The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), has established a joint industry project to investigate the operational feasibility of LNG bunkering in Singapore in collaboration with Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Clean Technology Center and 21 industry partners.
According to DNV, at present, there are 25 LNG fuelled ships all of which are operating in the Norwegian Emission Control Area and bunkering from shore facilities. Positive signals from the market also come from the number of LNG fuelled ships being designed and from the 24 LNG fuelled ships on order.
LNG bunkering is a process of refueling ships by transferring LNG fuel from the LNG carrying trucks, barges or onshore tanks. Switching from conventional marine fuel to LNG fuel provides both environmental and economic benefits to shipowners and public.
DNV said that the most common key barriers to a more widespread adoption of LNG as a fuel for ships seem to be insufficient local LNG supply and immature bunkering infrastructure coupled with a lack of regulatory schemes for both shore-based and ship-to ship bunkering. The feasibility of LNG fuelled shipping also depends on the simultaneous development of the entire value chain; the lack of such concurrent evolution would be a major challenge and increase investment risk for each stakeholder.
The Singapore project is managed by DNV and co-sponsored by the MPA, and 21 industry partners including BG Group, DNV Petroleum Services, Energy Markets Authority, Fearnleys, Gas Supply Pte Ltd, Hong Lam Marine, I.M Skaugen, IHI Corporation, Innovation Norway, Keppel Offshore & Marine Technology Centre, Land Transport Authority, Maritime and Port Authority, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Norgas (Asia), NYK Line, Rolls Royce Marine, Shell, Singapore LNG Corporation Pte Ltd, SPT Marine Services Ltd. and Star Cruises.