RINA Supports Adoption of LNG Bunkers with Launch of Gas Centre of Excellence

RINA Thursday announced its plan to launch a virtual "Gas Centre of Excellence," which will bring together gas expertise from across the RINA group.

RINA Thursday announced its plan to launch a virtual "Gas Centre of Excellence," which will bring together gas expertise from across the RINA group, including D'Appolonia Spa (D'Appolonia), Centro Sviluppo Materiali (CSM), and RINA Services, and support the adoption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkers.

The initiative is said to be intended to respond to the growing interest in the use of LNG as a marine fuel, as well as the European Union (EU) LNG Masterplan, which seeks to develop framework conditions for the use of LNG bunkers in the Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, and Black Sea areas.

RINA explains that the centre will see RINA Services provide classification and inspection on vessels and offshore and onshore terminals, while CSM will provide advice on materials, and D'Appolonia will provide engineering consultancy related to design, construction, and management of LNG terminals.

"This initiative brings together the global gas expertise amalgamating the competencies from within the group," said Paolo Moretti, RINA's Marine General Manager.

"Operating LNG ships and terminals demands significant training so the RINA Academy, as part of our Gas Centre of Excellence, has developed both basic and advanced LNG fuel courses, in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) requirements."

RINA says that, because the centre is the virtual centre, the group will benefit from flexibility, which allow it to effectively provide service delivery to clients around the world and assist the industry in meeting the particular needs of utilising Gas as an alternative fuel source.

In December, Ship & Bunker reported that stakeholders associated with the EU's LNG Masterplan earlier this month said that the program is likely to "benefit tremendously" from the use of the environmentally-friendly fuel in inland waterway transport