Singapore to study LNG bunkering amid search for cleaner marine fuels - Hydrocarbon Processing - Gulf Publishing Company.

Posted - April 12, 2012

Singapore maritime officials are studying the feasibility of LNG bunkering in Singapore in collaboration with DNV and 21 industry partners. The industry is looking to LNG as a cleaner marine fuel to meet international regulations as LNG has lower emissions compared with conventional marine diesel oil. 


The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has established a joint industry project (JIP) to investigate the operational feasibility of LNG bunkering in Singapore in collaboration with the clean technology center of Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and 21 industry partners.
The JIP, co-funded through MPA’s MINT fund, began in January, project officials said Thursday, with the aim to provide recommendations to the Singapore government authorities on enabling LNG bunkering in Singapore.
Priorities include ensuring operational safety, alignment with industry expectations and best practice, and compliance with relevant international rules, regulations and standards.
The shipping industry is looking to LNG as a cleaner marine fuel to meet international regulations as LNG has much lower emissions compared to the conventional marine diesel oil, officials said.
Emissions from ships have come into the environmental spotlight, DNV said, and the industry has become subject to progressively more stringent legislation, including global cap or fuel sulfur content, potential CO2 emission taxation, NOx emission controls and other forthcoming regulations.
LNG-fueled propulsion has been demonstrated to meet the strictest environmental regulations and to be technically feasible, officials said.
At present, there are 25 LNG fueled ships - all of which are operating in the Norwegian Emission Control Area and bunkering from shore facilities.
Positive signals from the market also come from the number of LNG fueled ships being designed and from the 24 LNG fueled ships on order, DNV said.
LNG bunkering is a process of refueling ships by transferring LNG fuel from the LNG carrying trucks, barges or onshore tanks.
Switching from conventional marine fuel to LNG fuel provides both environmental and economic benefits to shipowners and public, project officials said.
However, the most common key barriers to a more widespread adoption of LNG as a fuel for ships seem to be insufficient local LNG supply and immature bunkering infrastructure coupled with a lack of regulatory schemes for both shore-based and ship-to ship bunkering, DNV said.
The feasibility of LNG-fueled shipping also depends on the simultaneous development of the entire value chain; the lack of such concurrent evolution would be a major challenge and increase investment risk for each stakeholder.
The LNG bunkering project was conceived to address these feasibility issues and to reaffirm Singapore’s commitment towards maritime sustainable growth, officials said. 

Complete Post at:
http://www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/Article/3010678/Latest-News/Singapore-to-study-LNG-bunkering-amid-search-for-cleaner-marine-fuels.html