| Event | : Forum |
Date | : 7th September 2015 |
| Topic | : LNG as a Marine Fuel: Addressing the Challenges |
| Chief Guest | : Chris Clucas, Corporate Expert – Liquefied Gas for BSM and the President of the Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF) |
A Shipping Industry Forum session took place on Monday 7th September 2015. The session was well attended by more than 100 delegates representing the shipping Industry viz. ship owners, equipment manufacturers, brokers and media began this Monday.
BSM (Bernhard Schulte Ship Management) addressed the gathering about the issues and solutions surrounding LNG as a marine fuel. The session took place in conjunction with London International Shipping Week 2015.
Aim of the Forum:
- To explore the commercial and environmental benefits using LNG fuel; and
- To explore the challenges associated with adopting LNG as the fuel of the future and its implications.
A few of the notable dignitaries who graced the function were:
- Mark Bell, General Manager of Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF);
- Mats Fagerberg, Partner at Affinity Shipping LLP;
- John Grant, General Manager of Wartsila UK Ltd;
- John Eltringham, Project Director at BSM.
John Eltringham enlightened the attendees about the technical challenges associated with the design and development of LNG fuelled vessels. He also highlighted a process deployed at BSM in partnership with Babcock LGE, of an innovative Gas Supply Vessel design for terminals and LNG fuelled ships. He explained how this design enables easy delivery to both on and offshore consumers as well as for coastal and seagoing operators. BSM has also added additional berths for fast track LNG fuelling. Their training and the environmental credentials of the design are one of the best. BSM has expertise in the LNG area and is currently managing 20 LNG vessels. They are now trying to find solutions to cope with the stricter emission laws that have come into force.
The panel was moderated by Karen Thomas from LNG world Shipping. She was able to highlight the first mover advantage, the economies of scale and the need for sustainability by making LNG fuelled vessels commercially viable. All participants were unanimous in agreeing on the need for regulated oil prices and commercial viability. It was common knowledge that most vessel sectors are now viewing LNG fuelled vessel designs as the fuel of the future.
The panel session was followed by a question-answer session in which the matters regarding the importance of regulation, legislation in conjunction with economic factors were stressed. There was unanimous agreement on the need to maintain the current safety record in LNG sector as well as recommendations on ways and means of improving training and better approaches to ensure competence in gas sector further elevated.
Captain Norbert Aschmann, Chief Executive Officer of BSM described the interactive session: “The strong participation and quality debate we experienced demonstrates that there is active engagement on this topic, despite the relatively slow uptake of LNG as a fuel in the maritime over recent years.”
About Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM)
BSM is an integrated maritime solutions leader, with more than 130 years of experience in the shipping industry. They manage a fleet of over 600 vessels and employ 20,000 people globally. They have a network of 9 ship management companies, 23 crew service companies and five wholly owned maritime training centres across the world.
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