Dutch sign deal promoting safe transport of LNG

February 10, 2015

State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment Wilma Mansveld revealed they signed the LNG safety deal.

Together several parties from the corporate sector and knowledge institutes, united in the National LNG Platform, Mansveld signed the deal showing commitment to leveraging the National LNG Safety Programme to promote safe use and transport of LNG in the Netherlands.

The ‘Rhine and Wadden Green Deal’ that was signed in 2012 marked the start of the use of LNG in the Dutch transport sector, both in shipping and road transport, stands in the National LNG Platform statement.

One condition that must be met for the large-scale use of this type of fuel by inland navigation vessels and lorries is, of course, that it must be done in a safe manner. Therefore, the National LNG Safety Programme aims to build up the knowledge necessary to develop appropriate legislation. This may concern, for instance, the granting of licences for the use and storage of LNG by filling and bunkering stations.

State Secretary Mansveld feels that safe use and storage of LNG is important, but at the same time, she feels that the conditions to be imposed on the transport sector should not be unduly onerous. It is important to build up knowledge and develop regulations in close collaboration with companies, public authorities, knowledge institutes as well as the fire brigade.

In 2013, Mansveld notified the House of Representatives of her decision to include Safety Deals as part of the Sustainable Safety Programme. The LNG Safety Deal is one of the first examples.
The National LNG Safety Programme is funded by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment (350,000 euros), the Ministry of Economic Affairs (350,000 euros), the Ministry of Security and Justice (90.000 euros) and the corporate sector (350.000 euros).

The National LNG Safety Programme was launched in 2013 for the purpose of increasing knowledge on the safety aspects of liquefied natural gas.

[mappress mapid=”16707″]

Image: Ministry for Infrastructure and the Environment