Executive Summary - GAINN Projects€¦ · IMO has established regulations on the fuel sulphur...

Study of technical possibilities for supplying ships with LNG in Port of Koper

Executive Summary

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indexpage 4INTRODUCTION 01

LNG AS A BUNKER FUEL 2.1 Transition to LNG bunker fuel | 2.2 Short-term LNG bunkering demand forecast for the Port of Koper | 2.3 LNG bunkering options | 2.4 LNG bunkering interfaces: loading arm and hose systems | 2.5 LNG bunkering vessels | 2.6 LNG bunkering terminals | 2.7 Mobile LNG bunkering facilities | 2.8 LNG bunkering safety issues02 page 6

LNG AS FUEL FOR LNG FUELLED HANDLING MECHANIZATION IN PORTS3.1 General |3.2 Transport of LNG ISO-containers with Ro-Ro vessel |3.3 Transport of LNG ISO-containers with container vessel |3.4 LNG ISO-containers and LNG tank trailers warehousing

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page 26MAIN RESULTS04

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GLOSSARY OF ABREVIATIONS• BOG - Boil-off-gases

• CHPU - Combined Heat and Power Unit

• CNG - Compressed Natural Gas

• DNV - Det Norske Veritas

• ECA - Emission Control Area

• EGR - Exhaut Gas Recirculation

• GHG - Greenhouse gases

• HFO - Heavy fuel oil

• IMO - International Maritime Organization

• ISO - International Standardisation Organisation

• LFL - Lower Flammability Level

• LNG - Liquefied Natural Gas

• LPG - Liquefied Petroleum Gas

• MARPOL - (Maritime Pollution) IMO’s International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships

• MGO - Marine gas oil

• NOX - Nitrogen oxides

• PBU - Pressure build-up unit

• PM - Pollutant particles

• QRA - Quantitative Risk Assessment

• Ro-Ro - Roll on – Roll off (ship for vehicles)

• SCR - Selective Catalytic Reduction

• SOX - Sulphur oxides

• STS - Ship-to-ship

• TENT-T - Trans-European Transport Networks

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The GAINN global project aims at supporting EU Member States policy-makers, ports and shipowners operating in the EU Atlantic and Mediterranean countries to comply with Marpol Annex VI and Directive 2012/33/EU in the most efficient way. GAINN4MOS Action aims to improve the Motorways of the Sea network in 6 Member States by carrying out engineering studies of ships retrofitting and/or newbuildings and port LNG infrastructures and bunkering stations and a large set of pilot projects and works.

In the Slovenian case, the actions to be carried out in the Port of Koper include the analysis of all the service dimensions of potential demand to a future service station to be prototyped in the port of Koper in a future project. This executive summary belongs to the group of four basic studies that have been elaborated under the framework of the GAINN4MOS project by the Slovenian partners: the Port of Koper and Istrabenz Plini. The three service dimensions covered by the group of studies are the following:

• LNG supply of road cargo transport

• LNG supply of maritime transport for vessels, including both LNG supply and onshore power supply produced by LNG.

• LNG supply of the port internal transport (within the port area).

01 Introduction

CROATIA

Figure 1. Location of the project

Koper

Studies for LNG Bunkerind Station

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This Executive Summary includes the main results obtained by Port of Koper to examine technical possibilities for supplying ships with liquefied natural gas (LNG) and this based on the results regarding the potential demand for LNG in the Northern Adriatic, which have been obtained in the framework of the EU project Costa II East – Poseidon MED.

The study has to elaborate the following aspects:

• Analysis of possible ways to supply with LNG ships which are moored in the port of Koper or waiting at the anchor.

• Explore the possibilities of LNG containers operation

International rules and regulations

When the port of Koper plans the LNG bunkering service, it must take into account the following rules, guidelines and recommendations:

IMO - IGC Code: Standard base rules for gas carrier incl. LNG bunker vessels, but without requirements for LNG transfer systems.

IMO - IGF Code: Standard base rules for vessels using low-flashpoint fuels (as LNG) and which are not covered by the IGC Code. Still not in force, but IMO resolution MSC.285(86) (dated 1.12.2013) serves as interim guideline. Especially the IGF Code specifies some general minimum requirements for LNG transfer systems.

01 Introduction

Classification societies

More or less all well-known classification societies released their guidelines and recommendations for LNG bunkering based on the above mentioned international rules and regulations:

• BV: Guidelines on LNG Bunkering - Guidance Note NI 618 DT R00 E

• DNVGL-RP-0006: 2014-01 Recommended Practice - Development and operation of liquefied natural gas bunkering facilities

ISO/Industry standards/Organisations

• ISO/TC 67/WG 10 PT1 -> OGP Draft 118683 -> EN 1474

• EN 1474 -1/-2/-3: Design and testing of transfer arms/hoses.

• SIGTTO, OCIMF, SGMF, etc. released their guidelines, covering operational and/or safety aspects to a wide extend.

• SIGTTO, OCIMF:

- Guidelines for LNG transfer and Port Operation

- Guidelines for oil transfer, ship-to-ship oil bunker procedures

• SIGTTO: LNG Transfer Arms Manifold Draining, Purging and Disconnection Procedure

• SGMF guide: Gas as a marine fuel an introductory guide

• SGMF: LNG Bunkering Procedures - Safety Guidelines

EU/National/Local port regulations

Flag state and port authorities normally would like to be involved in risk assessments.

