CCS Holds LNG Technology Application Seminar

On December 3rd, a LNG Technology Application Seminar was held by China Classification Society (CCS) during Marintec China 2013 in Shanghai. Song Jiahui, Safety Director of Ministry of Transport, Li Shixin, Deputy Director of China MSA and Zhang Guangqi, head of China Association of National Shipbuilding Industry attended the seminar.

In the shipping industry, there is an ongoing strong wave of energy conservation and emission reduction which can be achieved via a variety of means, such as design innovation, installation of ancillary equipment as well as management improvement and etc., including the use of clean energy can significantly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, leading to a more outstanding energy-saving result. Within the current several applicable clean energies, LNG fuel is the most popular one due to its lower price, better emission reduction result and relatively more application experiences in comparison with its traditional counterparts. Countries and regions such as the EU and China have been actively promoting the application of LNG fuel on board ships.

As an important technical supporting force of China shipping industry and shipbuilding industry, CCS has established a standard system that serves the entire industry chain of LNG on-water application as a fuel, tackled the key technology of LNG power system and LNG bunkering technology, as well as formulated classification and construction code for ships powered by LNG and LNG bunkering barges. CCS has also carried out classification, plan approval and inspection services to the first newly-built LNG powered coastal ship and the first LNG bunkering barge in China, and offered assistance to the industry in development of the concept designs of 4 LNG powered container ships with a capacity of 1100 TEU, and several LNG cargo ships powered by LNG. During the process of the aforementioned services, CCS has gradually formed the domestic leading technical service capability in the field of LNG powered vessels, and also provided a strong technical support in promoting the development of China LNG powered vessels.

In this LNG Technology Application Seminar, CCS has focused its setup on three main topics: 1100 TEU container ship with dual fuel system, LNG bunkering barge and the introduction of ship type for small-scale GTT membrane-type LNG carriers.

As a cooperative development project carried out by Shanghai Ship and Shipping Research Institute, CCS and Wartsila, 1100 TEU container ship with dual fuel system is a type of branch line container ship that uses natural gas as its fuel and fully complies with the requirements of ship owners, ship yards and relative environmental regulations. This ship type boasts of superior performance indicators and outstanding achievements, meeting all requirements of environment protection and the new regulations. And there are a total of 16 orders up to now. The first ship had already been delivered in July 2013.

In respect of LNG bunkering, Harbor Star No.1, the first LNG bunkering barge of China built by Nanjing JOC-Towngas, has already been in operation since September 2013. This barge is classed with CCS. To bunker via LNG bunkering barge is a more mobile and flexible solution, and the bunkering barge should bear characteristics of safety, environment friendliness, convenience and efficiency. Currently, CCS is providing technical solution customization of LNG bunkering barge, hazard identification and risk control services to Zhoushan International LNG Bunkering Station Project and Luoma Lake LNG Bunkering Project owned by ENN Energy Holdings Ltd.; and meanwhile, CCS is under cooperation with China International Marine Containers Co., Ltd. (CIMC) to carry out pre-study of LNG bunkering barge within the framework of CCS-CIMC Strategic Cooperation Agreement. In addition, CCS has prepared, in cooperation with CNOOC Group, the Bunkering Operating Manual of Marine LNG Bunkering Barge, which will soon be published and introduced to the industry.

Gaztransport & Technigaz, known as GTT, is an internationally renowned company based in France that keeps the core patented membrane technology of membrane cargo tank. Based on mutual trust, CSS has established a good cooperation with GTT since early 2012. And by November 2013, CCS has already completed Approval in Principle (AiP) and General Approval for Ship’s Application (GASA) for two types of GTT’s membrane tank technologies.

Through the technical approval of the aforementioned membrane tank technology and the implementation of co-development/approval project for small scale membrane-type LNG vessel, CCS has basically mastered the core technology of LNG vessel with membrane-type cargo tank, such as Sloshing Load Analysis, Strength Assessment of Cargo Containment System, New Construction Survey as well as Material and Equipment Certification, and has laid a solid foundation for the improvement of CCS’s relative regulations, guidelines, as well as plan approval and inspection instructions, and for the full control and enhancement of the technical service capability in the field of membrane-type LNG vessel.

CCS Vice President Mr. Sun Feng issued the Approval in Principle (AiP) certificates (NO 96 and Mark III) for two types of membrane tank technologies and General Approval for Ship’s Application (GASA) certificates for 32000TEU and 16500TEU small LNG ship to GTT.

It is reported that, to explore a solution to safety technology issues of LNG powered ships and safeguard the healthy development of LNG on-water applications, CCS has formed a dedicated LNG project team by consolidating its most excellent internal technical resources. This project team has been further divided into sub teams focusing on LNG powered ship, LNG carrier, LNG bunkering, key equipment of LNG power system and LNG low temperature equipment respectively, which guarantees a research scope basically covering the entire LNG industry chain from transportation, bunkering to utilization.

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LNG World News Staff, December 12, 2013; Image: CCS