Dipl.-Ing. Matthias Tenzer Feasibility study on bunkering liquefied natural gas in German ports (Bunkering LNG)

The transport of goods on inland waterways has been enjoying public recognition for years, as an ecological means of transport with regard to energy efficiency per tonne kilometres (tkm).

With the emission of exhaust gases in freight transportation generally having been in the focus of attention, stricter emission standards for road transportation have, to some degree, already significantly reduced exhaust gas emissions. In recent years inland waterway transportation has been excluded from this development and has even almost fallen behind, regarding environmental performance.

For a number of years, the exhaust gas emissions of inland water vessels as well have been gradually limited by the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCR). For this purpose, CO, HC, NOx emissions as well as those of fine particulate matter are gradually to be limited even further.

To comply with the new regulations, particularly with regard to the introduction of strict regulations in the next years, it is no longer sufficient to further develop conventional marine diesel fuel. In fact, besides waste gas scrubbing, alternative fuels and corresponding technical solutions have to be considered.

A promising solution to comply with strict exhaust emission standards is the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as ship fuel. In this regard, a safe bunkering procedure of LNG in ports is one of the most important safety aspects. Within the scope of the feasibility study on bunkering liquefied natural gas in German ports by Germanischer Lloyd (GL), in a sub-project the LNG transfer concerning current laws and regulations for German ports is investigated.

The Institute of Ship Technology, Ocean Engineering and Transport Systems (ISMT) takes part in this investigation by analysing the laws and regulations on board and onshore concerning the transfer of LNG on inland waterways and in inland ports. Important safety aspects may be derived from the evaluation of current European and German regulations with regard to the safe handling of LNG in inland navigation as well as taking into account the approval procedure for the first LNG-fuelled inland waterway vessel by the CCR.