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02 LNG as a Bunker Fuel 2.1 Transition to LNG bunker fuel

Emissions of sulphur oxides (SOX) from shipping represent about 60% of global transport SOX emissions. Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) from shipping account for about 15% of global anthropogenic NOX

emissions and approximately 40% of global NOX emissions from freight transport. An important fact is that 70% of all shipping emissions are distributed within band area up to 400 km from the coast and can therefore significantly affect air quality in coastal cities and ports, as well as inland. In adition, maritime shipping is estimated to be the source of approximately 3% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide.

To curb emissions growth, regulations to limit maritime shipping emissions have been introduced by international bodies like the IMO International Maritime Organization (IMO), as well as by the European Union (EU), United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and other governments.

IMO regulations require new-built vessels to be more fuel-efficient and is encouraging the maritime transport industry to move towards using natural gas on board ships as a prime source of energy for propulsion and electricity generation. IMO has established regulations on the fuel sulphur content of ship fuels and set mandatory NOX emission limits for new-built engines. These regulations are implemented through the IMO’s International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from

2.1.1 Why to introduce alternative fuels into maritime transportation 123

Ships (MARPOL). In addition to these engine and fuel requirements, certain areas have also been designated as emission control areas (ECAs) where stricter emissions limits are enforced.

At present, there are four ECAs in effect:

• The Baltic Sea since May 2006,

• The North Sea since November 2007,

• North America (US and Canada) since August 2011 and

• U.S. Caribbean since January 2013.

The European Union’s (UE) Fuel Sulphur Directive implements MARPOL Annex VI in EU legislation. The EU is also promoting the use of LNG as a ship fuel. To this end, an EU proposal on alternative fuel infrastructure aims to guarantee sufficient infrastructure in the form of LNG bunkering stations and terminals, while at the same time provide subsidies via the TEN-T (Trans-European Transport Networks) fund to develop and further improve such infrastructure.

1 http://www.lngbunkering.org/lng/environment2 http://www.lngbunkering.org/lng/regulations3 SGMF - the society for gas as a marine fuel / An Introductory Guide

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02 LNG as a bunker fuel | Transition to LNG bunker fuel

In the case of SOX mitigating measures for complying with regulations on fuel sulphur content are the use of LNG, exhaust gas scrubbers or use of marine gas oil (MGO). For its parts, the main alternative options to mitigate NOX emissions are the use of LNG, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) or Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). To attain both emission reduction requirements for SOX an NOX with using only one technological principle, LNG based engines and use of exhaust scrubbers are applicable.

2.1.1 Technology options to meet MARPOL Annex VI

Table 1| Shows the achievements of each option:

LNG ScrubberMGO

(0,1% S)SCR EGR

NOX

85-90 % reduction

10-20 % reduction

--90-99 % reduction

20-85 %

SOX

~100 % reduction

~100 % reduction

95 % reduction

-- --

PM~100 % reduction

80-85 % reduction

80 % reduction

25-40 % reduction

--

CO2

20 % reduction (ignoring methane

slip)

Slight increase due to additional

fuel consumption

Increase of upstream emissions (refinery)

Slight increase due to additional

fuel consumption

--

Table 1. Overview of main options to reduce NOX and SOX emissions (source: WPCI – World Ports Climate Initiative)

The following figure compares technologies to reduce sulphur emissions pointing out advantages and disadvantages:

Figure 1. Overview of arguments connected different environmentally unfriendly emissions reduction technologies (source: Poten & Partners; LNG as A Marine Fuel; Frederick Adamchak)

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2.1.3 LNG as a bunker fuel

The two primary drivers that make LNG appear an attractive alternative are:

• LNG allows ships to meet MARPOL Annex VI requirements for both worldwide trades and operation in ECAs as its sulphur content that is well below the requirements for ECAs. Moreover, LNG reduces NOX emissions to levels that will meet MARPOL Annex VI without need for after treatment.

• In some markets, natural gas and LNG are lower priced than high sulphur marine fuel oils on a heating value basis.

The main drawback of LNG are the uncertainties in future LNG price levels. For container ships4 the attractiveness of LNG as ship fuel compared to scrubber systems depends on three parameters:

• Share of operation inside ECA

• Price difference between LNG and HFO

• Investment costs for LNG tank system

The uncertainties that prevent the adoption of LNG as bunker fuel among ship owners are:

• The implementation schedule for application of Annex VI provi-sions remains undetermined.

• The uncertain pace of expansion of ECAs

• International regulation: IMO adopted Interim Guidelines on Sa-fety for Natural Gas Fuelled Engine Installations in Ships in 2009. IMO also convened a working group to draft an International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low Flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code). The question is how broadly accepted those regulations (for domestic trades) in international trades are. If the IGF Code requirements are more stringent than those of the Interim Guidelines, what will the effect on ships built under the Guidelines be.

• Fuel suppliers are waiting for demand before investing while shi-pping companies are waiting for supply before invest in LNG. Coordination and cooperation between port developers and ship owners will be particularly difficult with ships in international tra-des.

• With the size of the global bunker fuel market equal to about 70% of the global LNG market, a significant shift from marine bunker fuel to LNG must to change; LNG supply must expand rapidly to meet worldwide.

