DNV Works with TNO and NEN to Boost LNG as Fuel (The Netherlands)

Last week at the TNO office in Delft a group of over twenty stakeholders gathered. These stakeholders represent the total value chain of the LNG industry. Represented in the project are both LNG producers, transporters, terminals, bunkerers, contractors, engine manufacturers and a variety of regional and international regulators as well as ship owners and yards.

An important stakeholder is the Rotterdam Port Authority. As part of the Rotterdam Climate Inititiative, the RPA has a clear ambition to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions from both see-going vessels as well as the many, many river barges that visit the Rotterdam port on a regular basis. LNG is seen by the RPA as an environmental friendly candidate to increasingly replace heavy fuel oil and diesel as primary fuels. The RPA would like to help introduce small-scale LNG bunkering in the Rotterdam Port to all types of vessels and barges as efficient as possible to the clients, provided that it can be done safely.

On a small scale, LNG is already being used as a fuel in ferries and other short-sea shipping vessels. Especially in Norway, DNV’s home country, LNG as fuel is growing fast due to local conditions and regulations. Of the 22 LNG powered sea-going vessels world-wide, currently 21 are classed by DNV. DNV is involved in risk management and technology verification and certification in all elements of the value chain, from upstream production to regassification, terminals, transport and use as fuel on vessels.

In the TNO study, DNV’s contribution will focus on the analysis of the risks involving the delivery of LNG. DNV has developed in-house models and related software to assess the risks of dangerous materials like LNG. DNV’s risk model SAFETI-NL is the national standard in Holland to be used on all risk studies per permit granting. DNV is involved in a large variety of LNG risk studies, including the new Large Scale LNG terminal on the Maasvlakte, Floating LNG initiatives as well as LNG fuel station developments.

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Source: DNV, February 19, 2011;