World Ports Climate Initiative Launches LNG Website

The website www.lngbunkering.org has been launched this month to feature LNG as a shipping fuel. The website is an initiative of the World Ports Climate Initiative (WPCI) LNG Fuelled Vessels Working Group under the auspices of the independent, non-profit International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).

The website provides a detailed overview of the use of LNG as ship fuel and illustrates the technical requirements for ships, bunkering infrastructure, vessels under development, and the business case. The website was developed for interested parties including port authorities, fuel suppliers and shipping companies that are considering LNG as fuel for ships.

LNG is a clean and cost competitive fuel allowing the maritime industry to meet the upcoming IMO regulations. LNG as a shipping fuel can help significantly reduce the environmental impacts of maritime transport, most likely without increasing costs. With this fuel, Nitrogen oxide and Sulphur oxide and particulate emissions can be reduced by 85-100 percent in comparison with heavy fuel oil. Use of LNG fuel results in 20 percent lower GHG emissions.

LNG is obviously the ship’s fuel of the future and ports are preparing to offer safe storage and bunkering of LNG for shipping lines in or near their port areas.

IAPH’s WPCI LNG working group has developed harmonized LNG bunker checklists for known LNG bunkering scenarios: ship-to-ship, shore-to-ship and truck-to-ship. These checklists reflect the extra requirements of ports with regard to LNG bunkering operations in or near their port environment. By using bunkering checklists, a high level of quality and responsibility of the LNG bunker operators can be ensured. Implemented harmonized bunker checklists will be of great benefit to the vessels bunkering LNG in different ports, as this will reduce the potential for confusion caused by having to comply with different rules and regulations in different ports.

Focusing on the use of LNG as a marine fuel, the LNG Fuelled Vessels Working Group has developed guidelines for safe LNG bunkering operations providing ports around the world, to pursue this technology. In addition, the working group has aimed to create LNG awareness in ports by producing this website. The working group has worked in close contact with industry stakeholders currently using and/or handling LNG, as well as government agencies.