2.1.4 Uncertainties 5

4 Germanischer Lloyd, Costs and benefits of LNG as a ship fuel for container vessels, 2013

5 http://www.gastechnology.org/Training/Documents/LNG17-proceedings/7-1-Frederick_Adamchak.pdf

02 LNG as a bunker fuel | Transition to LNG bunker fuel

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2.2 Short-term LNG bunkering demand forecast for the Port of Koper

02 LNG as a bunker fuel | Short-term LNG bunkering demand forecast for the Port of Koper | LNG bunkering options

For the port of Koper, forecasts for 2020 and 2030 are made upon two scenarios:

2020 2030Realistic 500 tonnes 1000 tonnesOptimistic 5500 tonnes 11000 tonnes

Realistic scenario would come into play in case if also for the bunkering of LNG is decided that it will not be a permanent and regular service that port offers it to all the ships entering into it, but only a niche service, for example for the supply of port tugs.

These results were obtained using a forecast study for LNG bunkering in the Port of Antwerp.

2.3 LNG bunkering options

Currently exist three main ways of supplying LNG as marine:

• Bunker services by LNG trucks

• Bunker services at dedicated LNG bunkering terminal

• Bunker services by LNG bunker supply vessel

Figure 2. LNG bunkering options (source: TGE Marine)

Bunker services by LNG trucks

Bunker services at dedicated LNG bunkering terminal

Bunker services by LNG bunker supply vessel

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Bunker services by LNG trucks

02 LNG as a bunker fuel | LNG bunkering options

The most flexible way of organizing LNG bunkering in a small market is by means of tank trucks or tank container. It is suitable for supplying up to 1.200 tons/customer.

Land-based distribution of LNG can be carried out by heavy duty trucks, for example to serve nearby industries and transportation within the port. LNG terminals with regional distribution of LNG by trucks are equipped with facilities for loading and unloading of trucks. If LNG is distributed to customers in the form of ISO containers, trucks may be supplied at such logistic hubs (LNG dedicated).

Generally, a truck delivers a quantity of 18-22 tons of LNG and has a pump with a flow rate of approximately 10-11 tons/hour. To empty one truck-trailer, a bunker time is 2-3 hours including the pre- and post- safety procedures. Smaller sea ships generally need an LNG bunker capacity of approx. 60–150 tons of LNG in one bunker operation.

Given that multiple trucks are required for one ship filling and only a few approved quay-side bunkering locations will be available.

Bunker services at an LNG bunkering terminal

When the bunkering service is usually higher than 5.000 tons/customer or if the annual consumption exceeds 10.000 tons/year, trucks are no longer adequate. Dedicated small-scale land based LNG installation will load LNG from LNG feeder vessels or by trucks having LNG hub elsewhere. A storage capacity of 350-500 tons would be sufficient for an annual consumption of 10.000 tons. The terminal can easily be expanded when executed with C-type storage tanks by adding extra storage tanks in case of increasing consumption.

Bunkering flow rates vary from 30 to 80 m3/h, thus reducing the customer loading time and increasing the number of loading sessions per day. Secondly, a terminal storage can deliver quantities smaller or larger than a single truck load. This makes the bunker planning easier from a customer point of view. Also the bunkering service can take place irrespective of the availability of supplying trucks and drivers. Additionally, an LNG terminal can also be equipped with a dispensing function for LNG or CNG trucks. In ports where these terminals can be installed, are the safest solution.

Bunker services by LNG bunker supply vessel

This is the best compromise in view of timing, quantities and flexibility, analogous to common bunkering practice for fuel oil.

LNG bunker vessels will load LNG from large scale or intermediate LNG terminals and transport it to the bunker locations. At the bunker location, the LNG is bunkered to vessels which could vary from tankers to large container ships. The size and main dimensions of small-scale LNG carriers can vary significantly, depending on different market demands, draught and other physical limitations of the ports and bunker sites to be used. Typical cargo capacity for small-scale LNG carriers may be approximately 7.000 to 21.000 m3, but smaller and bigger vessels exist. Large container ships require a maximum bunker volume of 21.000 m3, which means that the entire volume of a large LNG bunker vessel is needed to bunker one container vessel. Bunkering flow rates per hose vary from 500 to 1000 m3/h.

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2.4 LNG bunkering interfaces: loading arm and hose systems

02 LNG as a bunker fuel | LNG bunkering interfaces: loading arm and hose systems

LNG bunker loading arm transfer systems

The system is suitable for both Ship-to-Ship and Shore-to-Ship LNG bunkering. Essential and recommended equipment and components are:

• Discharge/receiving valves at bunker supply/receiving vessel (or on-shore supply facility)

• Loading arm or hose for LNG and vapour return

• Emergency break away coupling (self-sealing type)

• Connect/dry disconnect coupling

• Means for draining after completion of bunker transfer

• Means for inertisation and gas freeing

• Ship-to-Ship (Shore-to-Ship) link for communication and auto-matic/manual ESD

The flow rate can be up to 900 m3/hour or more to handle greater flows.

The arm comprises a lattice boom structure supporting a liquid line and a vapour return line, each linking to the manifold of the receiving ship via a flexible cryogenic hose. These hoses are also utilised at the mast pedestal to link the arm’s lines with the bunker vessel’s LNG systems.

As the ship is subject to dynamic motions during transfer operations, it can incorporate motion-compensating features. Loading arms for vessel installation should, in contrast for on-shore installation due to the dynamic properties.

Figure 3. LNG bunkering arm of FMC

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02 LNG as a bunker fuel | LNG bunkering interfaces: loading arm and hose systems

LNG bunker hose transfer system

Main distinction between LNG bunker transfer by loading arms and hose system is, that hose systems does not have own lifting and support device (like arm), but hoses are usually free hanging over ship or shore or supported by ropes on auxiliary crane. Hose systems are much cheaper, since main component, beside interconnecting valves, is the hose itself in contrast to loading arms, where the largest structure is crane, and LNG hoses and pipes represents only smaller part of this assembly.

