German class prepared for gas-fuelled shipping
Dr Hermann Klein of GL (left) presents Costamare Shipping with its first MLC 2006 certification
In common with other major classification societies, Germanischer Lloyd has issued guidelines for gas as ship fuel on the application of the IMO regulations.
The GL guidelines came into force on 1 May 2010 and apply to all ships excluding liquefied gas tankers. The internal combustion engine installations subject to the IMO interim guidelines may be single-fuel (i.e. natural gas) or dual-fuel (gas and fuel oil) machines, and the natural gas may be stored in gaseous or liquid state. The guidelines are to be applied in conjunction with the relevant provisions of SOLAS, 1974, and the Protocol of 1988, as amended.
"With new emission control regulations taking effect, gas as a ship fuel, once banned, is now re-emerging as an environmentally and economically attractive option," said Dr Hermann J. Klein, member of the GL executive board.
GL says that natural gas has two key advantages over oil: high efficiency and a lower environmental impact. Engine problems and damage caused by low-quality heavy fuel oils are expected to be largely eliminated by switching to gas as a ship fuel. Risks associated with conventional ship fuels include bunker quality issues, poor ignition and combustion, and uneven heat and pressure distribution on pistons, piston rings and cylinder liners.
In June 2009, MSC lifted the ban on natural gas as a ship fuel by adopting Resolution MSC 285(86), Interim Guidelines on Safety for Natural Gas-Fuelled Engine Installations in Ships. Developed by the subcommittee on bulk liquid and gases (BLG) with GL assistance, the interim guidelines are the first step towards the envisioned general code for gas as a ship fuel, the so-called IGF Code, which is currently under development by IMO and is expected to enter into force conjointly with the revision of SOLAS 2014.
Criteria for Construction
The GL guidelines will help shipowners and yards prepare for the introduction of gas as a ship fuel in the near future. The new guidelines provide criteria for the design arrangements and installation of propulsion and auxiliary machinery powered by natural gas to ensure a level of integrity, safety, reliability and dependability equivalent to that of comparable, state-of-the-art machinery burning conventional fuel oil.
GL says that increasing numbers of new LNG carriers are equipped with high-efficiency dual fuel engines; this trend has encouraged the introduction of LNG as a ship fuel. An appropriate infrastructure supplying LNG fuel in ports has yet to be established. The energy density of LNG is 60% of that of diesel fuel, resulting in a doubling of tank capacity. In terms of emissions to air, especially SOx, CO2 and HNOx, LNG is a winner.
"GL believes LNG as a ship fuel may be just the solution the shipping industry has been looking for to cope with the emissions challenges of our time," underlined Klein.
MLC compliance
GL is currently urging shipowners to be aware of their obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006). It has announced that Greek owner Costamare Shipping has successfully implemented MLC 2006 onboard the Cosco Ningbo. MLC 2006 will apply to all vessels of 500gt or above on international voyages after entry into force, which is expected at the end of 2011.
“Costamare's pro-active approach has enabled them to include the key requirements of the MLC 2006 into their existing management system from which they could prepare a voluntary declaration of maritime labour compliance. This is the cornerstone for amending any Flag State requirements into their system, which may come up once the new convention has been adopted," said Klein.
MLC 2006 regulates working and living conditions for seafarers and helps to create conditions of fair competition for ship owners.
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