SEA\LNG and SGMF Pen MoU for Cooperation on LNG as Marine Fuel

SEA\LNG has signed a MoU with SGMF to develop a framework for how the two organisations will work together.

SEA\LNG today announced that is has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF) aimed at developing a framework for how the two organisations will work together to achieve their common goal of promoting liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the fuel of choice for the shipping industry.

"SEA\LNG and SGMF have separate but complementary missions, and we are both wholly committed to the development of natural gas as a marine fuel," said Peter Keller, SEA\LNG Chairman and Executive Vice President of TOTE.

"This MoU will ensure that our efforts are concentrated on defined areas, enabling us to support each other successfully, and ultimately providing the confidence and demand required for an effective, efficient, and safe global marine LNG value chain by 2020."

Through the MoU, the two organisations will provide support for each other by sharing knowledge, data, and information from their areas of responsibility.

As SGMF continues to develop guidelines and best practice in the form of publications, guidance notices, industry statistics, and studies, SEA\LNG plans to leverage this information as part of its efforts to educate investors and other key stakeholders in the marine transportation value chain.

In return, SEA\LNG will provide SGMF support in promoting coherent best practice throughout the industry.

"Through our work on the safety and technical aspects of LNG, SGMF remains wholly focused on promoting safe and responsible operations for gas fuelled ships. The 100 plus members of SGMF represent the whole value chain from supply to end use and our focus remains on safety, technical, contractual, training and competence, environment and gas as fuel industry information," said Mark Bell, General Manager and COO of SGMF.

"SGMF does not cover the commercial aspect and therefore it will be beneficial to leverage the work of SEA\LNG on this issue. Together, our combined parallel efforts will best serve our respective members and the overall LNG value chain."

Last month, SEA\LNG announced that Bureau Veritas S.A. (BV), Clean Marine Energy, LLC (CME), and Gas Natural SDG, S.A. (Gas Natural Fenosa) have become the newest members of the cross-industry coalition aimed at promoting LNG as marine fuel.