LNG (bunker) transfer by hose connection can be performed in small-scales as well as in big-scales.

| IN SMALL-SCALE

|TO BIG-SCALE

Figure 4. Source: AGA/Sirius, Exmar

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Which LNG bunkering interface to choose

For both options, loading arm and hose systems, suppliers for components and equipment are available for Ship-to-Ship systems as well as for Shore-to-Ship LNG bunker transfer systems. This study would not like to recommend one of the mentioned systems, as each system seem to offer advantages in different areas. The most suitable application has to be figured out for each project and each port individually.

The authors strongly recommend good market investigation and consultation with engineering companies in the field as well as with ports already implementing LNG bunkering before choosing specific supplier. Without going into deep, LNG bunkering interface must satisfy the following aspects:

• Space constraints

• Performance

- Operability

- Loading time

• Safety issues

02 LNG as a bunker fuel | LNG bunkering interfaces: loading arm and hose systems | LNG bunkering vessels

2.5 LNG bunkering vessels

One of the biggest challenges from today’s point of view is to determine future LNG fuelled vessels traffic in the port because this has critical impact on the performance aspect. Considering that in Port of Koper is anticipating ships of all sizes (from small to the biggest) are likely to come, the authors would suggest, that when determine performance requirements, to focus on the group of ships with the statistical highest visiting frequency. In the Port of Koper, these are mid-sized ships of all kinds. They assume that infrastructure for LNG bunkering also the biggest ships might not find bring satisfactory financial benefits to the investor.

This section presents some exemples of LNG propelled vessels:

Coastal – Vessel

• LNG volume: 50 - 500 m³

• vacuum insulated or con-ventional insulated

• pressure build-up type

• bunker time: max. 4 h

• bunker rate: 25 - 200 m³/h

• bunker manifold height: max. 4 m above waterline

• bunker station location: approx. 50 m from steven

Figure 5. Coastal vessel with LNG fuel system (source: TGE Marine)

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02 LNG as a bunker fuel | LNG bunkering vessels | LNG bunkering terminals

Passenger Vessel

• LNG volume: 2,000 – 3,000 m³

• Type C tanks or atmospheric tanks

• bunker time: 4 h

• bunker rate: 750 m³/h

• bunker connection: 8“

• bunker manifold height: 3 – 4 m above waterline

• bunker station location: mids-hips

•

Figure 6. Passenger vessel with LNG fuel system (source: TGE Marine)

Large Container Vessel

• LNG volume: up to 13,000 m³

• Atmospheric or type C tanks

• bunker time: approx. 4 - 11 h

• bunker rate: up to 1,500 m³/h

• bunker connection: estimated min. 8“

• bunker manifold height: 6 – 8 m above waterline

• bunker station location: ¼ of ship length

Figure 7. Large Container vessel with LNG fuel system (source: TGE Marine)

2.6 LNG bunkering terminals

LNG bunkering terminals should be installed if frequent LNG bunkering operations are executed. The size of the LNG bunkering terminal is depending on frequency of bunkering operation as well as the quantity of LNG bunkered per bunkering operation (min., norm., max.).

The LNG bunkering terminal also allows for providing LNG to bunker vessels distributing the LNG to ship moored at another berth or to those anchored in front of the port of Koper.

A basic configuration of a LNG bunkering terminal is shown in Figure 8 (example for a LNG bunkering terminal with two tanks).

2.6.1 Configuration of a LNG bunkering terminal

Figure 8. LNG Bunkering Terminal

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02 LNG as a bunker fuel | LNG bunkering terminals

Generally, it comprises one or more tanks, which –depending on the size– will be either vacuum insulated (tank volume up to 1.000 m³) or insulated with PU or PS (tank volume more than 1.000 m³). The LNG supply to the LNG bunker terminal is provided by means of small scale gas carriers, which will be unloaded making use of a (transfer) unloading arm as well as a vapour return system. For bunkering opera-tion LNG pumps will be used pumping the LNG to the receiving bunker location. Here, the LNG is provided as bunker fuel to the vessel either utilising a bunker loading arm or a flexible hose system. A pressure build-up unit (PBU) will be engaged to avoid a decrease of the pressure in the storage tanks in case of high bunkering flow rates.

Although the storage tanks of the bunkering terminals are pressure vessels, there might be the necessity for treatment of the boil-off gas (BOG). Such a scenario may arise if no bunkering operation is perfor-med for a longer period of time or the LNG quantity sent to the vessel as bunker is too small. Typically, such BOG treatment is provided by means of a combined heat and power unit (CHPU) which generates electrical power and hot water.

Additionally, a flare is to be provided, in order to dispose off-gases in a safe way.

2.6.2 Space requirements and plant layout

The space requirement is depending very much on size of the LNG bunkering terminal and its configuration, e.g. an elevated flare will require more space due to heat radiation than a ground flare, which is insulated and does not require an exclusion zone. Another criterion will be whether ship-unloading operation shall be performed simultaneously with bunker operation.

To illustrate the land requirements two examples for a possible plant layout are provided below:

Figure 9 shows a bunker terminal comprising five vacuum-insulated tanks, each 1.000 m³. The illustrated configuration allows for simultaneous LNG carrier unloading and bunker operation. The bunker terminal is equipped with an elevated flare. As the exclusion zone for an elevated flare is depending on the heat radiation, this zone can be influenced by the height of the flare. In the shown case, an exclusion zone of 60 m around the flare was assumed. For such an arrangement an area of approx. 225 × 150 m is required.

