Houston: DNV in the USA establishes a Waterway Suitability Assessment (WSA) Center of Excellence in Houston, Texas. The intention is to assist owners and operators of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) marine terminals in safety and security guidance.
The centre will provide the marine LNG industry a turnkey approach to the WSA submittal process.
In June 2005, the U.S. Coast Guard issued Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular-Guidance on Assessing the Suitability of a Waterway for Marine Traffic (NVIC 05-05). Developed to meet the urgent needs for national safety and security guidance on assessing the suitability of waterways for LNG marine traffic, NVIC 05-05 requires an approved WSA for each marine shore side LNG terminal prior to its construction.
NVIC 05-05 also requires each marine LNG terminal to analyse a multitude of elements from the LNG tanker’s entrance into US territorial waters, through its transit to and from the LNG marine terminal – including operations at the vessel/facility interface.
Guiding owners and operators
The new DNV centre will guide the owner and operator through the process while communicating with local, state and federal stakeholders. From developing and submitting the Letter of Intent and Preliminary WSA to tendering a completed suitability assessment to the Federal Maritime Security Coordinator, DNV will ensure all WSA elements are thoroughly considered and addressed.
Through risk-based decision-making processes the centre performs the complete menu of port and facility characterisations, safety and security assessments, and strategy development, and resource studies for LNG marine terminal owners and operators.