DNV GL Issues "The Missing Piece" of LNG Bunkering Guidance

Martin Layfield, global segment leader of the Gas Value Chain at DNV GL says the new RP will create consistency in the billing process of LNG.

DNV GL has issued the first guidance on recommended practice (RP) for the measuring and metering of liquified natural gas (LNG) bunker supply.

"The specification of LNG as a marine fuel and required metering methodology has until now been a missing piece in the LNG as fuel puzzle," says Martin Layfield, global segment leader of the Gas Value Chain, DNV GL.

"This new RP completes the picture and will provide a level playing field for the billing process of LNG and documentation around the gas quality."

DNV GL described the update as a "key driver" for the monetisation of small scale distribution and LNG infrastructure.

"This RP aims to support the industry in the development and operation of safe LNG bunkering facilities and to ensure safety for people, the environment and compliance with regulatory targets," explains Elisabeth Tørstad, CEO of DNV GL – Oil & Gas.

The RP, which uses the ISO/TS 18683 Guidelines for LNG supply as a jumping off point, is said to have four main components, including safe design and operation, safety management systems, risk assessments, as well as the new guidance on gas quality and quantity metering.

"The RP is applicable to truck-to-ship, terminal-to-ship and ship-to-ship bunkering scenarios, as well as inland shipping and vessels not covered by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations," adds Tørstad.

DNV GL says the RP is part of an overall effort to help develop a more "transparent and compatible" market in order to safeguard sustainable growth of the LNG as marine fuel.

"LNG has proven to be a viable option as a bunkering fuel for ships and its use is set to soar over the next decade," concludes Layfield.

In August, DNV GL announced a new ship to ship gas bunkering operations notation, said to assist in alternative fuel bunkering in ports without the required infrastructure.