Figure 9. General Arrangement LNG Bunkering Terminal with 5 x 1.000 m3 Storage Tanks

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02 LNG as a bunker fuel | LNG bunkering terminals

Figure 10 shows a bunker terminal comprising two LNG storage tanks with PU insulation, each 3.000 m³. The illustrated configuration does not allow for simultaneous ship unloading and bunker operation. The bunker terminal is equipped with a ground flare, which avoids exclusion zones. For such an arrangement an area of approx. 160 × 90 m is required.

Figure 10. General Arrangement LNG Bunkering Terminal with 2 x 3.000 m3 Storage Tanks

2.6.3 Safety features of a LNG bunkering terminal

Besides the flare for a safe disposal of off-gases, there is a number of other safety features to be provided:

• Ship to shore communication link, in order to allow for a safe shutdown of the LNG bunkering terminal in case of shutdown on the ship or vice versa.

• Emergency push buttons in the critical areas field, to advice of an incident and bringing the plant as quick as possible in a safe condition.

• Gas detection system, that provides an alarm in case of gas or liquid leakage.

• Fire detection system, with flame detectors (usually of the infra-red type) at strategic locations.

• Safety Shut-down System, that processes and executes all the shut-down orders generated by the above descripted safety sys-tems.

• Firefighting system, in the event of fire, generally, the purpose is rather cooling the neighbouring facilities than to extinguish any fire.

• Fire Extinguishers, in addition to the fixed firefighting system fire, extinguishers are to be provided.

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2.7 Mobile LNG bunkering facilities

2.7.1 Configuration of a mobile LNG bunkering facility

LNG bunkering by mobile units is recommended if LNG bunkering operations will be performed only occasionally and if the LNG bunker quantities are relatively low.

If LNG bunkering is performed making use of a mobile system, the LNG has to be supplied by trucks. For this purpose, either LNG semi-trailers or LNG ISO-containers are utilised. Both, the LNG semi-trailers and the LNG ISO-containers feature their own pressure built-up unit (PBU) for generation of the gases required to displace the liquid phase fed to the ship’s fuel tank.

Depending on the LNG quantity to be bunkered several LNG semi-trailers or LNG ISO-containers are required for one filling.

Mobile LNG bunkering facility utilising LNG semi-trailer

In general, LNG semi-trailers are equipped with their own LNG pump. Therefore, the mobile LNG bunkering facility only comprise a header system to connect two or more LNG semi-trailers to the fuel tank of the ship. The LNG pump of the LNG-semi-trailer is driven by a hydraulic motor powered by the tractor.

The connection between the shore side installation and the ship is performed utilising a flexible hose.

02 LNG as a bunker fuel | Mobile LNG bunkering facilities

The next figure illustrates a mobile LNG bunkering system comprising three LNG semi-trailers with the possibility to connect up to six semi-trailers.

Figure 11. Mobile LNG bunkering facility with LNG semi-trailers

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Mobile LNG bunkering facility utilising LNG ISO-containers

In general, LNG ISO-containers are not equipped with their own LNG pump. Therefore, the mobile LNG bunkering facility needs to be equipped with pumps. Power supply for the pump motors is provided by a power generation unit, which will be part of the LNG pump skid. If power generation will be performed making use of a gas motor a part stream of the LNG pressurised by the LNG pumps will be vaporised and sent to the gas motor. The connection between the shore side installation and the ship is performed utilising a flexible hose.

Figure 12 illustrates a mobile LNG bunkering system comprising three LNG ISO-containers with the possibility to connect up to six ISO-containers.

02 LNG as a bunker fuel | Mobile LNG bunkering facilities

Figure 11. Mobile LNG bunkering facility with LNG semi-trailers

2.7.2 Space requirements and plant layout

The space requirement is depending very much on number of LNG semi-trailers or LNG ISO-containers, which will be simultaneously provided for LNG bunkering. For each LNG semi-trailer/LNG ISO-container, an area of approx. 25 × 5 m is necessary. Additionally, the LNG bunkering facility needs to be positioned close to the bunkering point, requiring another 25 x 5 m. Furthermore, it is recommended to put barricades in a distance of approx. 30 m around the bunkering point in order to prevent unauthorised people approaching to the LNG-bunkering facilities.

2.7.3 Safety features of a mobile LNG bunkering facility

With a mobile facility for LNG bunkering, the safety features to be provided are:

• Ship to shore communication link, in order to allow for a safe shutdown of the LNG bunkering operation.

• Emergency push buttons in each LNG semi-trailer or LNG ISO-container, and in the mobile facility.

• Gas detection system.

• Safety Shut-down System, that processes and executes all the shut-down orders generated by the above descripted safety systems.

• Fire Extinguishers. During LNG bunkering operation, it is recommended to have two wheeled 50 kg and two six kg fire extinguishers close to the LNG bunkering facility.

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02 LNG as a bunker fuel | LNG bunkering safety issues

2.8 LNG bunkering safety issues

2.8.1 Safety study

LNG bunkering is the activity which involves processing of a substance classified as a dangerous good in a physically dynamic environment.

Safety study is mainly done in form of risk assessment. Risk assessment is a document, in which the whole environment, including technical installations, is thoroughly analysed all about possible failures and accidents that may happen and impacts of their consequences. Such an analysis should be done before a LNG bunkering project starts, since requirements for design of safe facility should be explicitly provided there. When project is completed, safety analysis should be done again, this time it should focus to deliver recommendations for operational procedures for safe work and safe working place.

