Focus on LNG. Is LNG fuel part of the solution to control and minimize emissions to the atmosphere?
Photos: Magne A. Røe, except where otherwise stated.Date: 2008-02-06
Small scale LNG – a new trend
Historically, LNG has almost exclusively been consumed by big power plants and, to some extent, supplied to gas grids for domestic consumption in densely populated areas. We are now seeing an emerging market for the small-scale distribution of LNG in different parts of the world, to new categories of consumers.
Editorial
Dear Reader, Were you surprised to see a small passenger/car ferry on the cover page of our DNV Tanker Update?
Norwegian Minister of Transport and Communications, Liv Signe Navarsete: Challenging the shipping industry on environmen
“I am pleased that the Norwegian shipping industry accepted the challenge to reduce NOx and SOx emissions to virtually zero. We at the Ministry of Transport and Communications have specified new environmental requirements for ferry connections in Norway – and especially for those with a high volume and high frequency of departures. What we have done is to specify that new ferries must have zero NOx and SOx emissions and then leave it up to the industry to find the technical solutions for complying with this,” says Liv Signe Navarsete.
Liquefaction of North Sea natural gas for small-scale coastal distribution
Norway has traditionally relied heavily on hydroelectric power to serve the nation, and close to 100 per cent of the country’s energy needs for industry, businesses and private homes has come from this clean energy, which only relies on plenty of rain to replenish the reservoirs.
The world’s smallest LNG carrier
The LNG/C Pioneer Knutsen has a cargo capacity of a mere 1,100 m3 in two 550 m3 tanks. The vessel is some 69 metres long, its beam is 11.8 metres, its design draft is 3.3 metres and its deadweight is a modest 640 ton. The propulsion has a high degree of redundancy, with two separate engine rooms and two independent pods. The ship has a crew of six. This DNV-classed vessel is tailor-made to fit the needs of the charterer Gasnor when it comes to small-scale local distribution of LNG on the Norwegian west coast.
LNG-fuelled car ferries provide environmental benefits
We walk across the large car deck on the brand new ro-ro car ferry Fanafjord. As we enter, cars are driving ashore from a car deck below the main deck of this 220-car, 600-passenger capacity ferry. She is one out of five sister ships now being introduced on the busy main highway between Bergen and Stavanger on the Norwegian west coast. The Fanafjord runs on LNG and produces 20 per cent less CO2 emissions than a similar size diesel-fuelled ferry and no NOx and SOx emissions.
Bringing LNG one step further
Leif Höegh & Co has been in the LNG business for decades, and in June 2006 Höegh LNG was established as a separate company. Höegh LNG currently operates a fleet of six vessels, and has two innovative LNG SRVs on order. “An LNG vessel is inherently an advanced vessel, but with SRV we are taking the LNG trade one step further,” says an enthusiastic Höegh LNG COO, Stephan Tschudi-Madsen.
NYK’s VLCC Cargo Handling Simulator certified by DNV
NYK Shipmanagement Pte Ltd Training Centre receives a Class A VLCC Cargo Handling Simulator Product Certificate from DNV SeaSkill.
MOL’s LNG Carrier Crew Training certified by DNV
Mitsui OSK Lines’ (MOL) LNG carrier standard training course implemented at the MOL Kakio Institute has been certified by DNV as being compliant with the LNG carrier crew ability standards advocated by the Society of International Gas Tanker & Terminal Operations Ltd. (SIGTTO).
Hamworthy: An LNG reliquefaction system ensures full cargo delivery
The reference list is long and includes some eight vessels for the Qatargas 2 project, no fewer than 12 vessels for the Rasgas 3 project and finally eleven vessels for the Qatargas 3 and 4 projects, all vessels for delivery from 2006 to 2008 from the HHI, DSME, and Samsung yards. The vessels are to be equipped with Hamworthy’s first- and third-generation reliquefaction systems. Hamworthy is the market leader for such systems, and its gas division is run from Norway. This company has some 40 years’ experience of gas, and employs around 200 specialists.
DNV initiative to develop more reliable methods for the design of LNG membrane tanks
The size of LNG/Cs is steadily increasing, leading to larger tanks, and these ships operate more frequently on trades with rough weather large parts of the year. The partial filling of cargo tanks is also becoming more common. Therefore the current practice, in which the design of LNG membrane tanks is mainly based on comparative model tests, may no longer be valid. In January 2007, DNV launched a Joint Industry Project (JIP) to develop more reliable methods for designing LNG membrane tanks.
Surveying with Class
“Our surveyors are the eyes and ears of DNV,” says Jan Koren, DNV’s business director for tankers. “Their work as a trusted third party in ship surveying plays a vital role in helping shipowners worldwide operate safely and efficiently.”
K.K. Kothari, CEO, Qatar Shipping Co (Q Ship): We sold ships to harvest and prepare for the future
Q Ship today ranks as one of the Middle East’s largest publicly owned tanker companies. Mr Kothari has been at the helm of Q Ship for more than a year, after serving 15 years as finance director of the Shipping Corporation of India. We met him during a recent visit to Doha to talk about shipping, seen from his position, and here is a summary of some of his views.
Performance Standard for Coating of Ballast Tanks in Tankers now in force
For oil tankers being ordered now, dedicated seawater ballast tanks in oil tankers of 150 m length and above shall be coated during new construction in accordance with the Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC).
The LNG terminal: A gateway to the market or a critical bottleneck?
Success in the LNG industry depends on sound performance and reliable operations throughout the production chain. This also applies of course to the import terminals, which can be bottlenecks due not only to capacity limitations but also to delays in the planning and permitting process related to public concerns as well as construction delays. This requires effective risk management on several levels, advises DNV.
