The Coast Guard’s Liquefied Gas Carrier National Center of Expertise, or LGC NCOE, coordinated a three day “LNG as Fuel Workshop” for future inspectors of LNG fueled vessels, with support from industry experts and the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Center. Together, this team of LNG-as-fuel specialists provided more than 50 Coast Guard marine inspectors with an in-depth understanding of LNG fueled engines, bunkering evolutions, risk analysis, membrane containment systems, type C tanks, vessel operations, plan review and firefighting techniques.

This team was comprised of representatives from ABS’s Global Gas Solutions Team, Chart Industries, Cheniere Energy, Conrad Orange Shipyard, DNV GL’s Risk Advisory Services, Gaztransport & Technigaz, Harvey Gulf International and Texas A&M’s Emergency Services Training Institute.

The three day workshop provided classroom instruction, exercises, a live LNG demonstration and visit to the shipyard constructing the first LNG bunker barge. Those who attended will be using this training to inspect LNG fueled vessels being constructed and/or operated in ports around the country. LNG fueled vessels are already operating in the Gulf Coast with additional vessels being constructed for operation on both the East and West Coast by the end of 2016.

“There is an urgent need for the Coast Guard to retool its existing workforce and prepare for the increased use of LNG as a marine fuel as the industry looks to LNG as an environmentally cleaner and affordable option,” said Capt. Jonathan Burton, assistant to the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy. “This just-in-time workshop marks the first Coast Guard instruction to train existing marine inspectors to better understand the complex systems used to keep LNG fueled vessels safe. Those in the room today will be tomorrow’s Coast Guard LNG as fuel specialists to address this emerging new aspect of our industry. I would like to personally thank all of you for attending, to the LGC NCOE for coordinating and to all our industry partners for preparing and presenting these technical topics so that we can all better understand this future marine fuel”.

About LGC NCOE

The LGC NCOE is one of six nationwide national centers of expertise focusing on providing industry specific consultation and services to the Coast Guard and maritime industry. The LGC NCOE provides technical advice on matters related to liquefied gas in the maritime community; liquefied gas training and outreach opportunities; liquefied gas workforce forecasting and performance development; and technical expertise for the establishment of local and national liquefied gas guidance, policy and regulations.

For more information on the LGC NCOE, visit their website at www.uscg.mil/lgcncoe.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.