DNV executed in 2012 a preliminary safety study for LNG bunkering6, jointly for ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Zeeland Seaports. Results of this study and methodology presented can be studied for the possible future LNG bunkering activities in the Port of Koper, since the object of analysis and expected types of results are the same as they would be for the similar Port of Koper study.

Risk assessment is the essential part of any safety study. The result at the completion of the safety studies should be:

• distances to different levels of safety calculated

- safety distances for passing ships

- risk distances to vulnerable objects

• operational procedures

The determination of the safety distances for passing ships is determined by a consequence base methodology, where a representative scenario and consequence are selected. This method is based directly on lower flammability level (LFL) distances (distances directly related to ignition).

In other hand, the risk distances to vulnerable objects are calculated with using a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) methodology. A QRA gives insight into the risks to human life of a certain activity by calculating the potential effects of a variety of scenarios as well as considering the probability of occurrence of these scenarios.

Ports in the scope of the DNV study were preparing for the arrival of LNG as a fuel. For successful incorporation of activities related to LNG bunkering into their current safety systems (e.g. guidelines, operational procedures) and operations, DNV has been asked to develop a “harbour toolkit safety distances LNG bunkering” to help identify:

• the safety distances for passing ships and

• the risk distance to vulnerable objects such as residential hou-sing, offices, hospitals etc.

Safety and security zonesThe use of safety and security zones around the LNG bunkering operation are necessary to prevent the creation and spread of hazardous situations in case of an accident during bunkering. The two types of zones have different purposes and definitions.

The purpose of a safety zone is to designate an area where only essential personnel with proper training are allowed to enter and where no sources of ignition are allowed. Both before mentioned zones, safety distances for passing ships and risk distances to vulnerable objects are in this category.

6 Report (PP035192-R2), Port toolkit risk profile LNG bunkering, DNV, 2012

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The purpose of the security zone is to create an area of sufficient size that keeps other vessels, vehicles, equipment, and cargo operations far enough away so that they pose little risk of damaging or interfering with the LNG bunkering system and equipment. This zone is intended to keep non-essential personnel on a safe distance so that injury by any hazardous incident during the bunkering operation is unlikely, and to make it difficult for to intentionally damage or interfere with the bunkering system and equipment.


Figure 13. LNG bunkering safety and security zones

2.8.2 LNG bunkering in Port of Koper from safety distances perspective

From all the basic LNG bunkering alternatives (ship-to-ship, via trucks or via LNG bunkering terminal), it is obvious that first two options are viable, whereas option via LNG bunkering terminal is at the moment not seen viable, because there is a lack of space in the Port of Koper for such installation. However, under assumption that some yard infras-tructure rearrangement is possible, also LNG bunkering terminal can be fitted into existing infrastructure.

The next figure visualises the ship passage safety distances of 50 m and 100 m in the layout of Port of Koper – basin 1 - bunkering at the most critical point – passenger ship. In case the 50 m distance is in place, Ro-Ro ship can go out (or in), while in case of 100 m safety distance, such passage is not possible any more.

This simple case shows, that from perspective of maritime traffic, Port of Koper is very sensitive on safety distances and any safety distances beyond 50 m are to be very difficult to implement. The same result would come also from shore operations safety distances, where we ex-pect that solutions with distances much higher than 50 m will also be difficult to implement.

LNG bunkering safety requirements are much easier to apply if ships are at the anchorage area. The authors estimate that LNG bunkering safety requirements will not be difficult to meet at this location.

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Figure 14. Distances from a LNG bunkering vessel, bunkering a passanger ship (source: Energium)

One of the most critical and difficult but at the same time also with high priority and likelihood of implementation point to consider in case of Port of Koper is LNG bunkering of passenger ship at berth. This case has at least the following properties with high impact on risk assessment:

• passenger ship has all the time hundreds or thousands of people on board

• there is continuous passenger traffic on or off the ship

• passenger ship cannot be bunkered at the anchorage point

• passenger ship is at the berth only for limited time

• at the time of LNG bunkering a by-passage of one or two mid-to large-size ships can be expected with certainty

• basin 1 has limited width, which poses limitations for traffic within it, especially if LNG bunkering activity is going on there

All this constrains set the safety analysis difficulty level well beyond of the scope of this study. The authors however believe that solution is possible by using appropriate technical equipment combined with adequate safety analysis based procedures. In the case mentioned above, tug equipped with firefighting water spraying nozzle might escort LNG bunkering vessel for all of the bunkering time.

The most objective indicator of the likelihood of events (used in the risk assessment) is reality itself. There was a collision due to excessive incoming speed of a container ship in the basin 1 of Luka Koper in 2010. A passenger ship was struck by a container ship exactly at a point where there could theoretically be a ship for LNG bunkering that would be at this time just supplying the passenger ship.

Although the collision of ships in port is possible, but due to the low speeds it is not expected to damage the bunker ship to an extent that LNG would be freely spilled at sea.

From the security point of view, the best way of LNG bunkering at Luka Koper with fully equipped ship LNG bunkering. In the above case, such an LNG bunkering ship would probably be sailed off immediately in the transverse direction of the oncoming ship and thus successfully moved away. Since such a ship is fitted with equipment emergency or breakaway de-coupling, would in all probability to this also occurred (this means that the filling process would be safely stopped anyway). The possible presence of a tug with firefighting ability, in this case would only increase the likelihood of correct actions after collision.

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2.8.3 Safety at work

In defining the essential requirements of safety at work of employees, it begins with liquefied natural gas is a hazardous cargo, a flammable substance, which have at normal pressure extremely low boiling point and is among the substances with cryogenic properties.

