Inaugural compressed gas forum a success

A number of recommendations relating to the marine transportation of compressed natural gas (CNG) have emerged following an international gathering held in St. John, Canada.

With support from the Centre for Marine Compressed Natural Gas (CMCNG) at Memorial University of Newfoundland, more than 50 delegates representing commercial and governmental organizations from Canada, the United States, Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium gathered last month for the 1st International Marine CNG Standards Forum. The group was comprised of representatives from flag and coastal state administrations, class societies, CNG technology developers, shipping companies, oil companies, industry organizations and leading research institutions, such as Institut Francais du Petrole, the Gas Technology Institute, and Memorial University.

The primary objectives of the forum were to educate and promote understanding of the requirements for marine transport of CNG and to encourage open dialogue on standards and guidelines. The forum ended with a series of recommendations aligned with and even exceeding safety standards already employed by the historically safe, liquefied natural gas industry. The recommendations address the distinctiveness of CNG marine transport in terms of hazards management, while recognizing technical advances in design, analysis, and materials for containment structures. While there was valuable consensus on many safety and regulatory aspects of the rapidly evolving industry, the forum also identified a number of work areas and tasks that can be undertaken by or led through the CMCNG.

The forum participants see the CMCNG playing a pivotal role as the technology for CNG advances. Industry, in partnership with Memorial University of Newfoundland, has led the way in creating the Centre for Marine CNG, the world’s first research and development facility dedicated to the efficient, safe and competitive transportation, storage, handling and usage of compressed natural gas. The center is a federally incorporated not-for-profit entity located on the campus of Memorial University in St. Johns, Canada. This world-class, open-access, CNG center is also establishing a large-scale, dynamic testing facility for research and development dedicated to marine transport of CNG.

Funding for the center has come from industry and government, including matching financial support provided by the Canadian government’s Atlantic Innovation Fund. The center will engage industry and other research entities in conducting collaborative research and development programs to meet industry- wide needs and to provide contract research and development services to clients worldwide.