Singapore, as part of its program to provide cleaner, alternative sources of fuel such as LNG, has developed Technical Reference (TR) 56 for LNG Bunkering to support the industry as there are no comprehensive national guidelines for LNG bunkering procedures.
TR56 was launched April 28 by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), SPRING Singapore and the Standards Development Organisation @ Singapore Chemical Industry Council (SDO@SCIC).
LNG is a fuel of increasing adoption and interest for the global maritime industry as it looks for solutions to meet more stringent regulatory requirements such as the announcement by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to cap the sulphur content of marine fuel at 0.5% from 2020.
TR56 is applicable to bunkering of both ocean-going vessels and harbour craft. Users of this TR include all stakeholders involved in the LNG bunkering supply chain such as licensed LNG bunker suppliers, LNG-fuelled receiving vessels, ship owners/operators, training institutions, and third party agencies such as consultants, classification societies.
The technical reference covers LNG delivery from LNG bunkering facilities (i.e. trucking, shore, terminal, shipping and ISO tankers lifting facilities) to receiving ships through four modes of transfer (truck-to-ship, shore-to-ship, ship-to-ship and cassette bunkering).
MPA’s LNG bunkering pilot programme commenced early this year and will utilise TR 56 to guide the implementation of operational protocols by licensed LNG bunkering suppliers. This will help the industry gain operational experience in LNG bunkering.
Captain M Segar, MPA’s Assistant Chief Executive (Operations), said, “While it may take time for LNG to take off as a marine fuel globally, we have taken steps to kick-start LNG bunkering in Singapore through our LNG Bunkering Pilot Programme, one of them being the development of TR 56. The document will ensure Pavilion Gas and FueLNG, MPA’s two appointed LNG bunker supplier licensees, conduct LNG bunkering operations of high quality with regards to safety as well as quantity and quality assurance.”
Mr Goh Tiak Boon, Chairman of the Technical Committee on LNG Bunkering under the Singapore Standard Council, also commented: “TR 56 will support the adoption of LNG as a bunker fuel in the Port of Singapore to meet international requirements for environmental sustainability. It will also help the local LNG bunkering sector follow a uniformed set of good practices thereby enhancing efficiency, safety and transparency.”
(Source: Government of Singapore; MPA Singapore)
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