General recommendations are:

• There must be no sources of ignition such as electrical equipment, open flame, heat sources and sparks.

• All work equipment which comes into contact with LNG should be well-grounded.

• It is necessary to pay attention to static electricity.

• Workers must wear antistatic cotton clothes, thermal and electrical insulation shoes, and individual protection equipment such as gloves, goggles or protective face visor and helmet and, if necessary, silencers.

The liquid is extremely cold and volatile and because of intense evaporation cools all the objects with which it comes into contact, therefore can also intensely cool parts of the body of the worker and thereby cause frostbite. The worker must therefore use specific personal protective equipment such as gloves and appropriate apron that covers the body of the entire height from the neck to the appropriate shoes. The face-protecting visor should shield face from below the chin to the helmet.

The company must define the hazards of working with LNG for each workplace., and the health and psycho-physical conditions to be met by employees into contact with LNG operations. It is necessary to define


and implement basic education for employees in these workplaces. In the framework of training it is necessary to establish and implement mandatory practical exercises for self-rescue and rescue of workers in case of an accident.

Same as employees of the port, should also employees on board of a ship where is expected LNG bunkering to take place to be educated. The ship’s crew must be familiar with the measures in case of accidents not only for the vessel deck and connecting LNG bunkering elements, but also for the area of machinery, fuel tanks and systems for supplying LNG.

In addition to engineering study, for bunkering analysis also a development of appropriate standard operating procedures has to be done. Those operating procedures must be in-line with:

• technical characteristics

• business model

• safety requirements

• international good practice for this type of activity

Only with the assembly of technically reliable infrastructure, properly conducted safety analysis, correct operating procedures, trained personnel and solid business model, LNG bunkering will bring added value for the Port of Koper.

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03 LNG as Containerised Cargo3.1 General

In the past, when LNG was only used to feed LNG regasification terminals, which feed the natural gas into a pipeline, LNG was transported mainly in very large gas carriers. Figure beneath shows an example for such a gas carrier having Moss Rosenberg type tanks.

Figure 15. LNG gas carrier (source: http://s223.photobucket.com/user/bulkers/media/LNG-Carriers/ArcticPrincess-2.jpg.html)

Today the utilisation of LNG diversifies and LNG is e.g. used as fuel for trucks, as bunker fuel and to supply off-grid users with natural gas. As these applications differ very much from the original utilisation, new modes of transportation are required in order to comply with these needs. The major difference between LNG which is fed into the pipeline after it has been regasified and LNG used as fuel/bunker or for off-grid users is that the quantities of the late are much smaller. For this reason, already small-scale LNG terminals are implemented in some locations being delivered with small-scale LNG carriers.

For transporting the LNG to fuelling stations or to off-grid users a sophisticated logistic is required. The logistic chain to bring the LNG from a base load terminal to the final consumer can be summarised as follows:

1. LNG storage in a base load LNG terminal.

2. Pumping the LNG from the terminal to a small-scale LNG gas carrier.

3. Transport to a small-scale LNG terminal.

4. Pumping the LNG from the small-scale LNG terminal to the small-scale LNG terminal.

5. Pumping the LNG from the storage tanks of the small-scale LNG-terminal into a semi-trailer or a LNG ISO container.

6. Transportation the LNG to the consumers.

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As an alternative, the LNG could be transported in LNG ISO-containers. This enables the entire logistic to be substantially easier. As container filling is almost identical with filling of an LNG semi-trailer, for both, the same installation at the terminals are utilised. Such LNG filling stations for semi-trailers are available in the majority of the European base load LNG terminals. Having said this, the entire logistic could be implemented as follows:

1. LNG storage in a base load LNG terminal.

2. Pumping the LNG from the terminal into an LNG ISO-container.

3. Transporting the LNG ISO-containers from the terminal to any container terminal handling dangerous goods.

4. Transportation of the LNG ISO-containers to the consumers.

This logistic can be managed by just pumping the liquid product once instead of three times. All other subsequent steps are well known in transportation business and had been executed – even for dangerous goods – millions- or even billions fold.

One of the biggest advantages of a containerised LNG logistic chain is its flexibility. In case of increasing LNG demand the number of containers to be delivered to the consumer can easily be increased without changing the infrastructure.

Therefore, such system is ideal to start LNG supply with small quantities. Furthermore, as containers are handled such container handling can be performed at every container terminal equipped to handle dangerous goods and no special LNG infrastructure is required. This allows for an almost immediate start of LNG supply to consumers (if the LNG ISO-containers are available and the consumer has an appropriate LNG infrastructure).

03 LNG as containerised cargol | General | Transport of LNG ISO-containers with Ro-Ro vessel

3.2 Transport of LNG ISO-containers with Ro-Ro vessel

The supply of LNG ISO-containers to the port of Koper can be arranged making use of dedicated, Ro-Ro vessels (roll-on/roll-off) with a capacity of 15 to 100 TEU. The LNG ISO-containers will be brought to the Ro-Ro vessel on chassis enabling a quick loading and unloading of such vessel. At the embarking and debarking, harbour dedicated tractors should be available to load the chassis with the LNG ISO-containers on/from the Ro-Ro vessel. While full LNG ISO-containers will be brought to the Port of Koper empty ones will be taken back by the Ro-Ro vessel to the LNG source for refilling. This system has the advantage that no lifting of the LNG ISO-containers is required.

