With the stricter environmental regulations across the globe, the use of LNG as a bunker fuel is gaining a lot of attention. The club’s publication on ‘LNG as fuel’ highlighted the challenges related to LNG bunkering operations and provided considerations for the ship owners/operators.

Following the feasibility study on LNG fuelled domestic vessels operating within the North American and US Caribbean ECAs, the USCG has issued two field notices providing the following recommendations:

• LNG Bunkering Job Aid – checklist that can be used for initial and annual inspections of shore-based LNG bunkering facilities.
• LNG Fuel System Inspection Job Aid – checklist that can be used for initial and annual inspections, including periodic safety test procedures of LNG fuelled vessels.

The Coast Guard’s LNG Fuel Workforce Development Committee is currently developing a job aid for vessel-to-vessel LNG bunkering operations and LNG as a fuel pre-commissioning checklist, which are expected to be released within the next few months.
Source: The Standard Club