DNV DNVGL-RP-0006 PDF

Scope and limitations of this recommended practice

The following figures are illustrating the scope of this RP. Providing support in design, development and operation of bunkering facilities is the main scope. For the necessary risk assessments, the transfer operation including simultaneous operations on land and on the water need to be taken into the scope of the assessment. Outside the scope are installations and operations on the receiving vessel other than bunkering of LNG. Also, the development of intermediate storage facilities and any activity upstream from intermediate storage in the value chain is outside the scope.

This RP may be used in strategic considerations in the beginning of the lifecycle of a LNG bunkering facility development. Recycling or dismantling of a LNG bunkering facility at the end of the lifecycle is not covered by this RP. Any activity in between may be supported by this RP.

The bunkering scenarios that are directly covered by this RP are those that are introduced in the "ISO LNG bunkering guidelines" /1/: truck-to-ship, terminal-to-ship and vessel-to-ship. The methodology presented may with special considerations also be used for other scenarios or means of supply of LNG, for example for the use of portable tanks.

The risk associated with LNG bunkering can be divided in risks inherent to the hardware, and risks specific to the location of the bunkering. The risk specific to the hardware are the same for every location where certain hardware is used. An example of this is failure of hoses. The site specific risk is dependent on:

— The operations of the organisations involved in the bunkering.

— Activities at or around the bunker location that may have an impact on the bunker operation or may be impacted by the bunker operation. These are the activities "Simultaneous operations on land" and "Simultaneous operations on the water" in Figure 1-2.

The contribution from organisations involved in bunkering is dependent on the risk acceptance of the organisations involved and their maturity with regard to safety management system and risk management. Examples of activities at or around the bunker location that may contribute to the overall risk picture are traffic intensity and the size of passing vessels or simultaneous operations on the vessel or on the terminal such as loading on and off or the presence of passengers.

This RP is assisting the user in identifying and managing the different contributions to the overall risk picture.

Purpose of this recommended practice

The purpose of this RP is to provide guidance to the industry to ensure safe operation of LNG bunkering facilities. This requires guidance within the three main elements for safe development and operations of LNG bunker facilities:

a) Safe design and operation.

b) Safety Management System.

c) Risk Assessment.

These three main elements are explicitly addressed in the ISO "Guideline for systems and installations for supply of LNG as fuel to ships" /1/. The ISO guideline has been used as a basis for the contents and discussion points of this RP.

The common ground is international laws and standards. These regulations provide an internationally accepted starting point for any development of bunkering facilities and their safe operation. Site-specific Operating Procedures shall be developed to govern the individual bunker operations. The RP bridges the gap between the ISO guidelines for systems and installations for supply of LNG as fuel to ships, which by their very nature are generic and specific regulations like port regulations, terminal procedures and bunker operator's operating procedures (OP) for LNG bunkering.