The number of full LNG ISO-containers is depending on the consumption of LNG as well as on the time for a round trip of the Ro-Ro vessel. Furthermore, the storage should also provide some safety margin to compensate for a possibly delayed arrival of the Ro-Ro vessel.

The Ro-Ro vessel transporting LNG ISO-containers should be of open deck type.

This design guarantees best ventilation to avoid the accumulation of natural gas in case of container leakage. Additionally, they should by modified in order to comply with the safety requirements of the IMDG code, such as:

• Fire detection and alarm system

• Gas detection and alarm system

• Water spray system

• Personnel protection equipment

• Insulation of machinery space boundaries

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03 LNG as containerised cargol | Transport of LNG ISO-containers with container vessel | LNG ISO-containers and LNG tank trailers warehousing

Depending on the LNG demand, either Ro-Ro vessel with single deck or with two decks will be employed.

Figure 16. Single open-deck Ro-Ro vessel(source: Gasfin Development S.A.)

3.3 Transport of LNG ISO-containers with container vessel

Of course, transport of LNG ISO-containers with standard container-vessel is possible, as long as these vessels are equipped with the appropriate safety systems. However, the storage is restricted to the open deck. If such a transportation scheme is employed, it will be necessary to lift the LNG ISO-container making use of a gantry crane to move it to/from the container vessel. Even if container lifting as such is a safe operation, each lifting operation bears the residual risk that the container may fall down.

3.4 LNG ISO-containers and LNG tank trailers warehousing

Transport, containers storage or tanks on trailers for the supply of LNG are not subject to the Regulation on the prevention of major accidents and minimizing their consequences (SEVESO). The only document, which now governs the storage of hazardous liquids in mobile storage containers, is linked to the storage of LPG, which is permitted in the same place to store or containers or cylinders to the total quantity of gas to 50 tonnes, which would for the LNG mean 2-3 containers at the same site at the location. At the same location but at a safe distance can be stored more such groups of containers or cylinders. Distances from public areas for groups of LNG containers are at minimum 10 m.

In order to set-up one or more containerised LNG storage locations within yard area, a dedicated safety analysis will have to be elaborated, because there is no general guidance how to store multiple LNG containers on a stack. Comparing to fixed LNG storage tanks, there is an important difference in stocking LNG containers. Yet the quantities of the stored fuel are the same (as in a storage tank), but this quantity is encapsulated into smaller, very robust and portable units. As higher quantities increase risks, at the same time encapsulation into containers reduces the risks. What is the right balance for specific location, surrounded by objects of different vulnerability only a dedicated analysis can define.

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04 Main Results

The Port of Koper wishes to examine technical options for supplying ships with liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the port area. The study has two focuses through an analysis of possible ways of supplying ships with LNG (at berth or at anchor) and exploration of the operation of LNG as containerised cargo.

The main motive for the introduction of LNG as bunker fuel are current and expected International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations about permitted emissions from ships’ engines both while navigating and in ports.

Port of Koper will be directly affected when the areas of the Mediterranean Sea are established as Emission Control Areas (ECAs). Normatively the ECA conditions are laid down in the IMO MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Annex VI .

The use of natural gas as a fuel is one of possible ways of complying with the increasingly strict regime governing emissions of harmful atmospheric pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides - NOX and sulphur oxides - SOX and reduces the carbon footprint of ship operations.

There are three possible ways to supply moored ships with LNG:

• with LNG trucks

• on a dedicated LNG bunkering terminal

• with LNG bunkering vessels

According to the authors’ estimates, there are many unknowns about the introduction of LNG bunkering: the system chosen for fuelling, size of bunkering vessels, size and type of tanks both bunkering vessels and refuelled vessels, demand and price of LNG, security requirements, space requirements, etc., so they not decide about which option is more suitable for the Port of Koper. It is quite clear, however, that the determination of refuelling position for LNG bunkering in the port of Koper on the current configuration of the port as well as spatial and operational occupancy will not be easy. LNG bunkering infrastructure would have decisive influence over its neighbourhood, which, because of safety and security measures. This problem can be avoided with the implementation of ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering.

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The option of a dedicated terminal for LNG bunkering may be slightly more difficult for the Port of Koper due to the specific legislative framework, and at the beginning of the LNG bunkering service it would not has been necessary.

Alternative to land terminal for LNG bunkering is carrying out the filling by mobile units, trucks with standard ISO LNG containers or LNG semi-trailers, that would be the best option in the first phase of LNG bunkering in the Port of Koper.

The study presents a methodology to the production of safety study in the case of LNG bunkering infrastructure construction, using a similar analysis developed by DNV (Det Norske Veritas). According to the available data in this stage, for the Port of Koper the most complex situation of LNG bunkering is filling of passenger ships. It should have been carried out while the ship is at berth, which means in the basin 1 where there is an intensive shipping, which would directly pass near-by the LNG bunkering ship.

LNG may be in containerized form brought the port with smaller Ro-Ro vessels (ferries) or small container ships in the case of exclusive cargo. Otherwise, any conventional container ship can transport the LNG containers, taking into account the specific request that they must be loaded on the top of the container stack.

04 Main Results

If Luka Koper decided for further verifying and finding the best solution for the LNG storage and vessels supply, then the next step is to do a feasibility study, which will accurately identify and classify a set of possible solutions. For each of the solutions known will be:

• detailed technical design

• safety analysis

• principles of operation

• the impact on the existing working operations

• basic economics

For the production of such studies, an extremely wide range of input data is required. If possible, it is recommend carrying out interviews with the major shipping companies operating in the Port of Koper, on their views and intentions associated with the use of LNG as fuel for ships.

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