeholders and to facilitate the creation of a harmonized European regulatory framework for LNG as fuel and cargo in inland navigation. It also sets out a number of technical concepts for LNG use and transport in new and retrofitted vessels, as well as a several pilot deployments of vessels and terminals. The end result is a comprehensive strategy and detailed roadmap for the implementation of LNG in line with the EU transport, energy and environmental policy goals and actions.

Cees Boon, Program Manager at the Port of Rotterdam, adds: “We are confident that these reports will be the key reference for the years to come in developing LNG as a fuel. As a port with a leading position in the field of LNG as fuel we fully recognize the need to have a harmonized approach to create a level playing field and to ensure efficient and practical LNG bunker operations.”

Matthé Bakker, DNV GL’s Head of Risk Management Advisory Netherlands, says: “These studies show that in general there are no operational or safety showstoppers that prevent LNG as fuel from happening. The challenge is more to align the way authorities and operators deal with LNG as fuel across regions and countries. At the same time these reports can eliminate a lot of the ongoing discussions that surround the development of LNG as fuel, as they describe the rationale behind certain practices and suggest a common way forward.”

The publications can be downloaded from the LNG Masterplan website: www.lngmasterplan.eu

The Rhine Port Group consists of the Port of Rotterdam, Port of Antwerp, Port of Strassbourg, Port of Mannheim and Port of Switzerland. These ports take a leading role in the development of LNG as Fuel for Inland Waterway Transportation

Pro Danube acts as network of private businesses to promote better infrastructure and services which result in a more intensive use of the environmentally friendly inland waterway. The activities of Pro Danube comprise policy relations and advocacy as well as public affairs.

DNV GL: Driven by its purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, DNV GL enables organizations to advance the safety and sustainability of their business. DNV GL has a leading position in the field of LNG as Fuel with a track record that goes back to the 1950’s.